Broken drive belt

[y_p_w]

Probably should have had it replaced years ago. Heard a clunking sound on the freeway, and thought maybe I hit an object that was flapping around in the wheel well. Then it smelled like burning rubber. Got off the freeway and parked. Saw the drive belt partially shredded with a few pieces I could pick up, but maybe three ribs still intact. I thought I might be able to go to my destination, limp home, and get it fixed the next day. Then the radio died, the battery light went on, and finally the power steering and power brakes died. I couldn't find a proper parking space, but just sort of rested over a curb, partially blocking a driveway.

What was left of the belt was completely off the pulley and resting there. The shredded part was the nylon belt and nothing but rubber left, as it separated. At that point I just cut it off and waited for a tow. I found a local shop that was still open, and they're estimating $90 to replace the drive and AC belts. I'm going to have to come back for it though.

I guess I realize that I should have replaced a 14 year old belt, although I'm not sure if it was maybe hit by a rock. Seems kind of scary that such a simple part like this breaking can completely kill the ability of a car to function. A mechanic who could do house calls would have been perfect.

 

[SpecM]

What kind of car?

 

[Rand]

What is the maintenance interval on this part?

Seems like you ignored maintenance at your peril.

Originally Posted By: y_p_w

I guess I realize that I should have replaced a 14 year old belt, although I'm not sure if it was maybe hit by a rock. Seems kind of scary that such a simple part like this breaking can completely kill the ability of a car to function. A mechanic who could do house calls would have been perfect.


This comes off kind of captain obvious..
"I didn't realize if I didn't put gas in the car would be disabled"

There is necessary tasks/maintenance for vehicles to function and do so reliably.

Some failures are not sudden, and some wont immediately disable a vehicle.

A belt will this is why some people will carry a spare belt in the trunk
(for example the one they removed last time they replaced the belt)

P.S. If a stone from the road damaged your belt it was already decrepit.

 

[Wolf359]

Boy belts have gotten way better of late. In the old days you'd replace them every 3-5 years. Now you're expecting them to last forever? It's actually pretty easy to replace, there's a tensioner and all you do is use some wrench or socket to pull back on it and slip the new belt on. You can probably get one from Advance Auto or Autozone, belts are typically in the $20-$30 range. You're really getting charged for labor. The only tricky part is routing the new belt the right way over the pulleys. I'm sure you could find a picture of it online.

 

[bioburner]

Everything has a expected lifespan. I try for 60k or 5 years to change on the heavy stuff I don't want to be on the side of the road with. Belts usually more of pain to replace than a expense and good time to check idlers, water pump seals and handful of other things
When the Transit had a engine replaced this last fall the belt as very good with 180k.

 

[Burd]

I do the tensioners at 100k too. Belts every 3 years. My GM vehicle has 2 serpentine belts, I wonder who's the Einstein that though of that. Should be one.

 

[RooflessVW]

Drive belts are important and modern serpentine belts are usually simple to change, even on the side of the road.

I'm glad v-belts went the way of the dodo.

 

[SpecM]

Two new belts installed for $90 really isnt a bad deal.

 

[Chris142]

Inspect @60k and replace @90k.

 

[benjy]

your lucky that was not a timing belt used on many of todays cars, would have cost thousands if the valves get bent!!!!

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: SpecM
What kind of car?

2002 Honda Civic LX. This is the first time it's ever been in any state where it's undriveable due to something mechanical. It's needed a jump a few times. The ribs did seem to be slightly cracked.

I thought a drive belt was simple. Once I had mine replaced on my WRX. It was a guy doing work on the side at home, but he was a dealer mechanic. He'd bought the parts and asked if I wanted them. He took less than 10 minutes. One belt was squealing badly. The rubber was hard and the ribs noticeably cracked.

The thing about it is that my wife was blaming it on me. Something about driving too fast, making it break. I was only going 60 at the time it gave out.

 

[eljefino]

You're lucky the civic runs the water pump off the timing belt. Otherwise you'd have overheated.

OTOH with your lackadasical maintenance, more load on the timing belt may eventually not work in your favor.

