Reasons for Failure of an Accessory Drive Belt

The engine's accessory drive belt does a lot of work as it had to connect several spinning pulleys in the engine.

It has to function quickly enough to power important components like the alternator, the water pump, and the power steering pump.

The drive belt must do all of this while dealing with under-hood heat, rain and rocks being kicked up from under the car and the constant strain of being in motion.

Let’s take a look at the most common reasons for the failure of an accessory drive belt.

Heat

Continuous exposure to high temperatures and the stress of bending around the pulleys leads to cracking.

The rubber used to manufacture this belt is designed to resist heat as best it can, but over a long enough period, it will eventually dry out and begin to crack.

Misalignment

Generally, misalignment occurs in case of a new belt on worn pulley and lack of tension or a combination of these factors.

It leads to piling which makes the belt material wear off from the ribs and builds up in the belt grooves.

Foreign object

Any foreign particle such as a pebble in the pulley will cause uneven wear and can cut into the belt and break the tensile cords.

This problem mainly occurs in the cars which do not have a proper engine protection shield and the belt gets uneven rib wear.

Oil

The oil and grease are the worst enemies of a rubber belt as they weaken the compound's bonds and makes the belt soft and spongy.

This can be irritating to the point of having to replace the belt because it’s not always easy to clean off antifreeze once it’s embedded in the belt itself.

How to detect a bad belt?

The best way to determine when your belt needs to be replaced is by way of a visual inspection that checks for cracks, wear and fraying at least once a year.

Listen for squealing sounds that indicate the belt is slipping as the belt isn’t gripping the pulleys as tightly as it needs to.

Also, look for any dips in alternator output such as dimming lights or a warning light of charge on the dashboard.

In order to avoid any problems due to the accessory drive belt, make sure to check them annually and replace them before they wear out.

THANK YOU! Decatur West /