Twisted a/c belt. Possible cause????
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 83
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From: Colonial Beach VA
Twisted a/c belt. Possible cause????
Recently my a/c stopped working. Upon investigating I realized that my a/c belt was twisted and the tension was so tight that the belt was no longer spinning therefore my a/c was not working.
What could have caused this? Im obviously going to get a new belt but I want to fix any issues that might have caused this so it wont happen again. Thanks.
What could have caused this? Im obviously going to get a new belt but I want to fix any issues that might have caused this so it wont happen again. Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 44
Recently my a/c stopped working. Upon investigating I realized that my a/c belt was twisted and the tension was so tight that the belt was no longer spinning therefore my a/c was not working.
What could have caused this? Im obviously going to get a new belt but I want to fix any issues that might have caused this so it wont happen again. Thanks.
What could have caused this? Im obviously going to get a new belt but I want to fix any issues that might have caused this so it wont happen again. Thanks.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Colonial Beach VA
So, decided to just get a new a/c belt. It drove fine for 1 day. I tried to drive it today backing out of the driveway, got a charging system failure, then the a/c went out. After that I tried to drive it back in the driveway and the power steering was out. I also smelt a burned rubber smell. Im guessing the main belt system was messing up thus hitting the a.c belt system. I just bought both new tensioners, both new belts and new idler pullies. Hopefully I get this all installed and it fixes the problem. If not... what could it be?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: south louisiana da bayou state
i just changed my tensioner pulley and mine stop for that day then this morning started again but once the car got warmed and i got to work i didn't hear it could be harmonic balancer think that's what i'm going to change
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 21
From: Oak Hill Virginia
So, decided to just get a new a/c belt. It drove fine for 1 day. I tried to drive it today backing out of the driveway, got a charging system failure, then the a/c went out. After that I tried to drive it back in the driveway and the power steering was out. I also smelt a burned rubber smell. Im guessing the main belt system was messing up thus hitting the a.c belt system. I just bought both new tensioners, both new belts and new idler pullies. Hopefully I get this all installed and it fixes the problem. If not... what could it be?
That's not a quick job; make sure that's what your problem is before you go through all that work...
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Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 450
Likes: 8
From: Ladysmith Wisconsin
Your harmonic balancer has moved forward or backward. Mine moved forward enough to contact the steering rack. Obviously this makes the belts fly off, twist, ride off the pulley or smoke because the pulley is not lined up with all the other pulleys, tensioners and idlers. The harmonic balancer is separating. The rubber is no longer bonding the inner and outer metal pieces allowing the outer piece to move.
Last edited by tstrobl1; Jul 6, 2012 at 05:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Colonial Beach VA
I noticed a wobble in my harmonic balancer. Iv only put a few hundred miles on the car since I had a new cam installed. Im pretty sure the shop that did my work ****ed something up and didnt re install it properly. Its getting towed to the shop again for them to fix it.
Ill also be changing all the pullies, tensioners and belts at the same time.
Ill also be changing all the pullies, tensioners and belts at the same time.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
This may be a stupid question but oh well......
When running at idle I dont not see a noticable wobble in my harmonic balancer but I keep having belt issues. When you say to check the alignment are just visually looking at it or are measuring anything?
When running at idle I dont not see a noticable wobble in my harmonic balancer but I keep having belt issues. When you say to check the alignment are just visually looking at it or are measuring anything?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Safety Issue
Hearing about so many of these harmonic balancers seperating sounds like it could be a safety issue when someone is leaning inside the engine compartment with the engine running and something lets go. Has anyone ever heard about any recalls on this issue?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 15
From: Seattle WA
The balancer is a rubber item, which means that it is a wear item...you won't find a recall to replace worn out wear item. The belts themselves could become a safety hazard if they separate while you're standing over the engine bay, but I don't think any manufacturer has offered to replace *those* under a recall, either...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Ottawa Ontario
I noticed a wobble in my harmonic balancer. Iv only put a few hundred miles on the car since I had a new cam installed. Im pretty sure the shop that did my work ****ed something up and didnt re install it properly. Its getting towed to the shop again for them to fix it.
Ill also be changing all the pullies, tensioners and belts at the same time.
Ill also be changing all the pullies, tensioners and belts at the same time.
You could have saved time and money if you stated that with the first post.
Your "techs" didn't follow proper procedure with the cam install.
Wonder what else they did incorrectly?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
So, decided to just get a new a/c belt. It drove fine for 1 day. I tried to drive it today backing out of the driveway, got a charging system failure, then the a/c went out. After that I tried to drive it back in the driveway and the power steering was out. I also smelt a burned rubber smell. Im guessing the main belt system was messing up thus hitting the a.c belt system. I just bought both new tensioners, both new belts and new idler pullies. Hopefully I get this all installed and it fixes the problem. If not... what could it be?
Flat bedded it home and went to work.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,471
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Having worked in the car service business forever im still in awe when the whole story surfaces.
You could have saved time and money if you stated that with the first post.
Your "techs" didn't follow proper procedure with the cam install.
Wonder what else they did incorrectly?
You could have saved time and money if you stated that with the first post.
Your "techs" didn't follow proper procedure with the cam install.
Wonder what else they did incorrectly?
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 450
Likes: 8
From: Ladysmith Wisconsin
It's pretty easy by just eyeballing(or at least it was in my case)to see if the crank pulley/harmonic balancer has moved forward or back. Mine clearly wasn't in line with the rest of the pulleys, tensioners and idlers. Mine had moved forward enough that it slightly contacted the steering rack. Of course you need to check tensioners and idlers too.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
My harmonic balancer failed at 30k miles. It had a wobble, but it wasn't enough that it twisted or threw belts. Mine just caused the belt to chirp.
Since I replaced it I have been amazed at how many of them fail. If yours turns out to be the balancer try not to get another one from GM. Buy an aftermarket one. I used Powerbond. This problem is common on all the C5's and I even see it on the C6 forum too. GM never fixed it.
Good Luck.
Since I replaced it I have been amazed at how many of them fail. If yours turns out to be the balancer try not to get another one from GM. Buy an aftermarket one. I used Powerbond. This problem is common on all the C5's and I even see it on the C6 forum too. GM never fixed it.
Good Luck.