serpentine belt change

[Durango]

Hello to all,

I have an 01' Dodge Durango with the 4,7 v-8 engine and have the origional serpentine belt and at about 90K it now ready for it's scheduled service. My question is that the belt is considered to be changed/serviced at 100K. Do you believe I should have it changed now or just wait until it approaches closer to that 100K service???

Out of all the services I had done on schedule (according to the manual) the dealership never said anything was bad. To my eyes it looks fine but looks can be deceiving. This is in lieu to my annual trip to Arizona in December.

Any opinions would be considered.

Durango

 

[Bill in Utah]

I've got 124k on my orginal belt on the 2004 GMC truck. 214k on the orginal Toyota belt in my 05 Corolla.

Serpentine belts last a LONG time. Everyone I've seen break looked very worn. Never seen a new looking broken belt.

I've got a new belt waiting for the Corolla that I bought years ago. I'll replace it when its time. When I see major cracks then it will get done. Remember that there is Kevlar in those belts.

Also our site site sponsor has a gauge and excellent web page here for more info.
Bill

 

[demarpaint]

Tough call, they do last a very long time. Carefully inspect the belt if it is gouged or cracking I'd replace it, if not go to 100K with it.

 

[cmf]

I would replace it either now or at 100k. It's unlikely that it is going to fail in the 10k mile difference. I definitely wouldn't take it to a dealer, changing the serpentine belt is one of the easiest jobs you can do on a car. Should be really easy on a larger engine bay like the Durango, it can get a little annoying in small compact engine bays.

Cracking is more a symptom for neoprene belts that car manufacturers don't use anymore. Most (all?) use EPDM and they very rarely crack. I really prefer intervals for EPDM belts but the Dayco tool might be useful; it basically tests for material loss on the ridges which is what happens to EPDM belts over time. The belts will continue to function with the material loss though. I am sure if Bill used the Dayco tool to test that 214k Corolla belt it would definitely fail; but as you can see it's still doing it's job.

 

[oily boyd]

Good Advise thus far.

I replace our cars belts at 100K so that my wife has no worries while I'm gone and I have no problems on the road.

If you decide to wait but are still concerned about possible breakage, just buy a new belt and throw it in the back "in case".

I'll bet you can do it yourself. Sometimes taking the belly pan off helps a lot - if you're a novice, snap some photos of belt routing (unless there is a belt routing sticker underhood).

 

[river_rat]

They are not too hard to change as long as you have, or make a sketch of, the routing. I'd probably just do it before it breaks and then you can't sketch it.

 

[antonmnster]

For the cost, it's a pretty cheap maintenance item. I prefer to change things before they break, but that's just a personal preference.

 

[The_Jeff]

Cracks on the ribbed side are not a sign of a failing belt. They crack as they flex. I would worry about missing chunks of rubber or glazing.

How much wear is a function of how much you use the AC, PS, electrical accessories, and what kind of load the fan clutch puts on. No two vehicles are alike!

One thing you can do if you're bored is take it off! Then let the tensioner unpsring itself completely. First, you'll see if the tensioner spring and bearing are still in good shape. Then you'll see if your belt has stretched to near the tensioner limit. Finally you'll practice taking the belt off-- it's really easy once you get the hang of it on most cars.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I agree on the cheap insurance aspect. I replace the belt on my truck about every 2 years or roughly 40,000 miles. The one I remove goes under my seat just in case I have a problem with my belt on the road. For as little as a new belt costs me it is good for my peace of mind.

There should be a small black sticker on the cross brace above your radiator that outlines the belt routing diagram. If not, it is easy to just draw your own diagram before removing the old belt. It should be easy to replace your belt. It probably takes a 15mm wrench to move the tensioner toward the driver's side of the truck, slip the old belt off the alternator or idler pulley and release the tensioner and remove the belt. With the new belt, I always start at the crankshaft pulley and re-route the new belt per the diagram. This is a good time to check the tensioner too. If you can move it by hand more than 1/4" to 1/2" then you should replace it. FWIW, I had a lot of problems with the less expenseive Autozone tensioner. The Napa OEM grade tensioner was the only one that looked and performed like my original tensioner.

If I were headed on a road trip through the desert I would definitely swap out a belt that has 90K on it. I would replace the tensioner at that mileage too. My original tensioner failed at 42K.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've got 124k on my orginal belt on the 2004 GMC truck. 214k on the orginal Toyota belt in my 05 Corolla.

Serpentine belts last a LONG time. Everyone I've seen break looked very worn. Never seen a new looking broken belt.

I've got a new belt waiting for the Corolla that I bought years ago. I'll replace it when its time. When I see major cracks then it will get done. Remember that there is Kevlar in those belts. Bill


In many years I have NEVER had a serpentine belt break. I truly wonder if they do. I routinely run mine 200k miles and change them when the tensioners wear out!

Not like our old V belts that's for sure!

 

[mechtech2]

You could probably hang your car by that belt.
I have not seen one break in half.
BUT, the ribs get worn and don't seat in the pulleys right.
There is a gauge for this - a rib depth gauge.
Go get a belt at your leisure and a good price. Put it on when you feel like it in the next 6 months/year.

