serp belt question

Heard a racket this morning, popped the hood and found a strip of my serpentine belt wrapped around the fan clutch.
The belt's still sitting on the pulleys just fine-- but about 1/4 inch of it is gone-- from the front as you face the engine compartment.
Can anybody guess what happened aside from the harmonic balancer going to hell? I need to check that but couldn't get out there during daylight hours today.
Would I be an idiot to drive it like this-- yeah I got the crap outta the fan.
Thanks for any help.

Your harmonic balancer has failed, get it changed and install a new belt. They go anytime after 100,000 miles usually. Mine failed at 115,000.

If you don't fix it the harmonic balancer can eat up the timimg chain cover or walk forward and hit the radiator.

I wouldn't go so far as to say the harmonic balancer is hosed. Sometimes serpentine belts will break a ply after a while and will walk across the pulleys and do what you said. Check that the pulleys are all nice and in line. Look at the harmonic balancer and see if the rubber is starting to squeeze out between the hub and the outer groves. If so then it might be your balancer, but more likely you have lost a bolt on the alternator or power steering that is causing their pulley not to be nice and perpendicular to the belt.

Tom Houston

thanks

I'll check it all out. Meantime I have to drive the 8 or so miles to work in a few hours-- still debating whether to risk it.

Thats exactly what mine did when I replaced my harmonic balancer. Cept mine was walking out toward the radiator. One tip, hehe, theres a thick washer on it holding it in make sure it comes out before you put your puller on it

I know I didn't do the right thing but a few years ago my harmonic balancer went into my timing chain cover and to temp fix it I put 3 washers behind it to keep it off the cover. I then had the motor replaced so I thought and low and behold they hosed me on the $1800 motor exchange. Those washers are still behind it. I am goign to try to replace the balancer in the next couple weeks since the squeek is back that tells me the cover is being chewed on.

Did they actually replace the motor or just steam clean it and quick paint job.
I tend to mark things with a magic marker every so often. I've caught two places billing me for things that they never replaced, had an oil change done one winter in my trooper which ran Mobil-1 all the time, but a couple of times I had regular oil in it so I knew what it would turn over like when cold with dino oil, payed this shop ~$60 for the Mobil one and filter. Got in it, turned it over and knew right away that that was dino oil in it, confronted them to show me the empty bottles and they couldn't. Refused to refund all my money too so I posted in my companies office across the street, ~1200 employees, they also supplied rental cars and limo services to them, we stopped using them and passed the word to the rest of the companies in the complex. Geeze, the one time I decided to treat myself to a 'no laying in the cold snowy gravel driveway' and I got taken.

I didn't relize they ripped me off until I had to get under it to replace something and I noticed that the over sized bolt that I had to put in the rear of the oil pan was still there. Went to the place to ask them about it and they had changed ownership and now they are a Bumper to Bumper dealer. Wish I had checked sooner.

what's it gonna cost me

to pay some schmoe to replace my harmonic balancer? Read in one of these forums somebody coughed up $300. Jesus. Say it aint so.

Death,

I paid my local garage 1.1 hours + the cost of the part to change my harmonic balancer. Check with your local garage or even a Jeep dealer and ask what they will charge.

I also recall Chyrsler has modified the harmonic balancer and on the older 4.0 engines you will need to buy a longer bolt to draw it down. I think someone posted the Crown Automotive still sells the OE style, so find a parts store that sells crown and you will be fine.

I know you are in shock over the price someone told you but could you use something other than the Lords name in vain?

Martin

Martin

Yes, thanks. I appreciate your help.

That's right, it will cost you about $300 to have someone replace the harmonic balancer. It will start to smack into your fan if it goes to long.

folo up

Checked the HB and didn't see any problems like the ones described in this forum.
So I took it back to the shop that installed the belt about 6 mos ago, they agreed the HB looked ok-- also said they didn't see any issues with other pulleys being out of alignment.
Then they installed a new serp belt AT NO CHARGE! Kiddin me?
We'll see what happens..

I think you should give a plug to the shop. It is getting rare to find a shop that stands behind their work.

the shop

I did tell the manager how impressed I was and that I'd tell my friends.
Bought tires at this place last summer and liked the service== so had them do a couple other things including the belt. You ready? It's my local Firestone shop on Lankershim Blvd in No. Hllywood, CA.