My AC belt is in shreds.

[melonz]

Ok so today I did a cooling overhaul and everything related to that went well.

But I drove a few miles and I hear gravel noises from under the car and I pulled over since it isn't getting better. Look inside and ithe AC belt is in shreds.

Has this happened to anyone? I think it might be the fact that I used the torx on the screw on the idler pulley instead of the tensioner body itself. I'm thinking the pulley is too tight on the tensioner.

Or could the tensioner be worn out?

I have the old belt left so I don't want to put it on without knowing what's going on and risking another belt

[NoVAphotog]

Ok so today I did a cooling overhaul and everything related to that went well.

But I drove a few miles and I hear gravel noises from under the car and I pulled over since it isn't getting better. Look inside and ithe AC belt is in shreds.

Has this happened to anyone? I think it might be the fact that I used the torx on the screw on the idler pulley instead of the tensioner body itself. I'm thinking the pulley is too tight on the tensioner.

Or could the tensioner be worn out?

I have the old belt left so I don't want to put it on without knowing what's going on and risking another belt

Did you make sure the belt was on in the right pattern? Seems silly but getting it right on mine took a little finesse and it did look "close" a couple of times till we noticed one section was off the groove.

What do you mean with the torx business, can you rephrase?

[melonz]

I believe I did but I'll recheck later.

What I mean by the torx is that when I pull the tensioner back with a wrench I just remembered that you're supposed to use the torx socket on the body of the tensioner but I used the torx on the tensioner pulley bolt instead.

[LivesNearCostco]

Yes, and some tensioners have a hex bolt cast onto them to turn instead of a torx cutout. I don't think that matters but you can check. If the A/C tensioner pulley spins smoothly (without the belt on), then it should still be okay. Verify the A/C compressor pulley also spins. If it seized up, that could shred the belt easily.

Most likely cause is belt wasn't properly seated in the grooves of both pulleys (crankshaft pulley and compressor pulley).

[melonz]

OK so I managed to salvage a sliver of the belt that was still attached. I measured the old belt (BMW) and compared it to the new one/ now destroyed (Contitech) and I was an inch short on the Contitech.

:scratchinghead

The thing is too I drove at least 10 miles before the thing shredded and I just drove ~25 miles with the old BMW one so I'm guessing I didn't put the old one on correctly.

[slater]

OK so I managed to salvage a sliver of the belt that was still attached. I measured the old belt (BMW) and compared it to the new one/ now destroyed (Contitech) and I was an inch short on the Contitech.

:scratchinghead

well, clearly you had the wrong belt! i'm surprised you could even get a belt 1" shorter installed. it obviously was much too tight.



The thing is too I drove at least 10 miles before the thing shredded and I just drove ~25 miles with the old BMW one so I'm guessing I didn't put the old one on correctly.

wait, so you shredded both belts? or by 'the old one' you are referring to the 1" shorter contitech belt?

peter

[danewilson77]

How does the pulley roll?

"No flamesuit required"

[alexandre]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/1wilman/beltdiagramsm.jpg

Maybe you put it the wrong way by mistake ? Belt going under the tensioner pulley instead of above...