Yesterday I stopped at Auto Zone to have the battery checked. It's 5 years old, I live in MN and winter is coming so it's just something you do this time of year. The battery checked out fine but the alternator did not. The good news is the alternator has a lifetime warranty so I'll be pulling that tomorrow. The one thing he did mention was the back side of the serpentine belt has lines on it which indicates it should be replaced soon. Has anyone one ever heard of this? I would normally check the rib side for any wear. It's a Motorcraft belt with 50,000 miles on it and this is on a 04 explorer with the V6 engine. I have the original belt, which I saved, in the back of the explorer in case this one breaks.
Serpentine Belt
- Thread starter kwijibo
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I have 185,000 miles on mine.
Serps can get really thin before they show themselves as being bad.
If you're seeing lines on the back of yours, I'd bet it's gotten thin enough that the ribs are starting to profile through the back due to lack of supporting material.
I've seen plenty of shredded and thrown belts that looked exactly like that.
Serps shredding is one experience that makes me want to just go to sleep. Last one I had happen, I spent 3 days discovering new noises as the shreds started falling out from behind various pulled and other hiding places the pieces found.
The one wrapped around the crank pulley required me to use needle nose pliers, while the engine was running, to extract. Those pieces just wouldn't come out any other way.
If you're seeing lines on the back of yours, I'd bet it's gotten thin enough that the ribs are starting to profile through the back due to lack of supporting material.
I've seen plenty of shredded and thrown belts that looked exactly like that.
Serps shredding is one experience that makes me want to just go to sleep. Last one I had happen, I spent 3 days discovering new noises as the shreds started falling out from behind various pulled and other hiding places the pieces found.
The one wrapped around the crank pulley required me to use needle nose pliers, while the engine was running, to extract. Those pieces just wouldn't come out any other way.
My motocraft belt got very dry, cracked and noisy after only 67,000 miles,.......and 23 years.
Can you post a picture of the lines? Sounds fishy, especially from the Taco Bell equivalent of a parts store.
I see exposed cords on the back of serpentine belts when they wear out. There is more than one mode of failure of belts.
Another thing that shortens belt life is road salt. That is one reason calculating average belt life.
The other problem is that not all cars wear belts equally. I replaced huge numbers of belts on the Toyota 2AZ-FE.
Another thing that shortens belt life is road salt. That is one reason calculating average belt life.
The other problem is that not all cars wear belts equally. I replaced huge numbers of belts on the Toyota 2AZ-FE.
This morning I pulled the alternator out which took about 10 minutes and put the new alternator in, I than looked at the belt a little closer. The rib side looks fine the outside of the belt does have some fine lines but other then that looks OK. I have the original belt in the back for a backup. The reason I changed belts at 75,000 miles was we were doing a cross country trip to Boston from MN to visit my daughter and her family and just felt a little more comfortable not having to worry about a belt breaking. I did compare both belts and noticed at that time the original had stretched a lot compared to the new one I was putting on. Thanks for the feed back, and when checking things under the hood I'll keep a closer eye on the belt.
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