What to do if your serpentine belt is worn?

A worn or damaged serpentine belt can fail to adequately transfer the power, leaving your alternator, power steering, and air conditioning failing to function. If your serpentine belt needs to be replaced, it can be done using only common hand tools. Pull the hood release inside the cabin of the vehicle.

Where do I find the serpentine belt routing diagram?

Find the serpentine belt routing diagram. Many cars come with a sticker in the engine bay that shows exactly how the serpentine belt is supposed to be routed through the various pulleys on the engine. If your vehicle does not have a sticker, you will need to find another way to remember how the belt should be run.

How is the tension set on a serpentine belt?

Depending on the application, your serpentine belt will either have tension placed on it using a movable bracket or an auto tensioner pulley. This pulley uses an internal spring to apply consistent pressure to the belt at all times. If your vehicle does not have a tensioner pulley, the alternator bracket is likely how tension is set on the belt.

How do you remove an alternator from a car?

If your vehicle does not have an auto tensioner, insert a pry bar or piece of wood between the alternator and the engine. Run the belt over the alternator pulley, then use the bar to pry the alternator away from the engine and increase the tension on the belt.

Where do I find the serpentine belt on my car?

To access the serpentine belt, you will need to open the hood of the vehicle. The hood release can usually be found near the door on the driver’s side of the vehicle. With the hood released, you will also need to release the safety latch located at the front of the vehicle.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from a battery?

Use the appropriate sized wrench or socket to loosen the nut holding the black ground cable on the negative terminal of the battery. Slide the cable off of the terminal and tuck it to the side of the battery. You will not need to disconnect the positive terminal. Locate the serpentine belt.

How often should a serpentine belt be replaced?

Most serpentine belts need to be replaced every 40,000 to 70,000 miles. If there are signs of the belt rubbing on something, make sure to identify and repair whatever it was rubbing on to avoid damaging the new belt.

Is the water pump driven by the serpentine belt?

Another important device driven by the serpentine belt is the water pump. This is not always the case as on a lot of cars the water pump is driven by the timing belt. You should have this in mind so you don’t falsely “accuse” the serpentine belt for overheating.

What kind of pulley does a serpentine belt use?

Determine if there is a belt tensioner pulley. Depending on the application, your serpentine belt will either have tension placed on it using a movable bracket or an auto tensioner pulley. This pulley uses an internal spring to apply consistent pressure to the belt at all times.

How does the serpentine belt work on a car?

As your engine runs, the spinning motion of the crankshaft is transferred to each of the accessory pulleys via the serpentine belt. If your vehicle is supercharged, the serpentine belt also powers the supercharger. Older engines have v-belts instead of serpentine belts.

How long does it take to replace a serpentine belt?

You are only required to loosen the bolt that goes behind the PS pump. This will move the tensioner pulley. You will then slide the default belt off and replace with the right one. This process should not take you more than 30 minutes. 1. What are some of the problem of a bad serpentine belt? The alternator will not work.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from a Chevy Silverado?

In order to remove the belt from the pulleys, you will need to release this tension, which will slacken the belt and allow you to remove it from the rest of the pulleys. There should be a 3/8-inch drive square hole in the middle of the tensioner.

Why is my serpentine belt cracking under the hood?

That awful squealing beneath the hood may be coming from a frayed or cracked serpentine belt. It’s a crucial part of the engine assembly—here are step-by-step instructions for replacing your serpentine belt without bringing your car to the shop.

Are there serpentine belts at Sun Auto Service?

Yes, Sun Auto Service has a team of ASE-certified technicians who install quality and durable serpentine belts to keep your vehicle running at its best. Our serpentine belts are constructed of the best rubber compounds for heavy-duty protection.

Where does the power come from in a serpentine belt?

The power for all of those things comes from the engine via the serpentine/drive belt. Most cars today have a single belt, called a serpentine belt. In the past, two or even three belts were used. The serpentine belt connects all the accessories on the engine to the main drive pulley, which is turned by the engine.

What’s the difference between V-belts and serpentine belts?

Older engines have v-belts instead of serpentine belts. These are thinner and smaller than serpentine belts and usually connect one accessory to the crankshaft. You’ll often see multiple v-belts in an engine, but only one serpentine belt.

What are the symptoms of a bad serpentine belt?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Serpentine/ Drive Belt . Common signs include a squealing noise from the front of the vehicle, power steering and AC not working, engine overheating, and cracks on the belt.

What is the best quality serpentine belt?

Short Reviews of 5 Best Serpentine Belts 1. Gates K060841 Serpentine Belt/Fan Belt 2. ACDelco 6K930 Professional V-Ribbed Serpentine Belt 3. Bando 6PK2135 OEM Quality Serpentine Belt 4. Continental Elite 4061025 Poly-V / Serpentine Belt 5. Motorcraft JK6982D Serpentine Belt

How often should you replace the serpentine belt?

