Just threw the belt at 19,004 miles

[rmcnamee]

Got it in this morning, waited to start, fired it up and heard a terrible screaching noise under the hood. Popped the hood (engine still running) and was getting pelted with small pieces of the fan belt. Shut it down, took a look around and saw that the serp. belt had jumped forward, leaving it halfway off the PS & fan pulleys.



So, with only 19,004 miles on my 2004, the truck is once again heading back to the dealer for repairs. Oh well, we'll see what the dealer says.



Ryan

 

[swexlin]

Welcome to the club, :-{}



Go to this thread, where you will see a link to MY thread from August.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111642



Mine went at 5400 miles. No warning, but same as you - shredded and wrapped around the fan spindle. Several responded to my post that theirs' had done the same thing.



In 25 years of driving many different vehicles, I have NEVER had a belt failure, so when there are several failures on one engine type, it is more than a coincidence. Of course, dealers just say "defective belt". Horse hockey. With almost 1000 miles on the new belt, I'm still paranoid, and check it every few days. Shouldn't have to do this.

 

[rmcnamee]

Thanks for the link... I'll check it out. I never had one fail on any other vehicle either. Hopefully it's nothing too major.



Thanks

Ryan

 

[swexlin]

Please keep us updated on what the dealer says.

 

[rmcnamee]

Thanks..... I will.



Ryan

 

[swexlin]

Speculation here. It is my opinion that these belt shredding incidents with the 3rd Gen trucks that I and others here on TDR are not coincidence. As I stated above, in the many new and used, cars and trucks, of all makes, that I have owned in the last 25 years, I have never had even ONE belt throw or shred on stock, unmodified engine. Yes, I know there are failures when belts, tensioners, and pullies get worn and old - in 100,000 miles - but not on "new" vehicles with only a few thousand miles, and ALL of the same engine type.



As I opened my engine tonight, and looked at the location of the pullies - it is not hard to imagine a teeny-tiny pebble, or other piece or road debris being kicked up under the engine, getting caught in between a pulley and the belt, and, belt comes off.



Is this possible? Other possibilities would include some trucks with bad tensioners, etc, which means it is only a matter of time before this happens again.



Thoughts and opinions, please?

 

[exfuzz01]

You think that is bad... . I bought a brand new 1977 Olds Cutlass... . with 31 miles on the speedo... . THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE !!!!

 

[swexlin]

1977 Olds Cutlass

'Nuff said.



Seriously, this seems to be a real problem, one that could stop you dead in the outback if you don't have spare (and most people don't). New trucks with the reliable Cummins shouldn't do this, and I'll be curious to see what his dealer says.

 

[bulabula]

My truck is one month shy of 2 years old and has 33k on the clock; no belt problems here.



Coincidently, most people around here haven't thrown a belt. I've only read of two cases, and you're both here. I don't expect DC to go general quarters yet.



I've thrown a serp belt on a Ford F350 before. The belt was brand new and had only about 50 miles on it. The original belt had about a zillion miles on it and was squeaking; so I changed it "just in case". Fortunately I carried the old original belt as a spare - it got me home. I bought a new serp and kept it as a spare and sold the truck with the old belt still on it.



One thing I've learned is to not cheap out on belts and hoses.

 

[swexlin]

Coincidently, most people around here haven't thrown a belt. I've only read of two cases, and you're both here.

If you go back to the link I posted to my thread from last month, four or five people here, TDR members, responded that their 04s had done the same thing.



No, I don't expect a red alert, but something is amiss.

 

[WyattEarp]

mine did the same thing, chewed up the new belt i bought 42 bucks worth but after reading this site here for some time searching, sure enough the cummins god's spoke and said belt tenisionor, new tensionor and no more problem, not the pulley is squeeking, no problem Advance auto parts carries the tensionors for around 88. 00 and the pulley by itself for less than 20. 00 if memory serves me correctly.

I would seriously check your tensionor before taking your truck to the dealer, it couldn't hurt, im glad i came here and read before i jumped the gun and ran to the dealer it was bad enough paying 135. 00 for a new tensionor from the dealer talk about price shock...

 

[swexlin]

I would seriously check your tensionor before taking your truck to the dealer, it couldn't hurt, im glad i came here and read before i jumped the gun and ran to the dealer it was bad enough paying 135. 00 for a new tensionor from the dealer talk about price shock

In my case, this is a new vehicle under warranty, and I wanted it noted in the service record what the problem was. Dealer said they check everything out, and belt was defective. The was essentially the response that others who replied to my thread got from their dealers.



I agree, I don't think it's the belts. Time will tell, and I check my belt a couple times a week.

 

[rmcnamee]

Well, I got the truck back today. I asked the service guy what they found, did, etc. and he said that they have no idea why it jumped and that everything seemed to be O. K.



Now, here's my plan. If there is a better tensioner unit out there, I don't care if I have to spend the $100 or $150 bucks to get it, I'm doin it. The way I look at it... it's cheap insurance. I plow snow with this truck and can't imagine how much it would stink to be plowing and have this happen again. Especially when I'm getting $80. 00 p/hr. to plow... . I can't afford to be "taken out" by a possibly defective belt tensioner design.



Thanks for all the responses and info everyone!

Ryan



BTW: When you loose the belt, you loose the steering and brakes too. And don't think that hydraulic accumulator hold enough fluid and pressure to stop these trucks. When I backed my truck out of my driveway, to load onto my buddy's International flatbed ( driveway was too narrow for flatbed to back up to the truck), I had mash the brake pedal to get it stop. Keep in mind... . I have a level driveway (from garage door to street) and I was backing up at about 5-7 mph. Good luck if you're heading down the highway when the belt goes and all that's left is that accumulator.

 

[swexlin]

I asked the service guy what they found, did, etc. and he said that they have no idea why it jumped and that everything seemed to be O. K.

What mine said too. "Defective belt". Others who had replied to my thread said their dealers had said basically the same thing.



I agree that I would want some better tensioner or something to give piece of mind. Because, I don't trust it right now.