-
Welcome to Auto Parts Forum
Whether you are a veteran automotive parts guru or just someone looking for some quick auto parts advice, register today and start a new topic in our forum. Registration is free and you can even sign up with social network platforms such as Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
Gates - Serpentine Belt Diagnostics
-
Similar Content
-
- 0 replies
- 25 views
-
- 0 replies
- 43 views
-
- 0 replies
- 29 views
-
- 0 replies
- 32 views
-
- 0 replies
- 28 views
-
-
Similar Topics
-
By Counterman
You might not be able to see it, but an accessory-drive belt is always both speeding up and slowing down. When a piston accelerates downward after the ignition of the fuel and air, the crankshaft speeds up and then slows down as it reaches the bottom of the stroke. These changes in speed are minimal, but big enough to cause problems over time.
If the pulses aren’t minimized, they can hammer the belt and the attached rotating components. On a four-cylinder engine, the degrees of rotation between power pulses are greater than on a V-8 – so the amount of change in speed on the four-cylinder pulley is greater than on a V-6 or V-8. This has a direct effect on how the belt system is designed.
The belt-drive system is working hardest when the engine is at idle. When the engine is below 1,000 rpm, the alternator, A/C compressor and power-steering pump are putting the greatest strain on the belt.
Some of the forces can be taken up by the belt slipping on the pulleys. But, slipping causes friction and wear on the belt, as well as flutter. Over time, the slipping can get worse as removal of material from the ribs causes the belt to bottom out.
There are three components that help to keep the belt on the pulleys without slipping. The tensioner, harmonic balancer and decoupler pulley work together to keep the accessory-belt system quiet and the belt lasting until the replacement interval.
Tensioner
The tensioner applies force on the belt. Some tensioners have devices that dampen the movement of the spring and arm, helping to keep constant force on the belt even under a wide variety of conditions.
Harmonic Balancer
The harmonic dampener puts a layer of soft material between the crankshaft and outer ring of the pulley. The material helps to dissipate the power pulses and resonant frequencies. While the dampener may only flex one or two degrees of movement, this takes a lot of strain off attached components.
Decoupler Pulley
Some alternators have a decoupler pulley. This device serves two purposes. First, it helps to decouple the pulley from the alternator with a one-way clutch. The decoupler reduces parasitic losses by not having to fight against the momentum of the armature in the alternator while the engine is decelerating and accelerating.
Some decoupler pulleys have a spring and friction dampener to reduce vibration. When an alternator decoupler pulley is compromised, it can no longer absorb the same level of abuse, which has a trickle-down effect throughout the system.
Alternator decouplers and pulleys should be inspected every 10,000 miles for wear. Early design versions have a service life of 40,000 to 60,000 miles, with more recent versions lasting more than 100,000 miles.
When inspecting a decoupler or pulley, there are two signs that replacement is needed. First, after shutting down the engine, if there’s an audible buzzing, the bearings in the pulley have likely failed. The second sign depends on whether the vehicle has a one-way clutch (OWC), overrunning alternator pulley (OAP) or decoupler (OAD).
With the inspection cap/cover removed and the center locked, turn the pulley or decoupler with the appropriate tool. If it’s an OAP or OWC, the pulley can only be turned in the clockwise direction. If it’s an OAD, a counterclockwise turn will reveal a noticeable increase in spring force; a clockwise turn will only have slight resistance. The tensioner, harmonic balancer and decoupler pulley work together to keep the belt in contact with grooves in the pulleys. The three components are engineered together to match the engine. If one part is compromised, all are compromised, including the belt.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
Litens Aftermarket introduced its new “System Reset” campaign, aiming to bring awareness to the importance of proper drive-belt system maintenance.
In an effort to educate professional vehicle service technicians, Litens details what a system reset entails, its significance and the potential repercussions of neglecting this essential maintenance step when replacing a drive belt.
For a belt-drive system to perform optimally, the system’s components must be properly maintained and in tune with each other throughout the lifespan of the vehicle. When it’s time to replace the drive belt, it’s also time to replace the drive-belt system’s tensioners and pulleys. The system is properly reset when all components of the belt-drive system, including the tensioner, idler pulley(s) and the belt, are all replaced at the same time.
“As vehicle belt-drive systems become more complex, we’re aiming to equip technicians with both education and solutions,” said Scott Howat, national sales manager, Litens Aftermarket. “Properly resetting the belt-drive system enables the technician to reset the vehicle to its optimal OE level of performance.”
Benefits of a system reset – replacing the tensioner and idler pulley(s) along with the belt – include enhancing the system’s reliability and longevity, as well as reducing the risk of component failure and subsequent breakdowns. Resetting all of the belt-drive system components together promotes optimal power transmission, minimizing slippage and improving overall efficiency, which can contribute to enhanced fuel economy and performance.
Failing to fully reset the system can lead to imbalanced stress distribution, reduced overall system efficiency and premature wear of both the newly replaced parts and the remaining older components. This could result in increased friction, potential belt slippage and an elevated risk of component failure, ultimately compromising the entire belt-drive system’s reliability and performance.
