Serp belt slipping
12-16-2017, 06:54 PM
#1
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(SJ)
Engine: 4.0
Serp belt slipping
Ok so I left car wash today and I thought my power steering pump went out cuz I couldn't turn the wheel. Also my jeep started overheating and throwing out antifreeze. Turns out my belt slipped off so I put it back on and turned my jeep back on. I started slipping again off the fan clutch pull. Does any one know why?
12-16-2017, 07:14 PM
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
It was probably not quite tight enough to begin with and with water from the carwash it slipped off. When you put it back on did you give it enough tension?
12-16-2017, 07:27 PM
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Take the belt tension off and remove the belt. Spin everything by hand. Water pump, alternator, power steering pump, ect. That will tell you if anything is locked up and making the belt squeal. If everything spins ok then while to have the belt off dry it well and make sure all the pulleys are dry then reinstall and see what happens
12-16-2017, 07:50 PM
#5
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Take the belt tension off and remove the belt. Spin everything by hand. Water pump, alternator, power steering pump, ect. That will tell you if anything is locked up and making the belt squeal. If everything spins ok then while to have the belt off dry it well and make sure all the pulleys are dry then reinstall and see what happens
I don't know the specifics on your Jeep...unless it's an XJ...but I just got done having to reinstall mine after a water pump install. If all components spin freely and you have it all dried off as for-mentioned above, make sure that you have the tensioner pulley set to the correct tension. On my 99 XJ, with everything routed correctly and tensioned, measuring the section of belt half way between the water pump and going up over the power steering pulley, with a little bit of effort was about 1/2 rotational twist.
If the belt is too tight it will give you fits just as if it's too loose. Different fits, but problems none the less.
If it was slipping as mentioned, make sure you have all water and any coolant off of the pulley surfaces.
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12-16-2017, 09:09 PM
#9
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Just since we're not there with you and can stare at your Jeep... to cover all bases... you do have the belt routed correctly? (and is evenly "seated" on all of the pulleys)
if so... is this the first time this has happened?....and what is the condition of the belt itself? fairly new or been on a while?
If all else looks spot on... with the vehicle shut off (obviously)... try turning your primary fan and see how much resistance you get from the clutch.
i.e.. does it spin freely with no resistance? or is there a little bit of resistance when you manually turn the blades with your hand?
if so... is this the first time this has happened?....and what is the condition of the belt itself? fairly new or been on a while?
If all else looks spot on... with the vehicle shut off (obviously)... try turning your primary fan and see how much resistance you get from the clutch.
i.e.. does it spin freely with no resistance? or is there a little bit of resistance when you manually turn the blades with your hand?
Last edited by RocketMouse; 12-16-2017 at 09:16 PM.
12-16-2017, 09:28 PM
#10
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Year: 1999
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Ok the belt is evenly seated on all pulleys and correctly routed. Yes this is the first time and the belt is about 3mth old fan blades spin freely
12-16-2017, 10:15 PM
#11
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All the pulleys spin freely, that's good. So we're going on the assumption now that you do have the correct amount of tension set on the belt. (not quite a half turn with your fingers)
When you said the fan spins freely, is there any resistance to it when you spin it with your fingers? (not the electric fan, the primary fan)
If you "flick" it with your your fingers, does it just move a few inches, or does it spin considerably more?
12-17-2017, 12:04 AM
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Year: 2000
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Don't try to set the tension by twisting the belt with your fingers. The tension will be wrong. You may think you got it right, but you would just be guessing.
You wouldn't set your tire pressure by guessing, right? You'd use a gauge.
There's also a gauge for setting your belt tension, the Krikit II. Some Napa stores have them in stock, or you can order one from Amazon for $15 (link below). Then set your tension between 140 and 160 ft lbs (180 to 200 ft lbs if you install a brand new belt).
As you're tightening, you'll think, "This is way too tight." It's not. Trust the gauge.
If your belt still slips after you tighten it properly, and you've already verified all your pulleys are turning properly, you may need a new belt. The best belt you can get is the Continental Elite, AKA the Continental Gatorback. Instead of grooves, it has little nubs that grip better than anything out there. It'll grip even if you don't get the tension right.
Here's the gauge. There are other types of tension gauges as well, but this one is the easiest to use.
You wouldn't set your tire pressure by guessing, right? You'd use a gauge.
There's also a gauge for setting your belt tension, the Krikit II. Some Napa stores have them in stock, or you can order one from Amazon for $15 (link below). Then set your tension between 140 and 160 ft lbs (180 to 200 ft lbs if you install a brand new belt).
As you're tightening, you'll think, "This is way too tight." It's not. Trust the gauge.
If your belt still slips after you tighten it properly, and you've already verified all your pulleys are turning properly, you may need a new belt. The best belt you can get is the Continental Elite, AKA the Continental Gatorback. Instead of grooves, it has little nubs that grip better than anything out there. It'll grip even if you don't get the tension right.
Here's the gauge. There are other types of tension gauges as well, but this one is the easiest to use.
12-17-2017, 09:32 AM
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Year: 2001
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Don't try to set the tension by twisting the belt with your fingers. The tension will be wrong. You may think you got it right, but you would just be guessing.
You wouldn't set your tire pressure by guessing, right? You'd use a gauge.
There's also a gauge for setting your belt tension, the Krikit II. Some Napa stores have them in stock, or you can order one from Amazon for $15 (link below). Then set your tension between 140 and 160 ft lbs (180 to 200 ft lbs if you install a brand new belt).
As you're tightening, you'll think, "This is way too tight." It's not. Trust the gauge.
If your belt still slips after you tighten it properly, and you've already verified all your pulleys are turning properly, you may need a new belt. The best belt you can get is the Continental Elite, AKA the Continental Gatorback. Instead of grooves, it has little nubs that grip better than anything out there. It'll grip even if you don't get the tension right.
Here's the gauge. There are other types of tension gauges as well, but this one is the easiest to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91132-B...qid=1513489826
You wouldn't set your tire pressure by guessing, right? You'd use a gauge.
There's also a gauge for setting your belt tension, the Krikit II. Some Napa stores have them in stock, or you can order one from Amazon for $15 (link below). Then set your tension between 140 and 160 ft lbs (180 to 200 ft lbs if you install a brand new belt).
As you're tightening, you'll think, "This is way too tight." It's not. Trust the gauge.
If your belt still slips after you tighten it properly, and you've already verified all your pulleys are turning properly, you may need a new belt. The best belt you can get is the Continental Elite, AKA the Continental Gatorback. Instead of grooves, it has little nubs that grip better than anything out there. It'll grip even if you don't get the tension right.
Here's the gauge. There are other types of tension gauges as well, but this one is the easiest to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91132-B...qid=1513489826
12-17-2017, 02:50 PM
#15
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I wasn't trying to say what I mentioned was the only way to set it. If I don't have one of those,... and everything is tensioned correctly before I dismantle things for a replacement, I'll use the finger method to ball-park the current tension on a particular belt so that I can adjust it back pretty damn close to where it was before I started. I know it won't be perfect, but I can get it pretty close IF I don't have a tension gauge available at the time.