Serpentine belts were shredding

Okay, I think I have my problem solved, but this process was so painful that I wanted to share with you all.

I just bought this car a couple of months ago. The previous owner stated that the car was in great mechanical shape and I had nothing to worry about coming up. He said, "...well I just replaced the brakes all the way around, it's got new tires, a new alternator, new plugs and wires...all factory stuff." He's a mechanic so I just took his word.

Well, about a week ago I popped the hood and saw that the car needed the belts replaced. So I replaced the belts, engine air filter, fuel filter, and performed an oil change & lube service on the car. On my way home that day, one of the new belts shredded and I had to walk my happy ass home.

The next day, I figured that I routed the belt wrong, so I got a new one and put it in. A day later it shredded again.

Then I replaced the idler and the tensioner assembly, along with a new power steering pump because the belt wrapped around the pulley and ruined the front seal on the pump.

Replacing these parts, I thought the problem was solved, even though I knew something was off. The alignment of the belt was crooked, but I couldn't think of anything else it could be, so like a dummy, I thought, "it's supposed to look like that on this car." Wrong.

Today, the mother $^@%*!'n belt shredded again and wrapped around the power steering pump pulley again...ruining the front seal...boy I was so frustrated that I could just cry.

Well, come to find out that the "new factory alternator" was wrong all along. This alternator was for a non-supercharged 3800. I don't know why it chose to fail when I replaced the cracked-up factory belt...but the moral of this story is...CHECK THE GODDAMN BELT ALIGNMENT BEFORE YOU DRIVE HOME!!!

I feel your pain, brother. I had this problem with my '95. My tensioner was loose and my power steering pulley was out of alignment. It took about 400 miles to shred but man was it at the most inconvenient time.

I agree...check your alignment when you buy a used car. Belt alignment isn't a real common problem, but a possibility nonetheless.

i had the same problem a little while ago. replaced the cracked belt and sure enough the alignment on the alt was off. by just one rib. the rib ended up just shredding off. havent had the time or money to replace the belt and alt since then. the belt is hanging in there but i am waiting for it to fully shred.

95ParkAveUltra wrote:

i had the same problem a little while ago. replaced the cracked belt and sure enough the alignment on the alt was off. by just one rib. the rib ended up just shredding off. havent had the time or money to replace the belt and alt since then. the belt is hanging in there but i am waiting for it to fully shred.

Same here. Shredded upon install. Put on a new one and it would go crazy from time to time and finally shredded one of the ribs off. 2k miles and it hasn't been an issue since.