How to check car belts

Engine drive belts are an important part of your vehicle's performance. Knowing how to spot any problems with them can help prevent breakage.

Your vehicle's engine drive belt is used to drive a number of different engine components. You may have one belt for each accessory, or you may have multiple belts on an engine. No matter what setup you have, the belt is an important part of how well your car runs. Knowing how to inspect your belts and how to identify possible belt problems can help you avoid costly and dangerous breakdowns.

Part 1 of 2: What is an engine drive belt

The engine drive belt is located on the front of the engine and is used to rotate the engine accessories. The belt is driven by the engine's crankshaft, and while the engine is running, the belt rotates with the crankshaft, which in turn rotates any pulley that the belt wraps around.

The belt can drive a water pump, A/C compressor, alternator, power steering pump, smoke pump, idler pulley, or any number of other accessories, whether factory or aftermarket.

Step 1: Know how bids are built. Belts are made from a rubber material and usually have metal or other nylon fibers fused into the belt to give it strength.

The belt wears out over time and needs to be replaced.

Step 2: Learn about the different types of belts. There are two main types of belts: ribbed and ribbed.

• V-ribbed belts: These are the most common drive belts in use today. They are a multi-ribbed belt that makes them more durable and quieter when moving.

• V-ribbed belt: V-ribbed belts were commonly used on older vehicles. They are so called because of their V-shaped design. This design was good for durability, but the belts tended to be noisy and less efficient as they created more drag on the engine.

Part 2 of 2: Inspection of belts

When inspecting the belt, if it shows any signs of wear, it should be replaced.

Step 1: Check for a hack. The belt should be inspected for cracks.

As the belt ages, the rubber becomes brittle, causing it to crack. As soon as the belt begins to crack, it should be replaced, as it can fail at any time.

Step 2: Check edge wear. If the outer edge of the belt shows signs of wear, it must be replaced.

Before replacing a belt, you need to diagnose why it wears this way. If the belt shows wear along the outer edge, this indicates that the belt is misaligned. This could be caused by a faulty pulley, a loose accessory, or possibly a deformed pulley.

Step 3: Check for separation. As the belt wears out over time, it not only becomes brittle, but also starts to get thinner.

In this case, the belt may begin to break. If you find that the belt is torn, then it must be replaced.

Step 4. Check for missing edges.. If the belt begins to lose large pieces of rubber, then it must be replaced.

This is a sign that the belt is starting to fail.

Step 5: Check the belt for dirt.. If there is any contamination on the belt, it must be replaced.

If the engine is found to be leaking oil or coolant, or leaking any other liquid that might get onto the belt, the belt must be replaced. Any contamination of the belt will cause the rubber material to become soft, causing the belt to fail.

Before replacing the belt, the source of the leak must be identified and repaired to prevent contamination of the new belt.

Step 6: Check if the belt is loose. If the belt is loose, it may need to be tightened or it may fail.

Most belts should not travel more than ½ inch between the pulleys. If so, the belt tension needs to be adjusted. If the belt is fully tensioned and the tensioner or tension bolts cannot move any further, the belt must be replaced. This indicates that the belt is stretched.

Step 7: Use a tape gauge. This test can only be performed on a V-ribbed belt.

Modern serpentine belts last longer than previous belts and have no visible signs of wear that can be seen with the naked eye. As the belt wears, it may look normal until it suddenly fails. Using a ribbed belt gauge, you can fit it into the grooves of the ribbed belt.

This sensor determines how deep the grooves are. When the belt is new, the grooves are quite shallow. As the belt wears, the grooves become deeper due to the loss of rubber material. If the grooves on the belt are too deep, it must be replaced.

Checking your belts regularly can prevent them from suddenly failing. If a belt breaks on your car, it can lead to a number of unsafe situations, from power steering failure to overheating. If you are uncomfortable with checking your belts, you should have one of AvtoTachki certified mechanics check and replace your belts.