Serpentine belt problem?

Question

Last week I changed the serpentine belt on my 96 mercury sable. But before I changed it, I noticed the fabric on the bottom of the hood was ripped above where the belt is. When I changed it, I also noticed the notch on the bottom of the belt that is the most far from the engine was gone. When I was driving today, my car made a strange noise. I pulled over, and saw it was the same part of the new belt had broken and was slapping everything in its way when it made its rounds, including the fabric. So I know the problem has been around for a while, and I want to fix it before I have to change it again. (I changed it today)

Oh yeah, I just remembered someting else. When I was examaning the belt that broke today, I noticed that the belt had slid over one notch on the water pump, I do believe. Would that be the culprit, or the one before.

Answer 1

The belt tensioner may be going bad, it is spring loaded, and may be causing the belt to ride off of track. You have a pulley that is out of line with the rest of them. Take the belt off and look at each pulley in the system. See if one is loose, maybe caused by a bad bearing, causing the belt ot pull to the side.

Answer 2

May I add one thing, while you are working on the belt and pulleys? If you have a 3.0 24V DOHC and haven't changed the water pump here is your chance. My wife's 96 Sable, about 2 years ago broke the water pump propellor into 3 pieces. Left her stranded, and I really couldn't tell what the problem was until after I had rebuilt the whole engine. Then I found there was no water pumping, $2000 later. The replacement changes the outer shell and the propellor, also the pulley as it unbolts and the pump assembly comes apart into two halves and you just bolt the new half back together. Easy enough preventive maint., for such a bad result in the end... Pump half costs $75 at Advance Auto... If yours is a OHV engine then disreguard above...

Answer 3

I had this same problem on my '89 Taurus with the 3.8, and I was mystified by the cause, and amazed by how simple it was to detect once I saw a former co-worker diagnose the problem. Grab a flashlight, and with the engine running, look for any pulleys that wobble. My problem turned out to be a loose idler pulley because the bolt hole in the bracket was stripped. We removed the PS pump and the bracket with the stripped hole, and heli-coiled it with a repair kit from an auto parts store.

Answer 4

Don't really understand the question you're asking here, but suffice it to say, if it's just part of the serpentine belt's track
were talking about here that's causing problems it shouldn't be that expensive to fix, and it sounds like you're gonna need to anyway. So just ask around and get some estimates. good luck.

Answer 5

No, have your mechanic chum to come back to you. For the belt to easily fall off, probability is that it rather is the belt tensioner is undesirable. Being the belt has already fallen off, replace the tensioner alongside with a clean belt.

Answer 6

Look like one of the pulleys has sharp edge and destroying your belt.Take flashlight and examine really close every pulley that belt touching.Also check alignment of the pulleys.I am sure you'll find some abnormalities.Good luck.

Answer 7

Either one of the accessories has been installed off center (alternator, ac pump, power steering) or one of the pullys is too small. Ive gotten the wrong size pully on a new alternator before.

Answer 8

One of the pullys is damaged. Take the belt off and inspect each one. Good Luck!

Answer 9

one of the pulleys has a spot on it that is chewing away at the belt. you need to run your finger around all the pulleys and find the rough spot and either file it down or replace the pulley .