Litens designs OE belt-drive systems and components to last for a designated period of time. While that number also depends on miles driven and the number of vehicle starts/stops, the belt-drive system typically runs for 100,000 miles before needing maintenance. As all of the system’s components are designed to work together, when the belt is due for replacement, it’s highly likely that the rest of the components in the system are also due.
For more information, visit
link hidden, please login to view. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
Litens Aftermarket recently introduced its latest OE improvement, the 999420A belt tensioner.
This new tensioner boasts improvements to the OE design, enabling an efficient belt-tensioner replacement process by a single technician, according to Litens.
“This tensioner was engineered to improve upon the OE design by addressing the challenges technicians encounter during the installation of belt tensioners, particularly in the confined spaces of engine compartments,” Litens explained in a news release. “Focusing on ease of installation, Litens integrated a design advancement to simplify the installation process significantly.”
The design upgrade is the lift feature, strategically placed in an offset position between the mounting bolts that secure the tensioner – adding an extra inch under the lip for a technician, providing greater ease of access.
Typically, a tensioner is located at the side of the engine compartment where there’s very little room for working hands to get a wrench on the tensioner to loosen the belt during installation. The configuration in the Litens tensioner facilitates easy access for technicians to position their wrench when loosening the belt, streamlining the installation process even in the tightest engine compartments, according to the company.
Additionally, the lift feature is designed for a 14-millimeter hex wrench consistent with OE design, rather than using a 15-millimeter hex wrench traditionally used on aftermarket tensioners. Consequently, Litens says, the technician has one less tool to keep track of throughout the replacement process.
“As an engineering company that manufactures parts, we recognize the struggles that come with installing these parts in tight space,” said Randy Wolters, product manager, belt-tensioning products, Litens Aftermarket. “With these design improvements we’re able to give the tech an extra set of hands and save them from the bloody knuckles you get when working in such a tight space.”
link hidden, please login to view is available for all Mazda applications between the years 2006 through 2017, covering a total of 30,000 vehicles in operation. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
Litens Aftermarket recently introduced 18 new SKUs to its product lineup, consisting of pulleys, belt tensioners and overrunning alternator decoupler (OAD) pulleys.
The new SKUs represent an increase in coverage for more than 9.2 million additional vehicles in operation (VIO), including more than 310,000 2023-model vehicles.
The portfolio additions are for late-model Ford, Hyundai, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Jeep, Chevrolet and Toyota vehicles.
Litens now offers more than 900 pulleys, belt tensioners and overrunning alternator decoupler pulleys, with SKUs covering more than 275 million VIO, according to the company.
“Our continuous expansion of belt-drive products demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maintaining our position as the global leader in this product category,” said John Lussier, president of Litens Aftermarket. “Litens is the world’s largest OE supplier of belt-tensioning products, and we pride ourselves on being first-to-market in the aftermarket.”
For more information, visit
link hidden, please login to view. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view 
-
By Counterman
Repairify and Autel U.S. announced an exclusive long-term collaboration agreement for the delivery of Repairify’s patented global OEM remote solutions for diagnostics, calibrations and programming through Autel’s remote-capable products across North America.
As part of the agreement, Repairify will integrate its patented global remote diagnostic, calibration and programming solutions as a new service offering into a revised version of Autel’s Remote Expert platform. Repairify and Autel will jointly manage the platform that now will offer customers the choice of using the certified and warrantied OEM remote solutions from Repairify, along with the independent Remote Experts (vetted for their experience) who already are serving the platform.
Launched in 2022, Autel’s Remote Expert provides customers onsite aftermarket scanning and access to remote OEM tools supported by experienced professionals. Remote Expert is available through the Autel MaxiSYS Ultra, Ultra EV, MS919, MS909 and MS909 EV diagnostics tablets. Remote Expert also will be expanded into Autel’s ADAS calibration systems.
“We are excited to enter into this collaboration with Repairify,” Autel U.S. CEO Chloe Hung said. “Autel developed the Remote Expert platform to provide our users remote access to specialized and experienced module programmers and diagnosticians. We are very proud that its success drew the attention of a company of such quality and industry success as Repairify. We are confident that this partnership will benefit both companies and, most importantly, be of immense value to our users.”
According to the companies, combining the Repairify remote services solutions program with the Autel Remote Expert Platform delivers what automotive repair professionals have requested for years: a seamless experience that delivers fast, accurate, certified and safe vehicle repairs with the choice of aftermarket or OEM tool support.
“Since its launch into the North American market in 2005, Autel has been known for their consistent delivery of leading innovative solutions across the mechanical and collision markets,” said Cris Hollingsworth, president of Repairify Global Holdings. “Repairify is honored to embark on this partnership and to broaden the reach of our solutions through the new and existing Autel network of customers.” For additional information, visit
link hidden, please login to view. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view
-
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.