 

[mclasser]

Old Honda 4-bangers lack automatic belt tensioners. You have to undo several bolts holding the PS pump and alternator in place and then manually set the tension. The new belts loosen up after a few days and you have to re-tighten them so the car doesn't sound like a pig in pain. Not a difficult job, just a tad annoying.

$90 to get back on the road isn't bad.

 

[bioburner]

Most of the serpentine belts are easy to replace but need proper wrench to get the tensioner in proper place to allow the belt placement. My 1 ton van is a total ba$t^rd. Easier to remove the couple bolts that hold the radiator and the couple hoses to get to. Found that out after a ground hog decided to crawl into the works. Ground chuck

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: SpecM
Two new belts installed for $90 really isnt a bad deal.

Not for that car, at least. I did drive belts on a Civic of that vintage (recently) and the job sort of stinks.

Also, for some reason, I put Bando belts on the one I did and the belts keep stretching, so I have had to re-tighten them twice. It was very weird.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
... I'm glad v-belts went the way of the dodo.
On my Mazda the V-belt cost about $3, lasted over 200,000 miles, and could easily be replaced in about 2 minutes with two common wrenches. What was so bad about that?

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
You're lucky the civic runs the water pump off the timing belt. Otherwise you'd have overheated.

OTOH with your lackadasical maintenance, more load on the timing belt may eventually not work in your favor.

Yeah - I took it for granted that it would be reliable. I was thinking too much of an old Civic commercial where someone has a blowtorch and is taking it to the edges of the hood. "So reliable you can practically weld the hood shut."

I've done a lot of stuff on my wife's Civic. I change the oil, transmission fluid, plugs (easy enough), and even completely bled the PS fluid a couple of times. Forgot about inspecting the belts though, and I've had belt issues on my car. However, I thought maybe they'd start squealing before they would completely break.

While I was waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I heard one car in the neighborhood with obvious squealing belts. I was also stuck in a residential street with lots of people passing by and only one couple offering any aid. They offered maybe the use of their phone although I had a cell phone and even internet access (there was a Comcast hotspot in the neighborhood) on my iPad. I was partially blocking a driveway, and street parking was at a premium in this neighborhood. When the owner got home she wasn't angry but asked if I could at least move a little and that was the extent of our conversation. Other people might have taken a glance and then went back to what they were doing.

Getting my car onto the truck's tow bar was a bit of a chore though since this was on a hill. The driver first dragged the car with a chain and then had it back up via gravity. He also tried to push it up and into the street, but that was going nowhere fast and he figured he'd just attach it even though he couldn't get the car straight.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: SpecM
Two new belts installed for $90 really isnt a bad deal.

Not for that car, at least. I did drive belts on a Civic of that vintage (recently) and the job sort of stinks.

Also, for some reason, I put Bando belts on the one I did and the belts keep stretching, so I have had to re-tighten them twice. It was very weird.

Mitsuboshi is better? I have no idea what this shop is going to order. It's actually a company-owned Goodyear shop, so maybe Goodyear, although Gates or Dayco seems like it. I doubt they use OEM. I dropped it before they closed and signed a $60 diagnostic charge that's supposed to be applied to any parts/labor if they actually fix it. I wouldn't fix it myself, but I can recognize a broken belt, as well as hold the pieces in my hand.

My replacement belts for my WRX were OEM, although not the same as the factory. Both factory belts were Mitsuboshi. One of the replacements was Gates, and the other Mitsuboshi (but labeled as made in Thailand).

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Yeah - I took it for granted that it would be reliable. I was thinking too much of an old Civic commercial where someone has a blowtorch and is taking it to the edges of the hood. "So reliable you can practically weld the hood shut."

The car is reliable. It's not the cars fault that you neglected maintenance and ran the accessory belt way past its designed service life.

Originally Posted By: CR94
On my Mazda the V-belt cost about $3, lasted over 200,000 miles, and could easily be replaced in about 2 minutes with two common wrenches. What was so bad about that?

Not all cars are Mazdas. What about the cars where you had to take two v belts off just to change one?

Or having to remove the fan and fan clutch because the belt wouldn't fit over?

Or [censored] tensioner designs where you needed three hands: one to hold the accessory tight, one to hold the nut, and the other to turn the bolt?

V belts, on the whole, were a right pain in the rear.

 

[Burd]

Every 3 years. Cheap insc.