Gunnar89

so a week ago my alternator bearing seems to be lose or something the shaft had alot of play and it made a grinding sound at idle. i get paid Friday so i had to make it last... so Friday roles around and i make it to work and i get off and tryed going home. well it locked up. drove a few miles opeing to get home sence i was close. jeep sounded like i was killing a pig under the hood. about 3 miles of driving like the that belt gave out so i lost everything so i had to pull over. called tow truck waited about hour n half finly got there took it home. good news is i fixed it. got a new belt. but it squeaky. im hoping its just slipping a little from the old ruber on the pullys and it will fade away.

5-90

Stupid question - but I'm reading that as the belt failed as well, so you replaced it, correct?

Before the old belt failed tho, it's entirely possible that it glazed enough to transfer glazing onto other drive pullys. You can remove the new belt and clean the drive pullys with a wire wheel (the idler pullys and the water pump - without grooves - can be cleaned with a vigorous application of Scotch-Brite pads.)

I'd be almost willing to bet there's some residual glazing that transferred from the old belt just prior to failure, and that's what's causing you trouble. Break the glazing on the pullys before you end up glazing your belt (and replacing it again...)

Gunnar89

o that makes sence ya ill do that thanks

Gunnar89

i cleaned all the pulls and made them like they was got all the old ruber off them and it still squeaks. but i notices my harmonic balance is wobbly. pretty bad. i plan on replacing it soon like within the next few days. but would that make the belt squeak . i figured its making the belt go back and forth on the water pump pully. any ideas? and how gnarly is it to replace the harmonic balancer

Gunnar89

update on it is the new alternator cuts out every now and again... is there any adjusting bracket that i dont know about or something along thos lines.? i replaces the belt and alternator. never made a squeak when i had the old alinater and the harmonic balancer wobbled ever sence iv owned it. come on im stumped some one through out some ideas!?

offroadnut36

the belt tensioner is part of the power steering pump bracket.

5-90

If the belt is squealing, that means it's slipping and losing traction. If it loses traction, your driven accessories are going to lose drive power and you'll lose them momentarily - like alternator power, steering assist, ...

If the harmonic damper inertia ring is slipping, it can cause a "thrown" belt, but it won't usually cause slip. However, replace it ASAFP. If the HD is losing the elastomer ring (squidging out between the hub and ring,) replace it ASAFP - since it can throw the ring, and cause all sorts of trouble.

If the ring is walking, it will usually walk backwards first. The inertia ring is cast steel, the timing chain cover is cast aluminum. You do the math - which one will wear out first? Thus, the hurry.

firstime00XJ

If your new alternator cuts out now and again, then it goes along with what Kelley is saying - you have belt slippage somewhere. Replace that harmonic balancer [In 5-90's abbreviation] ASAFP! Check the belt tensioner pulley, and make sure your water pump isn't leaking. If a water pump is leaking, it will leak right onto the belt and cause aforementioned symptoms of a belt slipping. Keep us updated, and hopefully we've been of help!

5-90

Ah - now, do you know what "ASAFP" means? Since you're mentioning First Responders, I'd imagine you do (having done the FR bit myself for a bunch of years. And the trauma medic thing. And SAR-cert. And I'd gotten myself ticketed for "confined area rescue" - which is probably one of the most difficult civilian classes I'd ever been through!)

I'd forgotten about the water pump. As I'd mentioned tho - if the HD inertia ring walks far enough, it won't cause belt slip - you'll just throw the belt right off when it loses pully alignment. It still wants replacing in short order.

While you've got the HD off, replace the seal behind it ("front main seal" or "timing chain cover seal.") If you don't, it's probably going to start leaking on you in a month - and you're going to kick yourself really hard for not taking the extra five minutes to do it while you were there.

Since you generally have to pull the radiator to access the HD, it's a good time to flush your cooling system as well. And replace your hoses, if it hasn't been done in the past five years.

Gunnar89

good news it was just the cheap vaulucraft belt i bought i bought a better brand no more squeak. i still plan on swapping out the old HB for a new one iv already bought it but they gave me a Chrysler HB puller and i couldnt get it to work so ima gunna return that and get the one that screws into the hub . this one clamped onto the hub and was a pain in the *** and i just said screw it. unless theeres another style i dont no about?

firstime00XJ

[QUOTE=5-90;510502]Ah - now, do you know what "ASAFP" means? Since you're mentioning First Responders, I'd imagine you do (having done the FR bit myself for a bunch of years. And the trauma medic thing. And SAR-cert. And I'd gotten myself ticketed for "confined area rescue" - which is probably one of the most difficult civilian classes I'd ever been through!)
QUOTE]

Oh yes, yes I do. lol. I'm currently an FF/EMT with HAZMAT Operations, advanced vehicle extrication. (And a few other certs as well) We don't have many confined areas; I want to go through SAR class. Confined space rescue is very difficult and a lot to learn. I've been in the fire/rescue service for just over 5 years, and love it.

5-90

[QUOTE=firstime00XJ;510752]Just checking - and wanted to make sure I didn't have the vehicle extrication training - but I did do military trauma medic (was my first training past CPR/FA, 'way back when they were still teaching two-rescuer CPR as a standard - and my old Lifeguard/Open Water Safety card. Helped having a PADI card already when I got that one...)

@OP (and anyone else interested) - I'll still call Gates about the best belts out there, but Goodyear Gatorbacks are also excellent - and much easier to find in the aftermarket.

Especially with a serpentine, don't cheap out on the belt. And, when you replace it, put the old one in the box of spares in the back (you don't have a box of spares? Why for not?) in case you lose the good one. It will get you home, unless you have bigger problems.

Every time you replace the belt, roll them back (new belt on, old belt in box, belt in box goes in the rubbish bin.) Make sure the "spare" belt will always be out of direct sunlight - UV will break down the elastomer...

Gunnar89

gotcha i already thro the old belt away but i can get it back... i painted it orange tho . i was seeing witch pully it was slipping at by were the paint wore off at. and it turned out to be just about all of them. and i wouldnt trust that belt more that 5 miles. after driving a lil wile on that belt i felt it ( engine off) and it was really gooy and all the smooth pullys had a good amout of belt ruber caked on to them. and a question about the harmonic balancer what tool do you use to take it off. autozone sold me a crystler puller style and it couldnt grab mine to save its life... woult the stearing whee/ HB puller work the one that looks like a peace sign that that u screw into the HB?

5-90

Correct - you'll use a screw-type "crow's foot" puller.

Installation is done using a series of 1/2"-20 hex head screws and a stack of greased washers (in the absence of an actual tool - which most people don't have.)

As I probably said, replace the front mail while you're there. Also, painting the snout of the crankshaft with never-seez will assist with installation (and removal the next time.)

The crankshaft nose screw gets torqued to 80 pound-feet, after cleaning the threads and dipping it in clean engine oil. Be sure to reuse the original (heavy!) washer under the screw head.

The harmonic damper is fully installed when the inner surface of the hub is flush with the nose surface of the crankshaft.

Gunnar89

whats the run down on the instalation again? didnt quite get it. what screws into what? and washers? u lost me buddy..