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My belt fell off, can I fix this easily by myself ?

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  #1  
Old 08-25-2009 | 08:27 AM
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Default My belt fell off, can I fix this easily by myself ?

Or go thru a dealership ? Is it simple as stretchig it out over the 2 wheels ?

Thanks
 
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Old 08-25-2009 | 08:53 AM
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there is more than two "pulleys". and yes you can fix it easily. the cross member in front of the radiator has a sticker with a picture of how to route the belt and all you need is a 15mm socket/wrench. put the socket on the bolt that is on the pulley (wheel) on the belt tensioner and turn it to the right with the belt between the pulley and the socket wrench. the tensioner is in front of the coil (it has a spark plug wire attached to it and is under the alternator) and behind the coolant reservoir. put the belt on all of the pulleys in the order that is on the sticker except for the belt tensioner. you will see that the belt is too short to go onto the tensioner, that is because you have to rotate it with the socket wrench. when you do you will be able to put the belt on. after you let off the tensioner make sure that the belt is on all of the pulleys evenly an you will be done.

if the belt fell off then it is probably stretched out pretty bad or it is is damaged. before you put it back on inspect it. check for cracks on the ribs of the belt and any fibers sticking out of the sides or any chunks of rubber missing from it. if it has any damage then you should replace it. a new belt will run you 20 to 30$.
 
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Old 08-25-2009 | 12:08 PM
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id say replace it anyway, its cheap insurance
 
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Old 08-25-2009 | 12:50 PM
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If the belt "fell off", that might also point to trouble with the tensioner itself, they do go out from time to time.

If it fell off while running, its hard to believe that it survived even close to being intact, they are usually ripped to shreds and wrapped around pulleys.
 
  #5  
Old 08-26-2009 | 01:00 AM
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^+1 on the tensioner being shot. i would say the bearing is bad or going bad in order for the belt to walk off. I also agree that the belt got destroyed when it came off if the engine was running. Before putting a new belt on, grab the tensioner wheel and try rocking it back and forth and up and down and see if there is play in the wheel. If there is go ahead and get a new tensioner to go with that new belt. The spring could be bad on the tensioner too. If the wheel doesn't have play put on the new belt and see where the pointer indicates the tensioner is positioned. If it is past either arrow mark the spring is bad in the tensioner.
 
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Old 08-26-2009 | 09:35 AM
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from what I've seen the tensioners usually lock up when they go bad. i know mine did. the first time i took the belt off i had to pull the tensioner toward the fender so the belt would be tight enough because it would stay in place when you moved it instead of springing back.
 
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Old 08-26-2009 | 04:22 PM
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OP left 0 details, not easy to diagnose what is going on.

If he has never changed a belt before, I doubt if he would be able to extract a mangled belt entwined in pulleys, and/or diagnose, then fix if needed, a faulty tensioner.

By his lack of response, I assume that he has taken it to a shop, and probably presented with a $250 + repair bill for a $40, 15 minute operation.
 

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Old 08-26-2009 | 04:31 PM
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um mine took 15 minutes and 34.2 seconds to be exact
 
  #9  
Old 08-26-2009 | 07:45 PM
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They're all right. Welcome to DF. Be easy on him, though. He just doesn't want to break anything. Everyone has to start somewhere.
 
  #10  
Old 08-26-2009 | 08:28 PM
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Yes, everyone has to start somewhere, but the best place to start is watching someone else for a while. There are a lot of tools you need to work on vehicles and a lot of dangers. If someone is completely ignorant, they could easily loose a finger or worse. Someone with this lack of knowledge is a danger to himself. If you don't know how to install a fan (drive) belt, that is about as basic as it gets. Probably doesn't even have a socket wrench set to put on the pulley. Engine bays are dangerous places. We take it for granted because we have been dealing with it for a while, but not everyone knows where the danger lurks.
 


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