Shredded my belt...again

KJ_bob · Post by **KJ_bob** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:15 am

nar i already replaced the alternator tensioner with the chip out of it and it wasn't the problem. I think you've got it the wrong way around, i think the p/s belt is trying to jump and taking out the alternator belt, as the p/s belt is the one closest to the motor and its jumping a rib toward the alternator belt (away from the motor) and pushing it off... i dont know, but the whole thing makes me think that if the problem isn't in the harmonic balancer then its in one of the pulley's along the p/s belt

i haven't checked if the alternator itself is out, but i have checked if the pulleys are inline with eachother. If the alternator was out of whack with its pulley, i cant see how it would be throwing the p/s belt as well. However, if the p/s belt pulleys are the problem, it could and probably would throw both the belts... so im leaning toward one of the p/s belt pulleys being the problem

Post by **I8A4RE** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:07 am

KJ_bob wrote:nar i already replaced the alternator tensioner with the chip out of it and it wasn't the problem. I think you've got it the wrong way around, i think the p/s belt is trying to jump and taking out the alternator belt, as the p/s belt is the one closest to the motor and its jumping a rib toward the alternator belt (away from the motor) and pushing it off... i dont know, but the whole thing makes me think that if the problem isn't in the harmonic balancer then its in one of the pulley's along the p/s belt

i haven't checked if the alternator itself is out, but i have checked if the pulleys are inline with eachother. If the alternator was out of whack with its pulley, i cant see how it would be throwing the p/s belt as well. However, if the p/s belt pulleys are the problem, it could and probably would throw both the belts... so im leaning toward one of the p/s belt pulleys being the problem

BINGO!!!! So now what are you going to do? Have you checked, movement in the ps, ac tensior pulley's?? Now remember even a slight movement can throw a belt. WHere are you located?

KJ_bob · Post by **KJ_bob** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:36 pm

Yeah i have and like i said i didn't find anything, it all seemed tight. In saying that im not a mechanic. Im in the Hills district sydney...nsw, probably no good to you.

Might be mechanic time..

btw congrats on the turbo, its all very impressive. Hope it all goes smoothly and u get some nice time slips

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:43 am

You've probably done it but have you checked the aircon pulley like removed the belt and had a good feel of the pulley's bearing. They say because it's so close to ground it can get damaged easily.

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:27 pm

Mate mine has been to a mechanic on 7 occassions. 4 different ones so far. Will be 5 tomorrow. Mine is doing what yours is I think but in the other direction. The PS belt jumps towards the engine on the PS pulley.

Am I right in thinking the PS belt spins clockwise?

I'm thinking next of a new crank pulley or harmonic balancer and like you I'm scared of finding out how much that is going to cost me. Last time this happened we tried fitting another crank pulley off a old spare motor as it was a different diameter to the pulley that was one my car. Since then the belt has failed again twice. The last one only lasted 100kms. The current count for me is 14 belts (going to a thinner belt this time, stupid mechanics wouldn't let me before as the claimed they had fixed it

), 4 PS tensioners and a second hand harmonic balancer.

The mechanics have checked the air-con and power steering pulleys on my car. The original thought was the air-con pulley had a dodgy mounting to the block. This was pulled apart and put back in though and was found to be fine, The only thing I can think is that it is the harmonic balancer. which I think I can see a slight movement (vibration sort of not running straight) when it is running and can imagine the slightest movement could spit a belt at 7 or 8000rpm

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:37 pm

Shame your not in Syd. Would swap your crank pulley for a 6 pack!

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:52 pm

Yep, tis a shame. Thanks for the offer though Ben. Though the main problem isn't the fitting of but actually getting my hands on a new one that doesn't take the very little amount of money I have at the moment.

KJ_bob · Post by **KJ_bob** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:11 pm

Thanx for your update rallymad, sucks your still having problems though...

Mine hasnâ€™t thrown a belt since i put the 4pk on it. Donâ€™t get me wrong, its tried to. The other day i found that on the p/s pulley (not tensioner) it had claimed over a grove away for the engine and toward the alternator belt. Donâ€™t know if that tells anyone anything.

Anyway, im going to go replace the p/s tensioner in a bid to fix the problem. I cant see how it could be the harmonic balancer, as i would not of though it would wear its seal in 10 years (correct me if u think im wrong in thinking this), unless its have a front on crash. A guy that specialises in harmonic balancers had a look and didn't seem to think it likely to be the problem either.

The only other thing is that i cant see how the bearing in the p/s tensioner going would make the belt jump on the p/s pulley only

as you can see in the pic, no.3 is the p/s pulley and the blank pulley at its 7 o'clock is the p/s tensioer. Either way there is a pulley between the tensioner and p/s pulley, so how would it be possible for a bummed p/s tensioner to cause the belt to jump on the p/s pulley, would it not jump on no.2 or 4 first???

Also, does anyone no if mechanics have any kind of tool of process where they can see if a pulley or belt is out line. Like if i handed the car over to say ultra tune do u think they would have a better chance of finding something wrong then i would... or would they just start replaceing stuff and charging me labour?

