Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C)

Rick360 · 08-01-2007, 02:32 PM

I have a 99 Chrysler T&C that had a serpentine belt break. I picked up a belt and replaced it. I made sure the grooves on the pulleys and on the belt were aligned. The van ran fine for 3 weeks. Until, last night, I heard a slapping sound underneath the hood that went away. I go to inspect the problem and found that the serpentine belt had one of the grooves tear off. I essentially had 3/4 of the belt still on..

Thinking it was a defective belt, I exchanged it and installed the new belt. I double checked the groove alignment and started/stopped the engine immediately. I reinspected the belt and noticed it had moved 1/8 in. to the left on the tension pulley. From the tension pulley, I traced the belt to another pulley and saw that the belt was riding the edge of the pulley. I aligned the belt again, started/stopped the engine and checked it. Sure enough the belt move 1/8 in. to the left.

I did check the other pulley to see if they were loose by trying to move them side to side and they seem to be tight. I spun the tension pulley and there was no wobble.

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's the tension pulley...

Has anyone come across this situation? Also how can I check that the pulleys are aligned?

Thanks,
Rick

**Midnight Tech** · 08-01-2007, 06:06 PM

Rick, Gates has developed a new belt/tensioner setup for the Chrysler 3.0 and 3.3 engines that is grooved on both sides. They originally came up with it to stop the tendency of those engines to sling belts when hitting large puddles of water...but it may help stop your belt being so shifty on you.
Not at work so I don't have the part number at the moment.

**qldit** · 08-01-2007, 10:56 PM

Good Afternoon Chaps, from my experience with these belts I would be inclined to suspect one of the driven grooved pulleys may be out of alignment, I would be inclined to inspect the alternator and all the grooved pulleys for alignment or bearing wear, it sounds like it is biassed to the direction of it's "walking" travel.
The belt should run true and smoothly in a static running condition.

It may well be the tensioner askew but I haven't seen that problem previously.

I have seen an alternator mount loose that affected it, but you probably have a water pump, A/C and steering all on the same belt. Some mount may have moved or lost a bolt.

That is interesting to see that splash can do it MT, sounds like poor splash trays on that machine.

Best of Luck, that would be a constant worry!

Cheers, qldit.

Bald Eagle · 08-02-2007, 07:57 PM

Chances are your problem will be the belt tensioner assy. They are notorious for failing and causing exactly your problem, plus belt breakage or slippage, depending on its mood!. Chrysler,at least up here in the frozen north has a revised washer for the outside of the tensioner pulley. It is essentially an oversize washer to guard againsy belt walkover.
Replace the belt, tensioner, and install the guard on the new tensioner to be on the safe side!.

Rick360 · 08-05-2007, 11:13 PM

Thank you gentlemen for your expertise on this. The problem was with the tensioner assembly. The only part I couldn't find was the "guard", but other than that I'm back in business.

This is a great tech site!!

Thanks Again,
Rick360

**qldit** · 08-06-2007, 12:11 AM

Good Afternoon Rick360, well done there, I imagine the tensioner bearing must have been shot.

By the way over here we refer to devices to stop belt migration as "keepers", especially on cam drive belts.

A most interesting fix.

Cheers, qldit.

08-01-2007, 02:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rick360 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3 OS: XP Home	Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) I have a 99 Chrysler T&C that had a serpentine belt break. I picked up a belt and replaced it. I made sure the grooves on the pulleys and on the belt were aligned. The van ran fine for 3 weeks. Until, last night, I heard a slapping sound underneath the hood that went away. I go to inspect the problem and found that the serpentine belt had one of the grooves tear off. I essentially had 3/4 of the belt still on.. Thinking it was a defective belt, I exchanged it and installed the new belt. I double checked the groove alignment and started/stopped the engine immediately. I reinspected the belt and noticed it had moved 1/8 in. to the left on the tension pulley. From the tension pulley, I traced the belt to another pulley and saw that the belt was riding the edge of the pulley. I aligned the belt again, started/stopped the engine and checked it. Sure enough the belt move 1/8 in. to the left. I did check the other pulley to see if they were loose by trying to move them side to side and they seem to be tight. I spun the tension pulley and there was no wobble. I have a sneaking suspicion that it's the tension pulley... Has anyone come across this situation? Also how can I check that the pulleys are aligned? Thanks, Rick

08-01-2007, 06:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Midnight Tech Admin/Head GreaseMonkey/Igor's alter ego/Grand Exalted PoohBah Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: SC Posts: 2,920 OS: Windows XP Home/Pro SP3/Windows 98SE/Fedora Core 6/RH 7.2 with Autopoint/TAMS II	Re: Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) Rick, Gates has developed a new belt/tensioner setup for the Chrysler 3.0 and 3.3 engines that is grooved on both sides. They originally came up with it to stop the tendency of those engines to sling belts when hitting large puddles of water...but it may help stop your belt being so shifty on you. Not at work so I don't have the part number at the moment. __________________ Please post all questions in the appropriate forum. Questions sent by email or PM will not be answered. Sharing my life...with my Imzadi! Interested in Trek gaming? Check out the Dynaverse! Proud supporter of the Carolinas Aviation Museum. If we have helped you in any way, please donate to keep TSF up and running!

08-01-2007, 10:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
qldit TSF Gearhead Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brisbane Australia. Posts: 592 OS: All Systems, mainly Linux	Re: Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) Good Afternoon Chaps, from my experience with these belts I would be inclined to suspect one of the driven grooved pulleys may be out of alignment, I would be inclined to inspect the alternator and all the grooved pulleys for alignment or bearing wear, it sounds like it is biassed to the direction of it's "walking" travel. The belt should run true and smoothly in a static running condition. It may well be the tensioner askew but I haven't seen that problem previously. I have seen an alternator mount loose that affected it, but you probably have a water pump, A/C and steering all on the same belt. Some mount may have moved or lost a bolt. That is interesting to see that splash can do it MT, sounds like poor splash trays on that machine. Best of Luck, that would be a constant worry! Cheers, qldit.

08-02-2007, 07:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bald Eagle Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario Can. Posts: 37 OS: winXP sp2	Re: Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) Chances are your problem will be the belt tensioner assy. They are notorious for failing and causing exactly your problem, plus belt breakage or slippage, depending on its mood!. Chrysler,at least up here in the frozen north has a revised washer for the outside of the tensioner pulley. It is essentially an oversize washer to guard againsy belt walkover. Replace the belt, tensioner, and install the guard on the new tensioner to be on the safe side!.

08-05-2007, 11:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Rick360 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3 OS: XP Home	Re: Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) Thank you gentlemen for your expertise on this. The problem was with the tensioner assembly. The only part I couldn't find was the "guard", but other than that I'm back in business. This is a great tech site!! Thanks Again, Rick360

08-06-2007, 12:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
qldit TSF Gearhead Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brisbane Australia. Posts: 592 OS: All Systems, mainly Linux	Re: Serpentine Belt tears off at the edge. (99 Chrysler T&C) Good Afternoon Rick360, well done there, I imagine the tensioner bearing must have been shot. By the way over here we refer to devices to stop belt migration as "keepers", especially on cam drive belts. A most interesting fix. Cheers, qldit.