Serpentine belts can last for years and might only need to be changed once or twice over the life of the vehicle. The recommended industry standard is to inspect your belt at 60,000 miles for wear & tear and replace if necessary, and replace every 90,000 miles regardless of the appearance in order to reduce the chances of a breakdown.

How much does it cost to replace a serpentine belt?

For just the parts, most serpentine belts retail for $15 to $45, but if you needed to hire a mechanic to replace it, then the costs could increase to anywhere from the shop minimum, often around $75 to as much as $200 if the part is difficult to access and/or install for both the parts and the professional install.

Where can I find a serpentine belt routing diagram?

Select the specific year and make of your vehicle. Take note of the Illustration number and then Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Free Serpentine Belt Routing Diagram. What’s that squeal coming from under the hood?

How to replace the serpentine belt on a Toyota Corolla?

How to replace the serpentine belt on a 1.8L Toyota Corolla, Yaris. Matrix and others – YouTube How to replace the serpentine belt on a 1.8L Toyota Corolla, Yaris.

What is the serpentine belt on a car made of?

Importance of Serpentine Belt Maintenance. The serpentine belt, also known as the drive belt, is made of rubber. It connects the AC, power steering, and alternator to the engine’s crankshaft.

When do you need to replace your serpentine belt?

After 4-6 years, you should replace your serpentine belt; however, weather conditions can change its longevity. One unique sign to replace the serpentine belt is the cracks on it. Extreme heat and aging are two significant causes of these cracks.

How did the serpentine belt get its name?

The serpentine belt is aptly named for the way it snakes around the pulleys inside the engine bay. This long, winding rubber belt powers many of the important systems of your vehicle by transferring power from the engine’s crankshaft to the accessory pulleys.

How to replace the serpentine accessory belt on a Toyota Corolla?

If the old belt seemed loose and the tensioner was very easy to rotate, replace it with the Dorman 419-123 belt tensioner. Place the new belt down on to the left (passenger) side of the engine and wrap the ribbed side around the lowest large pulley near the rear of the engine.

How can I tell when to replace my serpentine belt?

Your mechanic can let you know when to replace the serpentine belt or how many miles it has left. Look on the inside of the belt (the ribbed side that touches the pulleys on the alternator, water pumps, and other engine accessories).

How to install serpentine belt on Hyundai Santa Fe?

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What happens when you change the serpentine belt?

Billions of rotations under constant tension of the serpentine belt will take its toll over time. The “ribs” in the pulleys get damaged so even if you change the belt, the damaged pulley will tear and shred the belt again.

Where is the adjustment screw on a serpentine belt?

Open the hood and locate the adjustment screw that controls tension on the serpentine belt. This screw is typically a wing-nut located near the alternator and is in plain view.

What kind of engine has a serpentine belt?

3.5L Engine Serpentine Belt in Chev… 4.2L Inline Six Cylinder Engine Bel… 3800 V6 Belt Routing Picture and Ro… Supercharged 3.8L V6 Drive Belt rou… Vortec 5.3 and 4.8L V8 Truck Belt R…

How do you remove the serpentine belt on a Ford truck?

Loop the serpentine belt onto all pulleys except the tensioner. Once the belt is on all but the last pulley, use your 1/2” drive ratchet or belt remover tool to loosen the tension on the pulley. With tension removed, there should be plenty of room to get the belt onto the last pulley.

How to tell if your serpentine belt needs to be replaced?

Look for signs of damage or wear on the belt. Once you have located the serpentine belt, inspect it visually for signs of damage. If the belt is frayed, coming apart, or has marks that indicate that it has been rubbing on something, it will need to be replaced.

What’s the average life of a Ford serpentine belt?

The average lifespan of a serpentine belt is about 60,000 miles. It can be considerably less if the belts are low quality or if the truck has been used in severe conditions. Pop the hood. On the radiator shroud you’ll see a sticker with the layout of the serpentine belt. If not, locate your serpentine belt layout in the images below (figure 3).

How do you remove a pulley belt from a car?

With the tension relieved from the belt, pull it off of the pulley that has been placing tension on it, then remove it from the around the rest of the pulleys on the engine. If the belt is severely damaged, be sure to remove any parts that may have come off of it as well. Compare the new belt to the old one.

How often do you change a serpentine belt?

The serpentine belt “snakes” around several components of the engine, transferring mechanical power to nearly every critical part. Under normal conditions, the belt needs to be replaced every 4 to 6 years.

What is the function of a serpentine belt in a car?

A serpentine belt is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple peripheral devices in an automotive engine, such as an alternator, power steering pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor, air pump, etc. The belt may also be guided by an idler pulley and/or a belt tensioner (which may be spring-loaded, hydraulic, or manual).

Why does my serpentine belt keep slipping on pulleys?

Serpentine belts stretch with age and use, but the tensioner is spring-loaded to keep the belt tight on the pulleys. If a belt starts slipping, the tensioner should always be checked to see if it is functioning properly.

What to do if your serpentine belt is worn?