How does serpentine belt tensioner work

How to inspect a used car How to check the engine when buying a used car What mileage is OK for a used car? Serpentine belt. Broken serpentine belt. Glazed serpentine belt vs. Oil leaks can damage a serpentine belt in a short period of time. Only one movable belt tensioner is required to manage the belt tension.

This means all accessory components can be mounted to the engine without having to swivel. Using the serpentine belt eliminates the tendency of thinner V-belts to flip over in pulleys, especially when running at high RPMs or when the belt stretches too much. While serpentine belts present several significant advantages for your car, there are certain drawbacks such as these:.

Nothing is perfect, so even the ingenious serpentine has drawbacks that you should be aware of:. However, the serpentine belt often gives ample visual warning before it fails altogether. And it will still work acceptably even if it loses all of its grooves. You might hear the serpentine belt referred to as an accessory drive belt or fan belt, which refers to the individual belts that older drive systems used. Older cars used individual drive belts also called V-belts that could be replaced separately.

The problem with multiple belts is that vehicles experienced compromised performance as the individual belts wore down. The newer serpentine belt winds through multiple pulleys to power all the accessory systems and is much more reliable and efficient as all engine components function simultaneously. Interestingly enough, some vehicles use two serpentine belts. Sometimes the timing belt drives the water pump and oil pump too. Serpentine belts are like a giant, rapidly-spinning rubber band and must retain a degree of flexibility and tension.

The belt tensioner features an internal pulley and spring that applies the necessary tension on the serpentine belt, keeping it tight and preventing it from slipping, running hot, or squealing. Modern serpentine belts are made to last a long time.

You can expect 60,, miles of service on average. Older neoprene belts typically lasted around 50, miles, but the newer EPDM belts can function well up to , miles.

Alternatively, you can have it reviewed at roughly 50,, miles of usage. Even if an old serpentine belt looks good, it has a limited lifespan, so replacing it with a new belt can save you money in the long run. If any of these serpentine belt issues appear, the wisest thing is to get it checked by a professional mechanic and maybe get a new serpentine belt.

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