Serpentine belt broke...kinda

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Serpentine belt broke...kinda

February 16, 2005, 08:59:50 PM

I was driving on marlton pike just after coming of of i295 when i heard a low groan from my car. It was low rpm, about 40mph. I get to my girlfriends house after doing what i had to do. I didn't like the sound I was hearing from the engine, so i turned it off and popped the hood. I saw about 14" of the belt was torn. The tear was one of the treads that runs parallel with the belt, I knew right there that I wouldn't be driving home that night.
Well, it was time to go home, I walked out and started the car it started, idled very low almost to a stall and reved back up. I hear this awful sound and popped the hood, and look under the car thinking i'm gonna find the belt in peices, i find just a small part of it.

So I had my girlfriend drive me home went to pep boys and shelled out $40 for a new belt. I think I may just dump this car off at the dump soon, i may be getting a job in the next couple weeks.
She's picking me up tomorrow to bring me to her house so i can fix it since the car is over there.

This car has been more trouble than it's worth.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #1 – February 16, 2005, 09:31:21 PM

You may just have minor issues that crop up with any car old or new. Hell you already got the belt. Think about fixing the idle issue, it could just be beacause of low volts from running only on the battery. I know it can be frustrating but don't give up without considering things carefully. It is tough to undo hasty decisions.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #2 – February 16, 2005, 09:58:43 PM

My '87 3.8L shredded a belt last month. It turned out the manual tensioner was deflecting about 1/4" out and causing a belt misalignment that eventually ripped the belt to pieces.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #3 – February 16, 2005, 10:41:40 PM

You just purchased an 18 year old car that from what I've read from your posts was not taken care of very well. Bearing that in mind The car is gonna need some upkeep. You're probably gonna find things wrong for a while until you get her up to snuff. After that as long as you take good care of it and do the required maintenence the car Should be relatively trouble free.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #4 – February 16, 2005, 11:42:58 PM

When I bought my cougar I found the tensioner in the back seat! Just check the pully alignment. You will more than likely find the problem...

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #5 – February 17, 2005, 12:48:31 AM

PS - Don't give up so easy. I bought a "well maintained" car for $400 that needs more work than it's worth, but it's all I got now, and fixing it (for now) is a lot cheaper than giving up on it.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #6 – February 17, 2005, 07:44:55 AM

My girlfriends dad got ahold of a belt for free, so I'm not worried about it anymore. I'm returning the belt I bought.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #7 – February 17, 2005, 09:01:05 AM

Mine tore into shreds a couple of weeks ago,and it wrapped itself very tightly around my fan.It took a while to cut the strips of belt from it.$24 for a new belt,and off I went.

Re: Serpentine belt broke...kinda

Reply #8 – February 18, 2005, 05:19:38 PM

this is too funny,,, my belt ripped longways also a couple months ago.
now get this part.........read closely

my tension pully was siezed but i heard no squeeks to alert me. I also found a film of corrosion on the metal pully which indicated that the pully had not been spining for a long while.

I put my old belt (half its previous width) in the trunk for a spare.

good luck.