How to tell if your belt tensioner is bad?
1 Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. 2 Unusual belt wear Another symptom of a potential problem with the drive belt tensioner is unusual belt wear. 3 Belt-driven accessories fail
How long does a drive belt tensioner last?
Drive belts typically last anywhere between 40,000 and 70,000 miles. There aren’t a lot of warning signs that a drive belt tensioner has hit the end of its lifespan, in fact there is really only one. Once you start to hear a grinding or squeaking sound coming from your engine, it’s time to have the drive belt tensioner looked at.
How does a serpentine belt tensioner work?
Most modern vehicles use a serpentine belt to run the engine accessories such as the power steering, air conditioning and alternator. The belt routes around the pulleys in a serpent-like manner, hence the name. A belt tensioner that consists of a bolt plate that mounts on the engine, a spring-loaded arm and a pulley applies tension to the belt.
What should I do if my tensioner is not working?
Push down on the serpentine belt midway between the two uppermost pulleys. If the belt deflects more than one inch, the tensioner is not holding proper tension and you should replace it. Connect the serpentine belt tool to the tensioner.
Why do you need tensioner on serpentine belts?
Both are used to keep tension on the engine serpentine belts so that they can drive the various engine accessories. When the tensioner has an issue, it can affect the how the belts drive the pulleys which can affect the performance and functionality of the vehicle.
What are the symptoms of a bad belt tensioner?
Squeaking or Grinding Noise. One of the most common symptoms of a failing belt tensioner is unusual noise coming from either the tensioner or the drive belts. If the drive belt noise resembles a squeal or a squeak, it is possible that the belt tensioner is loose. This is especially the case when starting the engine first thing in the morning.
Drive belts typically last anywhere between 40,000 and 70,000 miles. There aren’t a lot of warning signs that a drive belt tensioner has hit the end of its lifespan, in fact there is really only one. Once you start to hear a grinding or squeaking sound coming from your engine, it’s time to have the drive belt tensioner looked at.
How can I tell if my serpentine belt is bad?
So, if it’s worn out, it will start slipping over the alternator pulley and the alternator won’t be able to produce enough electric power. This symptom of a serpentine belt problem is notorious for being hard to recognize. In most cases, there will be no sounds or visible symptoms. To make things even harder, even the battery light doesn’t come up.
Can a bad drive belt pulley cause wear?
If the drive belt tensioner pulley has any sort of issue it can cause unusual and accelerated wear on the belt. A bad pulley can cause fraying on the edges of the belt, and in severe cases can even cause it to break. 3. Belt-driven accessories fail Another symptom of bad or failing drive belt tensioner is failure of the belt driven accessories.
What does a drive belt tensioner do?
A drive belt tensioner is a pulley mounted on a spring mechanism or adjustable pivot point that is used to keep tension on the engine belts. Spring tensioners are designed to tension automatically while the pivot design types can be adjusted manually.
When to replace a tensioner on a belt?
On systems equipped with an automatic tensioner, the tensioner pulley should turn freely without binding, the tensioner arm should move smoothly through its entire range of motion and there should be adequate tension. Replace the tensioner and /or pulley as required
What causes a high pitched squeal when you change a belt?
A new belt is recommended once the accessory drive has been realigned. “Squeal” is a high pitched noise, typically lasting several seconds in duration. This type of noise will typically increase in volume as the engine speed increases, and is caused by relative slip between the belt and pulleys.
What causes belt noise and what causes misalignment?
One of the biggest burdens today for professional technicians and do-it-yourselfers is belt noise, and the No. 1 cause of belt noise is misalignment. There are two distinctively different types of belt noise, “Chirp” and “Squeal”. Each has its own unique characteristics, causes and solutions.
What causes low tension on a car belt?
Low installation tension (manually tensioned drives), belt stretch, extreme belt wear, tensioner spring degradation or a belt that is too long Fluid contamination on the belt (oil, power steering fluid, antifreeze, belt dressing, brake cleaner, etc.)