Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Help! belt trying to run off the a/c pully?

[MxerChris]

my second belt (in 4 months) has shredded itself on the engine side, installed the new one and it looks like the a/c pully is not lined up, the new belt actually runs on top of the pully not down in the grooves like this >< instead of >>. I tried to loosen the compressor and slide it back but there was not much play then I checked the pully for tightness, it was a little loose but not much, I guess my question might be are there shims behind the pully that might be keeping from lining up with the others, can they be removed? Or can anybody think of anything else it might be, I'm driving it to Charlotte for a new years eve party and really do not want to have to worry about this thing shredding another belt. Thanks, Chris.....

 

[illflem]

The pivot on the spring loaded tensioner sometimes wears out an allows the belt to angle off. Remove the belt from the tensioner and see if moves front to rear.

 

[redram]

Originally posted by racingfanscjww

my second belt (in 4 months) has shredded itself on the engine side, installed the new one and it looks like the a/c pully is not lined up, the new belt actually runs on top of the pully not down in the grooves like this >< instead of >>. I tried to loosen the compressor and slide it back but there was not much play then I checked the pully for tightness, it was a little loose but not much, I guess my question might be are there shims behind the pully that might be keeping from lining up with the others, can they be removed? Or can anybody think of anything else it might be, I'm driving it to Charlotte for a new years eve party and really do not want to have to worry about this thing shredding another belt. Thanks, Chris.....

Sounds like someone has the belt installed / routed incorrectly. There should be a sticker on the radiator support to show the proper routing of the belt in relation to the belt tensioner, alternator and crankshaft pulley.



If the belt appears to be upside down, then it's probably routed incorrectly.



Good luck.



Redram

 

[Thomas]

I'll add my vote to Bill's—it sounds like a tensioner problem.

 

[MxerChris]

OK guys I put the belt on myself and know its on correctly, after dinner I'm going to go out and check the tensioner, if I remember correctly the rotation of the engine would feed the belt off the tensioner and on to the ac pulley, so the tensioner would make sense.

 

[MxerChris]

OK I checked the tensioner and I could barely make it wiggle and I stress barely! So I don't think its the tensioner, I can pull back on the tensioner a little then sight down from the alternator pulley across the back of the tensioner pulley and on to the ac pulley and I swear it looks so obvious that the ac pulley is forward by more than just one groove. Any which way I sight it, it looks to be forward a considerable amount, I've only had this truck for about 6 months maybe its got the wrong compressor or pulley, or maybe the pulley is on the compressor wrong? I even took the tensioner off and checked it real good, all seems in order there. This one has got me real worried!

 

[illflem]

It sounds as if something has been changed, I'm sure it didn't come from the factory out of line. Anyway to contact the previous owner?



Someone correct me but I don't think there is anyway to adjust the compressor pulley fore and aft or put it on wrong.



Could it be the wrong compressor?

 

[MxerChris]

I guess tomorrow I will check it against a 2000 my uncle has in his body shop.

 

[Ncostello]

Wonder if the pulley (entire clutch assembly) has moved in or out on the shaft. Is there a key/set screw or is this the press on type. . or neither. Im just thinking of what sometimes happens on other belt systems. Maybe take some set back measurements of the pulley against the compressor body... check another truck if possible.



EDIT: Oops... sorry, guess you and illflem have already covered this. I should read closer before posting.

 

[satmike]

I would still say it's the tensioner. On my last truck the same thing was happening. It was real hard to tell anything was wrong even after I pulled it out, but that was the problem. $150 at the stealer, ouch.

Good luck Mike

 

[Hummin Cummins]

Double check the Vibration Dampener

I know it sounds like a long shot, but on my wife's grand prix, she shredded a ton of belts, I checked every thing I could think of, rebuilt the tensioner once, then replaced it completely the second time. Finally noticed quite a bit of movement on the dampener. Looked closer and the "guts" were slowly working out of it. Replaced the dampener and 174,000 miles on the car no more belt trouble. I realize they are two different animals, but anything's possible. I could see a definate wobble in hers.

I dont know if they go bad on the CTD's but its worth a look. Belts arent cheap.



Chris

 

[jrobinson2]

I would look at your tensioner very closely, look at the gap between the pivoting piece and the stationary piece. The gap should be the same on both sides and also top to bottom. The spring is strong enough that on the idlers I've seen bad you couldn't move anything, it preloads the idler even with the belt off. The idler usually twists slightly and pushes the belt off. On my 8. 3 and 5. 9 stationary engines the idlers only last about 1700 hrs!



Jared

 

[MxerChris]

Well I think you guys are right about the idler, I had my mind so made up that it was the ac pulley that I did something stupid like pulling the compressor off and breaking down the pulley and finding nothing wrong of course. So I put it back on and with the coolant resovoir out of the way and the belt on I noticed that the tensioner pulley was in fact a little out of line. Now I have to recharge the ac. Why do I always have to do everything the hard way? what kind of price am I looking at for an idler?

 

[Whitmore]

Here it is

Practical solutions has the steel idler for sale.



http://www.psdieselproducts.bizland.com/



cheers, Kevin

 

[illflem]

The Practical Solutions pulley is great but racingfan probably needs the whole assembly from Cummins or the dealer, around $125.

 

[jrobinson2]

The new idler I got from cummins had DAYCO cast on the side, that leads me to believe you could get the same idler from any auto parts store that carries the Dayco line. If somone has a good relationship with there John Deere dealer you can get the heavy duty pulley only (part #RE505264 for a 7800 tractor ) my price was 54. 33 with no shipping charges on a 5 day order. Thats 5 bucks more than Practical solutions but may be closer with shipping added.



Jared