Took a 6hr road trip in the rain today for a muay thai event, got back into town dropped off the coach and a couple fighters then 3 blocks from my house the belt just starts squealing extremely loud, and the check guages light comes on. Pulled over popped the hood and the belt felt a bit loose. But yea when I turned off the heater the squeal actually went away. Im guessing tho the belt tensioner must be screwed. My trucks only got 67,000 kms on it, tensioner shouldnt give out already no?

 

It could. Truck is 6yrs old now. Doesn't really matter how many miles are on a tensioner, more on the amount of time it's been keeping tension for and how hot it has been getting with engine heat.

I'd replace your belt first to make sure it's not all stretched out.

 

Looks like I blamed the wrong component for the belt being loose. Finally stopped raining today so I crawled underneath the truck. One of the pulleys grenaded. So glad it happened so close to my house. Part of the belt melted to some of the antifreeze hardline and the belt is scored and shredded up.



Anybody know the name of the little pulley that is directly below the belt tensioner? I got to order up a new one Monday asap. Im a bit confused as to what caused the pulley to break. Wondering if temp extremes caused it. (hot engine bay temps, then suddenly getting splashed by cold water when 4x4 thru the mud) I dunno. Went 4x4 a couple weeks ago, since then just stuck to the asphault then bam couple weeks later it breaks. ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHH

 

dunno, is it just an idler pulley? or is there a component behind it? hard to tell by pic.
and depending on the way the crank rotates, initial torque is placed on that pulley.

 

Had the exact same thing happen to me. Its such an easy fix, Just that 15mm Bolt and the pully comes off. its just an Idler pulley.

 

Ok so it is a idler pulley. Yea the pulley doesnt have a component behind it. Sucks I need a new belt now too.

Oh well easy enough fix

Thx for the info

 

Belts should be replaced every 40-60kmi anyways.
That's ~64km-90km...just for you ;-)

You were at the starting to replace category so it's nothing new lost that's for sure.
I replace mine every 50kmi regardless how they look. They still age, deteriorate..etc. IMO, if you see cracks or shine on the backside, your overdue.

 

Well fixed replaced the shattered idler pulley. Ill take some pics. There was literally nothing left of it. And yea large chunks of the belt melted all over the second idler pulley so I decided to replace that one as well then slapped on a goodyear gatorback belt since i got to use the truck right away. But is it just me or shouldn't dodge have made real metal components instead of cheap **** made in china. Im thinking im going to look for some billet aluminum pulleys so this never happens again. Plastic pulleys are junk.

 

If I remember correctly, I replaced both of my idler's with Auto Zone ones and both of the new ones were metal.