What should I do if my drive belt is loose?
What should I do if my drive belt is loose?
A loose belt, simply stated, looks and feels loose. If this appears to be the case, you should have a mechanic adjust the belt tension so that it doesn’t come off and damage your engine or leave you stranded. There are two types of drive belts used in automotive vehicles.
What causes the tension of the drive belt?
A cooling fan can also be belt driven; this moves air across a radiator to cool the engine coolant to prevent overheating of the engine at slow road speeds or idle. These belt driven components can affect the tension of a belt. The v-belt type has a narrow taper to a V shape that goes around a pulley.
What are the different types of drive belts?
There are two types of drive belts used in automotive vehicles. They are the v-belt and serpentine belt. Belts are used to rotate components on the engine assembly, such as a coolant pump (water pump).
Why do you need a belt on an alternator?
Belts are used to rotate components on the engine assembly, such as a coolant pump (water pump). This pump flows coolant through the engine to remove heat. An alternator produces electricity to maintain a balance on the electrical system and keep the battery charged.
How do you tighten the belt on an alternator?
Loosen the nut and bolt, after which you will have to set the alternator against the belt. Now you need to tighten the slider bolt and the tensioner lock bolt. You even need to check the tension in the belt while tightening it. Tighten the bolt until there is about 1/2 inch of slack on the belt.
What to do if your belt is loose after routing?
If the belt is loose after routing it, it is either the wrong size belt or you’ve routed it incorrectly. Apply pressure on the auto tensioner and put the belt over it. Use the same wrench to loosen the auto tensioner pulley, then pull the belt over it. Once the belt is in place, release the pressure on the tensioner so it holds the belt in place.
What happens when you loosen a serpentine belt?
If your vehicle uses the alternator bracket to apply tension to the belt, loosen the two bolts that pass through the long eyelets on the bracket. As you loosen the bolts, the tension on the belt will likely move the alternator toward the engine and relieve the pressure. Loosen the bolts enough to move the alternator, but don’t remove them.
What are common signs that your drive belt is loose?
Sound is an indication of a belt being loose. This noise could manifest as a high pitch or whirring noise. The level of looseness will create different sounds. Movement of the belt up and down while operating is normal at ½” to ¾”. More than that is considered worn or a concern
