Changed Serp Belt. Now I have Low Idle

kdailey4315 · Apr 9, 2008

I just got done changing my serp belt and now I have a low Idle. It's idling around 500. That was right after a cold start. Is the belt to tight? The check engine light is on but I started the car with out the temp sensor plugged in so I think it is because of that. Any ideas? 97 Sport

dubbyx · Apr 9, 2008

Plug it in, loosen the belt and see. My first thought was the belt was too tight.

Seems pretty easy to do on these things.

Jess · Apr 9, 2008

napa carries a tool called the kirkit 2 that is made to check belt tightness. If it is too tight it will wear out all the bearings in all the pulleys very quickly.

Shorty · Apr 9, 2008

I've never heard of a belt being so tight that it slowed the engine. I can believe the coolant temp sensor would affect idle though.

8Mud · Apr 9, 2008

Shorty said:
I've never heard of a belt being so tight that it slowed the engine. I can believe the coolant temp sensor would affect idle though.

What made you want to change the belt in the first place? If you picked up a squeal it's possible it was from a set of partially frozen bearings and your new belt isn't slipping as much.
A long shot but possible.

I'm with shorty, disconnect your battery (let it sit for awhile), reconnect and take a drive. Letting the motor idle after a battery disconnect often does strange things to the programing (bad idle).

ecgtech · Apr 9, 2008

I replaced the alternator last week and retightend the belt. I didn't use a tool to check tight-ness and just sort of tightened it to the point that it was comprable to my buddy's xj. On monday, my water pump went. This is the original water pump on my '89, so i originially just figured that i was lucky to have had it work this long and that it was worn out. After reading above, it seems probable that my improper retightening of the serp may have caused the pump failure. Does anybody think this follows, or did i just have an old pump?

Shorty · Apr 9, 2008

ecgtech said:
I replaced the alternator last week and retightend the belt. I didn't use a tool to check tight-ness and just sort of tightened it to the point that it was comprable to my buddy's xj. On monday, my water pump went. This is the original water pump on my '89, so i originially just figured that i was lucky to have had it work this long and that it was worn out. After reading above, it seems probable that my improper retightening of the serp may have caused the pump failure. Does anybody think this follows, or did i just have an old pump?

I'd bet "both" were the cause. Old bearing and too tight on the belt.

Changed Serp Belt. Now I have Low Idle

kdailey4315

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dubbyx

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Jess

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Shorty

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8Mud

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ecgtech

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Shorty

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