But don't neglect to clean the pulleys and idlers! Rubber builds up on them. This is often overlooked and a bit tedious, but must be done.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've got 124k on my orginal belt on the 2004 GMC truck. 214k on the orginal Toyota belt in my 05 Corolla.

Serpentine belts last a LONG time. Everyone I've seen break looked very worn. Never seen a new looking broken belt.

I've got a new belt waiting for the Corolla that I bought years ago. I'll replace it when its time. When I see major cracks then it will get done. Remember that there is Kevlar in those belts.

Also our site site sponsor has a gauge and excellent web page here for more info.
Bill


Bill,

Thank you for your info. I don't feel so pressed about the issue now but still I'll have the mechanic check/look at it when I have my 90K service done. If I don't ned it now then why spend the extra money. This mechanic want $400 to replace the serpentine and the price just to do that is money enough!

Durango

 

[Thax]

Durango your belt should be changed out no later than 100k . I have a 00 Durango 4.7 and I can tell you that the factory belt is a EPDM belt which is much more durable than a neoprene belt , however it does have a service life of 80-100K miles. The problem with EPDM belts is unlike Neoprene is they dont crack or show much age , you have to measure the distance between the ribs to determine its condition. On the 4.7 it is not hard at all to change the belt , get a quality Gates or Dayco belt and throw it on there and forget about it for another 100k miles.

 

[bigmike]

I always pull out my camera and take a picture of it before I begin work. I do this on lots of things besides belts. I hear it is worth a thousand words.

Some of you will re-read the above and laugh at all the possible jokes involved in that one.

I have the belt tool that Bill mentioned above and also this one:
http://www.gatesprograms.com/beltwear

 

[caravanmike]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've got 124k on my orginal belt on the 2004 GMC truck. 214k on the orginal Toyota belt in my 05 Corolla.

Serpentine belts last a LONG time. Everyone I've seen break looked very worn. Never seen a new looking broken belt.

I've got a new belt waiting for the Corolla that I bought years ago. I'll replace it when its time. When I see major cracks then it will get done. Remember that there is Kevlar in those belts. Bill


In many years I have NEVER had a serpentine belt break. I truly wonder if they do. I routinely run mine 200k miles and change them when the tensioners wear out!

Not like our old V belts that's for sure!


i have broke two of them, both from over-extended maintenance intervals.
to the op it should be alright till 100k. when you do change it make sure to check the idler pulleys on the tensioner.

and did i here $400 to replace a serpentine belt? that is robbery!!!! especially when the part is around $30 and the labor is less than 10 minutes!

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've got 124k on my orginal belt on the 2004 GMC truck. 214k on the orginal Toyota belt in my 05 Corolla.

Serpentine belts last a LONG time. Everyone I've seen break looked very worn. Never seen a new looking broken belt.

I've got a new belt waiting for the Corolla that I bought years ago. I'll replace it when its time. When I see major cracks then it will get done. Remember that there is Kevlar in those belts. Bill


In many years I have NEVER had a serpentine belt break. I truly wonder if they do. I routinely run mine 200k miles and change them when the tensioners wear out!

Not like our old V belts that's for sure!


i have broke two of them, both from over-extended maintenance intervals.
to the op it should be alright till 100k. when you do change it make sure to check the idler pulleys on the tensioner.

and did i here $400 to replace a serpentine belt? that is robbery!!!! especially when the part is around $30 and the labor is less than 10 minutes!



That is highway robbery! Even if you have to loosen a motor mount and jack the engine up (like you must do on some FWD cars) that is still under an hour's labor.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
In many years I have NEVER had a serpentine belt break...

Me either, but last month I had to put one on my brother-in-law's '04 Durango that had shreaded from 6 down to 3 ribs and the rest was slapping around making noise. I wouldn't think he would make the 200 mile trip home from here. The car had about 90K miles on it, IIRC. You never know.

 

[Durango]

Hi guys,

Allot of pro and con opiions about my delima. In either case regardless of how much I'll have the mechanics look at it and give me what they think about it. I now go to a private mechanic now cuz the dealership screwed me over (Sonic Automotive) a couple times in the past and over charging me for items that's not on the scheduled maintenance.

I'll be seeing them in one more month and so to make it a little cheaper in price I'll provide them with the oil and oil filter and the air box filter. They'll have to provide the rest.

Durango

 

[hattaresguy]

Since its 10 years old its done, change it.

They do break, my friend had one break on his 735IL years ago and it ripped the upper coolant house out of the radiator. One new coolant hose and radiator later it was fine.

Problem with a serp belt is if it does go you are getting towed, and since they are pretty durable when they do let go and get themselves wrapped around things they can do some damage.

 

[oldmaninsc]

I agree. Talk about "cheap insurance." I've never had one break but in some of the vehicles I've serviced, I've seen the damage a broken belt can cause.

I usually change the belts on my vehicles around 100K miles. My motto has always been "Better safe than sorry."