Desert LT1 Vette

yesterday i opned the hood just to look at the engine and to checks things out and noticed lots of little cracks in my front belt but the belt is not broken.

is this normal or do i need to change it? if it needs to be changed how much would this will cost me?

Ant1981

Cracks? Definatley change it! I'm changing mine as it's squeaky.

xsalvioutlawx

I'm assuming you're talking about the serpentine belt. I have an early 93 which uses a dual/double sided serpentine belt and I could not find it anywhere, luckily the partsladi on eaby had it for around $50.... She's not around anymore.

Not sure if yours is doube sided, but if it has crack you should definetly change it.

aminnich

Hairline cracks perpendicular to the belt grooves usually mean the belt is aging, but might last a long time yet. Cracks in the grooves mean you better replace it real soon. It is a very easy job to replace the belt.

383vett

No reason not the change it. Costs less than a tank of gas. Do it today.

j-wireman

Costs less than a tow truck, too.
Change it. It's cheap insurance.

bill mcdonald

I see no reason to change it, unless you dont like overheating, losing power steering killing your battery, and ac

jon0108

The little cracks will soon turn to shreds of rubber. Change it

Muffin

Rock Auto, AC Delco double sided $41.00

c4cruiser

Which belt style does your car have? Very early '93's used the double-sided belt (grooves on both sides) and the rest of the model year used a single-side grooved belt.

There should be decal on the upper radiator shroud that shows the belt routing. If you go to an AutoZone, they have a free tool rental program where you can rent a serpentine belt tool and then return it. The "free" is putting a deposit down on the tool and you get your money back when you return it effectively making the rental free. A-Z will also have the correct Gates belt for your car. Some stores actually have workers that know how to install a serp belt so you could always ask for help.

Camelotian

The Factory Service Manual states small cracks are no reason to change a serpentine belt.

mike100

You can go 70 or 80 k miles on one, but if you do replace it a bit early, just throw it in the back of the car for a road spare just in case you have a problem in the middle of nowhere on a Sunday night.

C4boy

That is correct... Even small chunks out of the ribs is normal. If the smooth side of the belt (if it's single sided) is fraying or cracked, definitely replace it.

ch@0s

I don't care what the manual says. There are obvious signs of wear.Time to change it. Most belts are rated for no more than 30K. Your belt is critical in keeping your car from overheating and charging...not to mention leaving you stranded.
It's way to cheap to be cheap . You know what I mean?

lt4obsesses

I agree, change it. It's too cheap and too easy and too important not to.

I am curious, two posts mentioned overheating; how does the serpintine effect the cooling system as the water pump is gear driven and fans are electric? Not trying to be a smart a$$, just wondering if I'm missing something.

ch@0s

Not on all cars
My L98 would overheat without a belt.

jimmymack

You're talking less than $50 and 15 minutes of work. You'll wait longer than that for the tow truck if it breaks.

j-wireman

"mike100" is right. Just put it in the back. And, don't forget to put a tool with it for the belt tensioner. That belt's no good if you can't put it on.

Personally, I wouldn't trust an old belt with any amount of miles on it. Mine came with the factory, 17-year-old, belt on it. Low miles. Looked good. Changed it immediately. No tow truck.

A new belt is still cheaper and faster than a tow truck.

lt4obsesses

I guess the L98 is belt driven. I was referring to the LTx as is specific to the OP. Wasn't sure about the L98 though.

jaa1992

I replaced my double sided belt a couple years ago. Had the obvious signs of wear, cracks and chunks. At the time the only place to get one was NAPA. Bought two so I would have one available. just took a few minutes to replace.

The RockAuto AC/Delco double sided belt would be perfect.