Why Does My Serpentine Belt Keep Coming Off? – Guide
A serpentine belt is a single lengthy belt that connects numerous vital components to keep them operating. This belt is valuable and efficient in assuring the proper operation of essential engine components. The dynamo, power navigation pump, air conditioner, and occasionally the liquid pump get also included. The most significant aspect is that this belt is simple to care for and change. Numerous individuals would picture a snake when they think of a serpentine belt. But why does my Serpentine belt keep coming off while driving? This guide will discuss the foremost factors for this and explain how to resolve the troubles causing it.
Quick Summary: The most frequent causes include a defective tensioner, damaged pulleys and bearings, and an oil or antifreeze leakage. And it could be a deteriorating air conditioner compressor, defective water pumping, and bad bushings.
Read more about why the serpentine belt keeps falling off.
Nowadays, most automobiles include belt tensioners, which self-tension the belts. This part keeps the proper tension for the serpentine belting to function correctly. Most belt tensioners contain built-in springs and pulleys that adequately support the serpentine belt’s tightness. And stop it from sliding, screaming, or driving heated. So let’s look at why does my Serpentine belt keep coming off.
Why Does My Serpentine Belt Keep Coming Off? – Everything You Need to Know
Malfunctioning Tensioner
Your vehicle’s driving belt is attached to multiple pulleys and requires continual tension to function correctly and remain in position. The belt may fall off the tensioner when it doesn’t get properly positioned concerning it. Your serpentine belting may continue to pop off the sprocket if the tensioner is not in position because it won’t have enough tension. Whenever the tensioner malfunctions, you’ll frequently hear the sound directly from it.
There are typically two types of tensioners: manual and automated. If your belting tensioner gets done manually, you could tweak it to the right setting to prevent the belt from slipping off. However, if your tensioner is automated, you can’t change it. When an automated tensioner malfunctions, switching it out for a new one is best. If you have experience with auto maintenance, replacing the tensioner is a straightforward task. Tensioners cost between $100 and $200 to change on your own.
Bad Pulleys
The presence of a defective pulley is another frequent cause. It is simple to examine and resolve this problem. The spools that hold the serpentine belting mounted should get spun while the belt gets removed. If you can detect a whirling noise emanating from them, the driving belt is loose in them and keeps falling off. The pulleys aren’t the problem, though, as they are in fine shape overall.
When pulleys malfunction, putting lubricant in them must be your first line of defense. In certain instances, it can resolve the issue and assist in maintaining the tension required to hold the serpentine belting in position. Applying oil to them won’t work if they need to get replaced.
Failed Bearings
On the pulleys’ interior are rollers that tend to wear out and result in pulley problems. Failing bearings might be at blame if your serpentine belting came off. The failing bearing must get replaced in the pulley since you cannot do it separately from the pulley. If failing bearings are indeed the root of the problem, changing the pulley would maintain the driving belt in position.
Coolant Leak
Your vehicle’s serpentine belting might get contaminated if there is any antifreeze or oil leakage. It will weaken, soften, and wear out whenever that occurs. The driving belt would stretch more and more often. Because of the excess slack in the drive belt, the tensioner won’t be capable of making up for it.
At some point, it will get too flimsy and fall off. Because of depreciation and tear from getting into touch with the fluids, the belting would also seem floppy. Visual inspection of the belt will quickly reveal whether antifreeze or oil leaks are to blame for the belt coming off. The serpentine belting will be covered in antifreeze or oil if any of them begin to leak.
Various issues might cause your vehicle’s leak of antifreeze or oil. Both of them tend to spill on occasion and blend. Before resolving the problem, identify the leak’s origin. The serpentine belting will have to get replaced once you’ve effectively managed it since the leakage has rusted it out. Learn more about the significant causes of antifreeze and engine oil mixing in this tutorial, along with suggestions for fixing the problem.
Failing AC Compressor
For most cars, the serpentine belting gets attached to the pulley of the Air conditioning compressor. The pulley becomes stuck in position whenever the Air conditioning compressor malfunctions. Consequently, the compressor pulley didn’t budge even if the drive belting and flywheel pulley were operating.
The serpentine belting doesn’t work correctly to maintain spinning and tension. Occasionally, when it occurs, you’ll also notice smoke escaping from your engine. That would result in the serpentine belting coming off. Because of this, keep an eye out for a malfunctioning Airconditioning compressor if you still can’t figure out why a serpentine belting will fall off.
A replacement pulley must get installed in the Airconditioning compressor if the old one isn’t spinning correctly. However, to solve the issue once and for all, you must find the source of the Airconditioning compressor’s malfunction and address it.
Bottom Line
Knowing why does my Serpentine belt keep coming off and the primary causes and how to address them, you could stop your serpentine belting from falling off. The pulleys getting broken or out of alignment, a defective sprocket, and the serpentine belting itself wearing down are generally the most frequent causes. But, a broken water pump, Airconditioning compressor, antifreeze, or oil leakage are also potential causes. Using this approach, thoroughly identify these problems and resolve them.
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