Daniel_Sach

OK. I took my wife off roading yesterday. ( it was her first time as well as our new jeep first time) hehe. I took my jeeps virginity... LOL anywho..... I washed him up and during the wash I lifted hood to clean it all out ans sprayed around the bottom area of my radiator. below the fans... This morning I went to leave and My serpentine belt wont move. The engine starts just fine but the belt wont move. I realized this when the steering wheel felt like a boat to turn!!!! I think I have a seized pulley and need to replace that as well as my belt... Any input guys? How do you guys clean your engine bay after coating it in mud? How hard is changing a pulley. Any input on an easy way to find out which pulley it is?

76ANTHONY

PULL OFF THE BELT AND TRY TO FREE IT UP. IT MAY HAVE CHUNKS OF DIRT IN IT. opps caps sorry....

Daniel_Sach

If I'm checking by hand should I be able to turn all the pulleys? With the belt off of course. That way I can find out which pulley it is that is stuck?

BlueXJ

First you must determine which pulley it is. Pull the belt and try to turn each one of the pulleys (except the crankshaft of course) It may be a bad WP or PS pump. It may have gotten mud in the mechanism and locked something up. First priority is don't panic. Second is find out which won't turn and third fix it. (replace or clean and rebuild)

Daniel_Sach

LOL. Trust me. I am not panicking. It's not big deal really. It was driving fine all last night. Kinda weird really that it happened this morning. Should my pulleys have any issues from spraying water on them. I wouldn't think as I have not had any problems in the past when cleaning an engine....
I just hope it's not my power steering pump. I really don't want to have to rplace it. but hey. it comes with the territory...

jd4x426

i dought the water would do that just take your belt off and check the pulleys by hand except the crankshaft of course

Daniel_Sach

I get off at 3 so I can get to it then. All the pulleys should spin freely ( not the crank pulley I know) correct?

mike37

sounds to me like you washed some oily residue down on the crank pulley
and its just slipping on the water and oil you my need a new belt

it should have squealed like a stuck pig if something was locked up

Daniel_Sach

Um... It is squealing. Thought It sounds more like screeching tires than a pig.... LOL.

mike37

you my have washed dirt into your alternator

Daniel_Sach

My alternator? I doubt it but who knows. We shall see in about an hour...
I personally think it has something to do with the belt not grabbing. I think maybe I just need to replace it but who knows. It ran fine all night last night stopping and starting hours after I washed it. IT sat for two hours last night and I ran it just fine again. I don't think it is to serious or it would not have ran fine last night. It started just fine this morning.. I think that it may just be a pulley that locked up.. we shall see..

mike37

the alternator sits low on the Cherokees and it has caused others to jamb or have problems after being in the mud

Daniel_Sach

I seriously doubt its the alternator but we shall see. though. That would suck....
All the mud finally dried maybe... lol.

Daniel_Sach

Huh..... Well I sprayed some white lithium grease on all my pulleys( on what appeared to be an area it would matter. Cranked it up 5 min later and wala.. it was fine... IT seems like some thing is a little off but maybe its just me..... who knows.

Daniel_Sach

I replaced my serpentine belt today. That was actually quite easy. Things seem to be running pretty good altogether. I sprayed the under body from off roading the other day and found a tree stuck in my exhaust. LOL Is all good!!