Btw i have checked all the pullies and brackets i can, and havenâ€™t found anything suss

If anyone can shed some light on any of this please do

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:42 pm

I think your right about the harmonic balancer. I've been convinced it can't be the problem on mine.

Since I fitted my 4pk belt it moved straight over to the far left on all pulleys after less than 5km's of driving, that is indicating to me that something has to be out of alignment majorly.

I also agree with you that you would think it would be moving over on the harmonic balancer if it was the tensioner (the belt runs clockwise).

I'm getting another mechanic to look at it today for me. One last week told me the power steering pump was stuffed cause the pulley moves in and out of the pump 3 or 4mm. It's since been confirmed by a steering specialist that even a new pump has this play in it. It's normal though that specialist is who is checking it today so I might come up with something. Soooo, I won't be taking my car anywhere near the mechanic who said it was the power steering pump.

Rik up here thinks it is something to do with the air-con pulley though he's not sure. I trust him but he isn't certain so neither am I. I'll be calling him again later this week to see if he has any other ideas. Added bonus of him having spares (old motors etc) down there is the next step may be replacing stuff until the problem is fixed.

On the measurement side, in my experience it can't be done accurately. Mostly it is checked by line of sight, because there is no flat surface to measure off there is no way I am aware of to accurately determine if all the pulleys are in line. Though our problems have to signify that something either has a stuffed bearing or something is out of line. If like me you have no noises then your probably like me and thinking a stuffed bearing is out so it's just figuring out what is out of alignment.

The guy that has my car at the moment on a quick visual inspection thought he could line up the harmonic balancer, tensioner and air-con pulley. Or the harmonic balancer, tensioner and p/s pulley but that the air-con and p/s pulleys wouldn't line up. That was from on top so we are seeing if that is the same with the car on a hoist. From my visual inspection when I replaced the belt it looks straight but I don't have the skills or experience this guy has.

If your worried about alignment and can't find if it is or not I'd say it doesn't do any harm to take it to a mechanic and ask them to have a look. Though don't be suprised if they don't find anything wrong. I'd be getting a second or third opinion as well. You don't want to be forking out for a new power steering pump or air-con compressor only to find that wasn't the problem.

Good luck mate!

KJ_bob · Post by **KJ_bob** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:15 pm

interesting... are all these mechanics charging you labour every time they "take a look". Just curious

Your right in your thinking that it would make more sense for the harmonic balancer to be busted however, at the same time it doesn't make sense

im now at a loss to what i think the problem is

No, mine does not make noise either... other then the sound of alternator belt being thrown around the engine

Btw do u know the part number or measurments for the power steering tensioner? Or just what ever i need so that repco knows what im talking about

Keep us posted on how yours goes

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:36 pm

No mate, I've only ever been charged if they actaully change something, though watch them cause some are idiots and won't listen to you when you tell them that you can get parts cheaper.

See here for my current idea:
http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... 932#187932

See there I think the big sides on the harmonic balancer could still mean it is the tensioner, maybe you have the opposite problem to me. Maybe the Harmonic balancer has the belt sitting too far out from the engine, or maybe the tensioner just needs replacing. Not sure of the part number though sorry mate, if your interested I should know whether I can get something else to fit before the end of the week. That should only cost around $30 as well. If not I'd take yours off and go to a repco or whatever and ask them for another one. Be sure it stuffed first though. If it's gone you should be able to move the tensioner even when the belt is all tensioned up. Movement side to side indicates a stuffed bearing and the bearing can't be replace so you have to get another tensioner.

I feel your pain with the noise too mate, even though I've heard it 15 times it still scares the crap out of me. Though 2 times ago the I got the noise then the belt managed to get it's spat out and all of a sudden I had no power steering, that was entertaining....not

As I said mate if your interested I'll make sure to post up all the info I can about an alternative tensioner if the tensioner turns out to be your problem.

Tippin · Post by **Tippin** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:26 pm

Ok ive shredded my p/s belt just then on a 'spirited' drive, didn't bother making a new thread

it was definately on its way out and fraying all over the place, but now i pay the consequence of being too lazy and replacing it

KJ where was the best place to buy one from? thanx

Tippin · Post by **Tippin** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:47 pm

fixed, all good now

replaced it in 10 mins

KJ_bob · Post by **KJ_bob** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:55 pm

yeah its not to bad... get it from repro?

Did it take your alternator belt with it?

Tippin · Post by **Tippin** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:01 pm

KJ_bob wrote:yeah its not to bad... get it from repro?

Did it take your alternator belt with it?

yep, $43 from repco

nah, alt belt was still good

man driving an fto without power steering was not fun, even only for 2 minutes

Gholdwayne · Post by **Gholdwayne** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:30 am

Tippin wrote:
man driving an fto without power steering was not fun, even only for 2 minutes

seriously though! one day ill just get so pissed off my p/s belt issue that i might just not bother anymore and just tank it up and drive with manual steering and beef up my arms a bit at least. god its so embarrasing to go to my mech everytime. dont have the right tools to do it myself, i'll start buying them now.