The360report

How do you take off a serpentine belt?

How do you remove a serpentine belt without tool?

Can you replace a serpentine belt yourself?

Serpentine belt replacement is easy because today’s automatic drive belt tensioners eliminate the need to loosen bolts or pry components into position for retensioning. Just rotate the tensioner, remove the old belt and install a new one.

What tools do you need to replace a serpentine belt?

Tools/Supplies Needed:

1. ratchet and socket set.
2. torque wrench.
3. new replacement belt.
4. new tensioner.
5. new pulley.
6. wrench set.
7. jack and axle stands or ramps.

How expensive is it to replace a serpentine belt?

It is very inexpensive to replace a serpentine belt whether it’s broken or loose. The replacement cost is only going to be between $100 and $200 in most cases. The belt itself will cost between $25 and $80 while the labor costs will probably be between $75 and $120.

Can you drive without a serpentine belt?

Under no circumstances can you drive a vehicle without a serpentine belt because the serpentine belt serves the important function of delivering antifreeze to important parts of the engine. Without the serpentine belt, the power steering pump, which provides hydraulic pressure, no longer functions.

How many years will a serpentine belt last?

Serpentine belts are built to last—much longer than before because of advancements in rubber technology. Under ideal conditions, a belt should stick with you for an average of 60,000 to 100,000 miles.

How far can I drive without a serpentine belt?

Like I mentioned previously without a serpentine belt to power the accessories of your car the car will start but you won’t be able to drive it that far. I’ve luckily never had this happen to me but I’d estimate that you would be able to drive for a few miles (3-5) before your car’s engine will start to overheat.

What does it sound like when a serpentine belt goes bad?

If you notice a squealing noise coming from the front of your vehicle, it could be from the serpentine belt. This could be due to a slippage or misalignment. The only way to make the noise go away is to contact a professional mechanic and have them replace the serpentine/drive belt or diagnose the issue.

Will a new serpentine belt improve performance?

If your old belt was glazed and slipping, then yes. The new belt does not slip therefore everything is turning and generating at full capacity, hence the improvement you see. Not really. All of your accessories(power steering, air-conditioning, etc.)

Will a car start with a broken serpentine belt?

The short answer is yes, your car will start even if the serpentine belt is broken or missing. To get the car going, the battery sends power to your starter motor. However, you do need your serpentine belt if you want the car to run for longer than a few minutes.

Is a serpentine belt the same as a timing belt?

Timing Belt. Don’t get confused—a serpentine belt is not the same thing as a timing belt. The timing belt is located inside the engine and keeps the crankshaft and camshaft in sync. This ensures that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close in time with the pistons so the engine runs smoothly.

Does serpentine belt affect timing?

Serpentine belts have replaced the several fan belts that were common in older cars. A serpentine belt may power the air conditioning, alternator and power steering pump on your car. A slipping timing belt will affect the engine timing, resulting in the valves opening at the wrong time.

Can a serpentine belt cause transmission problems?

The serpentine belt drives your power and essential accessories. The belt can drive the water pump and it drives the alternator. The belt can drive the power steering pump and AC compressor. But the serpentine belt has *nothing* to do with your transmission.

What happens when the serpentine belt breaks while driving?

The serpentine belt is also known as an alternator belt, fan belt, or accessory drive belt. If your serpentine belt wears out, becomes damaged or contaminated, or breaks, engine accessories will not be able to spin at the proper speed, leading to decreased power to the electrical system.

Do serpentine belts break?

Most serpentine belts generally last between fifty-thousand and one-hundred thousand miles. It is important to know that eventually, all serpentine belts deteriorate. This is because serpentine belts fall apart due to continuous exposure to heat and friction. In such cases, they will need to be replaced.

Why do serpentine belts come off?

Belt coming off: Pulley misalignment, belt misalignment on pulley, defective tensioner, or bearing wear in tensioner, idler or driven accessories.

Does a serpentine belt make noise?

A serpentine belt is meant to run on various pulleys, like the idler pulley, and if any of the devices or tensioner pulley is not correctly aligned with the serpentine belt, the serpentine belt noise will occur, often in the form of a squeal.

Can I put WD-40 on a squeaky belt?

Spray just enough WD–40 onto the belt to lightly cover the area where the squeal occurs. Short, sharp blasts work best to ensure the belt is not saturated. Oversaturating the belt will result in severe slipping, which can permanently damage the belt.

Can a bad serpentine belt cause check engine light?

Without this belt, the engine can‘t run. How do I know it’s time to replace my timing belt? A loose or worn belt will cause ticking or rattling noises, poor engine performance and overheating, usually triggering the check engine light.

How do you stop a serpentine belt from squeaking?

Why does my serpentine belt squeal after replacement?

Recommended Services. Noise of that type is due to a failed or failing bearing in one of the pulleys or accessories (e.g., alternator, water pump, A/C compressor) that is driven by the serpentine belt, the belt is not properly tensioned, or the rotating pulleys driven by the belt are not all in the same plane.

Why does my serpentine belt squeal when I accelerate?

The serpentine belt can be a common cause. If the belt is worn (dry, cracked,glazed) it can slip on acceleration and make a squealing sound. Also, if any of the pulleys on the alternator, p/s pump,etc, are worn or loose, they can cause the belt to squeal.

How do you know if your serpentine belt tensioner is bad?

1. Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner. The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. If the tensioner is loose the belts may squeak or squeal, especially when the engine is first started.