help, got new serp belt and it just slipped off!!!

robblaw · 11-09-2002, 06:17 PM

And I am ticked off. I justr had the serpentine belt replacd as well as the alternator no more than a month ago and today on my way to work the friggin thing fell off and my check your battery light came on. I made it to work and popped the hood and sure enough it was lose. It appeared to be all there. Is it hard to put this back on? It will be dark soon so can I do it or AAA is coming later can they just slip it back on? It is partially on the thingys. Why in the wqorld did this happen? Poor auto mechanic technique or maintenance? Is there a lawsuit to be had here?

BobL · 11-09-2002, 07:14 PM

Possibly the belt tensioner has failed.

robblaw · 11-09-2002, 10:37 PM

Is this an easy thing to fix? Can a mechanic fix it fairly quick? I shouldn't have to pay since he replaced belt and alternator recently, right? Why would this happen if the belt and alternator are new? Negligence? Please help me out here.

Gerry Proctor · 11-09-2002, 11:30 PM

Belts get thrown for two reasons; 1) Mis-alignment. This is where the belt path from pulley-to-pulley doesn't run true, or: 2) Loose belt. This can be caused by the wrong size belt or a bad tensioner. If the old tensioner kept the belt on, then you may have the wrong belt on the car. This is not uncommon when you get a belt from a Pep Boys-type parts counter jockey.

Dr. Bob · 11-09-2002, 11:31 PM

When he replaced the alternator, the tech should have ensured all the pulleys are aligned and are clean. Misaligned pulleys could cause the belt to come off. Any junk on a pulley can cause it to fall off.

Second, the belt may not have been installed correctly - the pulleys have fins on them which ride in the grooves in the belt. If not centered properly such that the fins and grooves interlace, the belt can come off.

Third, it is possible that the tensioner is weak or stuck such that the belt isn't tight enough which could help it fall off.

Putting a belt on is not hard and doesn't take much time at all - it's a little tricky to do without good lighting because of the alignment and the fins/grooves issues mentioned above. And it doesn't address what caused the belt to go off in the first place.

Forget the lawsuit - you have insufficient damages to file one and you can't prove which of the above causes did it. I think I would have had the mechanic put the belt back on and verify the pulley alignment and tensioner.

robblaw · 11-10-2002, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the info. Thats what I did I had AAA tow it and mechanic will hopefully look at it Monday.

11-09-2002, 06:17 PM	#1
robblaw Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: PA Posts: 91	help, got new serp belt and it just slipped off!!! And I am ticked off. I justr had the serpentine belt replacd as well as the alternator no more than a month ago and today on my way to work the friggin thing fell off and my check your battery light came on. I made it to work and popped the hood and sure enough it was lose. It appeared to be all there. Is it hard to put this back on? It will be dark soon so can I do it or AAA is coming later can they just slip it back on? It is partially on the thingys. Why in the wqorld did this happen? Poor auto mechanic technique or maintenance? Is there a lawsuit to be had here?

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11-09-2002, 07:14 PM	#2
BobL Master Member Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 4,559	Possibly the belt tensioner has failed.

11-09-2002, 10:37 PM	#3
robblaw Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: PA Posts: 91	Is this an easy thing to fix? Can a mechanic fix it fairly quick? I shouldn't have to pay since he replaced belt and alternator recently, right? Why would this happen if the belt and alternator are new? Negligence? Please help me out here.

11-09-2002, 11:30 PM	#4
Gerry Proctor Master Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 2,682 2008 Astra XR 2008 SKY Red Line	Belts get thrown for two reasons; 1) Mis-alignment. This is where the belt path from pulley-to-pulley doesn't run true, or: 2) Loose belt. This can be caused by the wrong size belt or a bad tensioner. If the old tensioner kept the belt on, then you may have the wrong belt on the car. This is not uncommon when you get a belt from a Pep Boys-type parts counter jockey.

11-09-2002, 11:31 PM	#5
Dr. Bob Master Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: SE Minnesota Posts: 2,041	When he replaced the alternator, the tech should have ensured all the pulleys are aligned and are clean. Misaligned pulleys could cause the belt to come off. Any junk on a pulley can cause it to fall off. Second, the belt may not have been installed correctly - the pulleys have fins on them which ride in the grooves in the belt. If not centered properly such that the fins and grooves interlace, the belt can come off. Third, it is possible that the tensioner is weak or stuck such that the belt isn't tight enough which could help it fall off. Putting a belt on is not hard and doesn't take much time at all - it's a little tricky to do without good lighting because of the alignment and the fins/grooves issues mentioned above. And it doesn't address what caused the belt to go off in the first place. Forget the lawsuit - you have insufficient damages to file one and you can't prove which of the above causes did it. I think I would have had the mechanic put the belt back on and verify the pulley alignment and tensioner.

11-10-2002, 03:35 PM	#6
robblaw Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: PA Posts: 91	Thanks for the info. Thats what I did I had AAA tow it and mechanic will hopefully look at it Monday.

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