| DIY: Replacing A Serpentine Engine Belt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The serpentine drive belt is what keeps your battery charged, your engine cool, steering easy to turn and keeps you cool when it's hot enough to fry bacon on the sidewalk. But how often do you really think about it? Not often enough I'll wager. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
You need to check the idler pulleys carefully; most serpentine drive belt problems are due to bad idler pulleys. Since most, if not all, idler pulleys are smooth, a loose idler pulley will cause the serpentine drive belt to slip off much easier than a grooved idler pulley. Dirt and debris can chip and gouge idler pulleys, especially the plastic ones, and cause accelerated serpentine drive belt wear. Spin the idler pulleys by hand; they should spin free and easy. Any noise, rubbing, wobble or other signs of unevenness indicates a bad idler and needs to be replaced. Look at all the other pulleys. If there is dirt, or other debris packed into the grooves, clean them out with the tip of a small screwdriver or pick. Be careful not to nick or gouge the pulley, as this will case accelerated belt wear. Any rough edges should be filed smooth with a fine cut file. 1991 to 1995 Chrysler Mini-Vans were prone to serpentine drive belts flying off due to snow and ice getting packed into the pulleys. |
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Additional information provided courtesy of ALLDATA
© 2004 Vincent T. Ciulla
