Belt Up!

[goose]

On my way home from work on Friday i noticed a horible belt whirring noise, so I drove straight to JTech where they had a quick peek and showed me that my AC belt was completely destroyed (about half the width just about left), and that i shouldnt drive it till it was replaced, just in case it snapped and got caught in anything else

They ordered a new pulley, tensioner, and belt (hopefully its just the belt) and i dropped it in this morning, and am wating to hear the news.

Is this a common fault? Or is this just continued damage caused by my track fun at combe revving the tits of a big V8

goose

[goose]

On my way home from work on Friday i noticed a horible belt whirring noise, so I drove straight to JTech where they had a quick peek and showed me that my AC belt was completely destroyed (about half the width just about left), and that i shouldnt drive it till it was replaced, just in case it snapped and got caught in anything else

They ordered a new pulley, tensioner, and belt (hopefully its just the belt) and i dropped it in this morning, and am wating to hear the news.

Is this a common fault? Or is this just continued damage caused by my track fun at combe revving the tits of a big V8

goose

UPDATE: Didn't get the car back yesterday as it turns out the alternator clutch siezed, which is what caused the belt to <beep> itself... waiting for parts, hopefully sorted today!

[Ian_C]

That sounds quite unusual? I've heard of starter motors dying (or more commonly starter motor relays - but they are all part of the same unit) but not alternators and their clutches?

[BlingBling]

On my way home from work on Friday i noticed a horible belt whirring noise, so I drove straight to JTech where they had a quick peek and showed me that my AC belt was completely destroyed (about half the width just about left), and that i shouldnt drive it till it was replaced, just in case it snapped and got caught in anything else

They ordered a new pulley, tensioner, and belt (hopefully its just the belt) and i dropped it in this morning, and am wating to hear the news.

Is this a common fault? Or is this just continued damage caused by my track fun at combe revving the tits of a big V8

goose

Belts snapping is not a common fault. They are consumables and need to be changed every 60K. I think. Normally you do not need to change the pulley or tensioner. I have read of belts snapping and cutting hoses to the nearby aux rad but never of alternator clutches failing. Question the garage they maybe trying to rape you.

[Ian_C]

Something I need to check on mine then. It had a pretty comprehensive 60k service just before I bought it including plugs, bill was £600 from memory. If the belt is visible I imagine it would be obvious whether it was original or 10k old.

[BlingBling]

Don't quote me on the 60K. Check the maintenance manual to be sure. The belt is visible, just, but not sure if you will see enough to determine its age.

[gottanS]

Why would the alternator have a clutch on it? I know the compressor for the AC has one to allow it to be disengaged but again this is designed to run continuously while the engine is running. Very curious as to what actually happened, did the belt snap due to wear/old age, etc or did something stop rotating causing it to break.

The alternator clutch sounds like nonsense to me.

[goose]

OK so it turned out to be just a new pulley, tensioner, and belt... plus labour and VAT still came to £350 tho !

Defo worth checking these belts then as mine has only done 42k... there's feck all room between block and rad for these to get cool air in, and the rubber toothed side of the belt had been baked to hard plastic and disintegrated!

goose