Serpentine Belt Replacement

The Serpentine Belt is that long belt that snakes around the front of your engine. It is driven by the engine as it turns. The Serpentine Belt powers your air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, and alternator. On some cars and light trucks, the serpentine belt also runs the water pump, power brakes, and radiator fan. The serpentine belt takes care of a lot of important engine components.

If your serpentine belt were to break on one of your trips to Akron, Munroe Falls, Kent OH., or even around town in Ravenna Ohio your battery would die within a few miles. If your serpentine belt runs your water pump and/or fan, your engine could over-heat, and steering and your braking system could be more difficult to control. Ideally, the best thing you could do is to replace your serpentine belt before it causes you these problem.

Your owner’s manual should inform you of recommended factory maintenance for you belts and hoses, and/or recommended intervals of when to replace your serpentine belt – or just ask us at Bryan's Service in Winsted for assistance. We can inspect your belts and hoses and advise you if they are in need of service.

What we look for here at Paradise Car Care is the thickness of the belt. In the old days we use to look for cracks in your belt. Although cracking is still a concern, modern belt material doesn't show signs of cracking as often. At Paradise Car Care in Ravenna OH., we have a special tool that measures the depth of the belts grooves to see if it needs replacing.

A worn belt can slip or be misaligned, putting stress on the components it runs.

What's A Serpentine Belt?

All of us from Monroe Falls, Kent, and Brady Lake to Ravenna & Rootstown Ohio have those days when we've got a bunch of errands to run around the Kent State University area. Suppose on your day off you need to get gas, pick up some groceries, swing by your local Ravenna ATM and get the kids from school. Now you could make four trips, but that would be a waste of time and money – totally inefficient. Instead you get organized and hit the ATM on W. Main Street first and get some gas at GetGo next because you have expiring points. Then you go to your favorite Ravenna Farmers Market to pick up meat for the cook-out this weekend and pick up the kids up from school on the way home. Way better use of your time, right?

Now you may wonder what this has to do with your vehicle. Well, back in the day, each of your engine's accessories, like the alternator and air conditioner, were powered by separate automotive belts. A car or light truck may have had 5 or 6 belts. In modern times, vehicles have a single belt to run all the accessories. It's called the serpentine belt because it snakes around everything, efficiently connecting the accessories – like bundling your errands.

A pulley attached to the vehicle engine's crank provides the power to turn the serpentine belt. The belt may provide the power for the power steering pump, which makes it easier to steer your vehicle. Next comes the alternator which generates electricity to run the vehicle's electrical system and charge the battery. On to the air conditioning compressor; This helps make cold air to keep you comfortable all summer long.

On some vehicles the water pump, radiator fan or the power brakes are also run by the serpentine belt. Some even have two serpentine belts. No matter how your engine is arranged, you aren't going far without a serpentine belt. Your vehicle has a recommended interval for inspecting your belt and your mechanic at Paradise Car Care in Ravenna can inspect it for damage or wear.

Finally, there is the belt tensioner. Its job is to apply pressure on the belt to keep it tight. Several years ago, started making serpentine belts out of a new material. It's much more durable, but it's harder to tell when the belt needs to be replaced. The old style belts would crack and chunks would fall off so you could easily see when you needed a new one.

On the new style belts, if the ribs wear too deep, it's time to replace. Your uses a simple gauge to tell when the belt is worn and you need a serpentine belt replacement. A worn belt stresses your vehicle engine's expensive accessories and causes them to wear prematurely.

So, change your serpentine belt and belt tensioner as recommended by your friendly and knowledgeable pros at Paradise Car Care to extend the life of your accessories and to prevent future breakdowns.
 

Also See: Timing Belt Replacement