Broken drive belt: little things in life or a reason for tears?
There is an opinion that a break in the drive belt of additional equipment, unlike the timing belt, is not so terrible. That is, in the event of an unplanned death of the belt, you can safely replace it and continue the trip. The main thing is to carry some kind of spare belt with you. What should be the belt? The Avtoglyad portal decided to figure this out.
In order not to be unfounded, we decided to turn to the largest manufacturer of various belts and supplier of many automotive conveyors around the world, DAYCO, for answers.
AVZ: What awaits the motorist when the V-ribbed belt breaks while driving?
DAYCO extension: A broken V-ribbed belt is "not so bad" only in theory. In practice, everything depends on the specific situation and on the layout of the drive system and the engine compartment. A broken V-ribbed belt can also damage other elements, including getting into the timing drive, which is fraught with serious consequences for the engine. Also, do not forget that a break in the V-ribbed belt threatens the driver with a loss of efficiency of the units driven by the belt - what if the car on the highway suddenly loses the power steering before the turn?
AVZ: What affects belt wear other than non-professional installation?
DAYCO extension: One of the factors is wear and untimely replacement of other drive components - rollers, pulleys. The belt and pulleys must rotate in the same plane, and if there is play due to wear of the bearings, then additional loads begin to act on the belt. The second factor is the wear of the pulley grooves, which leads to abrasion of the belt along the grooves.
AVZ: How can a normal user determine the degree of wear?
DAYCO extension: Any wear on the back or rib side of the belt, cracks, uneven belt movement while the engine is running, noise or squeaking are signs of the need not only to replace the belt, but also to look for the root cause. The problems lie not so much in the belt itself, but in the pulleys and associated devices.
AVZ: Can you determine the belt tension yourself or do you need professional equipment?
DAYCO extension: In modern engines, there are automatic tensioners that, with the correct selection of the belt, set the desired tension. Otherwise, it is recommended to use a special tool to check the tension, such as the Dayco DTM Tensiometer.
AVZ: What is the difference between DAYCO belts and other manufacturers?
DAYCO extension: Dayco is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of engine drive systems for both the automotive assembly line and the aftermarket. Dayco quality is trusted by leading car manufacturers. Even at the design stage, Dayco selects the optimal solution for each specific transmission in accordance with the performance requirements and technical and functional conditions of each application.
AVZ: Do I need to follow the recommendations of the car manufacturer on the timing of belt replacement?
DAYCO extension: The automaker regulates the replacement period by mileage. But these recommendations are only a guide, assuming that the car and all its systems will be properly operated and regularly and timely serviced. The life of the belt may be reduced as a result of an intense driving style or, for example, mountain riding, in extremely cold, hot or dusty conditions.
AVZ: Whistling under medium load on the engine - is it a belt or rollers?
DAYCO extension: Noise is a clear sign of the need for diagnosis. The first clue is the belt squealing when starting the engine. The second clue is whistling from under the hood while parking the car or when checking the generator. With the engine running, watch the belt for movement and look for vibration or excessive auto-tensioner travel. Stopping the noise after spraying liquid on the ribbed side of the belt indicates misalignment of the pulleys, if the noise gets louder, the problem is in its tension.
AVZ: And the last question: does the belt have an expiration date?
DAYCO extension: Belts fall under the DIN7716 standard, which regulates the conditions and terms of storage. If they are observed, the term can be up to 5 years or more.
