My truck is going through belts

Load*,8,1 · July 22, 2002

Well today is the 3rd time I'm going to need to replace the main belt in my 88 Jimmy

The first time it messed up was 6/28/02.. I woke up, went to drive it, and when I started it I heard a tapping so I opened the hood and saw the belt breaking apart hitting against the pulleys/fan. Spent $17 on a replacement belt. Put it on. No big deal

Then 2 days ago I made a long trip an hour and a half away. It started tapping when I got there so I checked and sure enough the belt was tearing apart again, wrapping around the fan... The only auto parts store there had a belt for $27 so I had to buy it and put it on...

Today I get home from work.. I hear that damn noise again.. Open my hood.. Same thing, belt tearing apart hitting against the fan, wrapping around the fan.. Pulled all the peices off the fan area and figure I'll replace the belt tomorrow.

What can be causing this?!?!??! I bought the truck on 6/4/02 and it didn't give me any real trouble till now.

I can't go through a $20 belt twice a week! Someone help me out here! What can I check for? What can it be? How can I get it fixed?

Thanks

Josh

Majestic02 · July 22, 2002

I am not too familiar with the exact pulley system on a Jimmy, but I would guess it is one of two things, or maybe both. 1) There is a pulley that is not torqued down properly and it is not spinning true. or 2) The belt tensioner is going bad.

bowtie_pasta · July 23, 2002

Did they go to a single belt in 88?

Load*,8,1 · July 23, 2002

yes it's a single pulley system

i found the problem....

i changed the belt this morning.. and noticed the power steering pulley "popping"

it seems the belt is pulling off the edge of the power steering pulley and it is tearing away at the side of the belt which pulls apart like a thread that gets caught around my fan and then all #### goes loose.

anyways i'm taking it to the shop tomorrow to get looked at. hopefully they can tell me what's wrong with the pulley and a cost to get it fixed.

bowtie_pasta · July 23, 2002

Prolly just need to change that power steering pump out. Don't know if you can just change the pulley. Glad you found the trouble though.

Load*,8,1 · July 24, 2002

ok the shop said the actual bracket that holds the power steering pump in place was cracked and the whole power steering pump was moving...

i told em to go ahead and fix it cuz i didn't feel like fooling with it this time. besides he said it was going to be a bi**h to get to so i figure i'll pay the $100 for them to replace it and not tear my hands/arms up.

i asked them to inspect the a/c too and he said the compressor went out and shot teflon all throughout the system and destroyed everything.

=(

bowtie_pasta · July 25, 2002

Oh crap man that sucks!!! I don't even want to guess how much it will cost to fix that. :-(

mnstrmdnss · July 25, 2002

i know that a new compressor and recharging the system from a dealer for my 98 sonoma runs almost $1,000 bucks!! ive had a couple of compressors put in to the expense of the factory warrenty!!!!

a little dash fan and a cooler of ice is a lot cheaper!!!!...lol.

bowtie_pasta · July 25, 2002

Well from what I understand when that happens it requires the replacement of all the AC system components. Big time bummer!

I have an 84' Blazer and my AC is still cool as a cucumber! :sideways:

Load*,8,1 · August 22, 2002

Well I actually ended up replacing my compressor, accumulator, and the lil filter by the accumulator. Had a friend put the system in a vaccuum and had him add the new style freon.

Works perfect now

It costed me $100 for the compressor, $25 for the accumulator and like $3 for that other piece and $6/can for freon. So I ended up saving a lot of $$

Anyways i'm happy bout it

bowtie_pasta · August 23, 2002

Wow! You lucked out! Good for you.

AU Chevy · August 23, 2002

Well I actually ended up replacing my compressor, accumulator, and the lil filter by the accumulator. Had a friend put the system in a vaccuum and had him add the new style freon.

Works perfect now

It costed me $100 for the compressor, $25 for the accumulator and like $3 for that other piece and $6/can for freon. So I ended up saving a lot of $$

Anyways i'm happy bout it

I did the same thing a couple years ago on my s-10...ran me $600.