Does serpentine belt require replacement?

briandunning · 05-05-2005, 04:21 PM

I have an '01 4.7L with 70K miles. The serpentine belt is original. The guy at Jiffy Lube (I know I know, go ahead and laugh at me) says it's cracked and they recommend replacement. I was under the impression that they never need replacement. Maybe I am a bigger idiot than the Jiffy Lube guy. Does that sound likely, given the mileage?

Briandl · 05-05-2005, 04:30 PM

Yes they do need replacement. I just replaced mine right after I bought it by recommendation of my pre-purchase inspection mechanic.

It's very easy to replace yourself and isn't expensive.

Chrisca · 05-05-2005, 04:31 PM

Do it yourself.
It doesn't cost much & it's easy.
If the serpentine belt goes, you don't (go).

**EMTimZJ** · 05-05-2005, 04:43 PM

They do require replacement, but you will have some indication of when to change before you NEED to change. I carry a spare with me just because I would kick myself if I were stranded due to some simple yet integral part... (ok ok with that mentality I would probubly have no room left in the back...) I keep all fluids and other stuff in a box in the back

ANYWAY... look at the "ribbed" portion, you will most definately see some small cracks that are perpendicular to the ribs, not a big deal. If you see chuncks of the "ribbed" portion missing or really really worn... good indication that a replacement is in order.

Looking at the smooth back of the belt, if you see any real cracks or splits running parrallel to the belt, another good indication for change. If any of the rubber is so worn that you see the white fabric material showing, yet another indication for a change.

A lot of times those guys at the instant oil changes are required to say certain things regardless of their actual condition... so don't always take what they say for cold hard facts.

However now that it got you thinking about it, well with 70k I would change it and rest your mind. There will be a tensioner pulley that you need to throw a wrench on and pull back on to loosen the belt... the correct routing should be on or near the fan shroud. A Haynes mabual also has some good info.

Good luck!

Briandl · 05-05-2005, 05:02 PM

Another good tip is to keep the one you are replacing as the spare, just put it with your spare tire in the back.

The belt goes for between seventeen to thirty bucks, not a lot of money. That belt powers the power steering, air conditioning, and other things that I don't know off hand but someone else would, I'd imagine it powers the oil pump as well but that's just a guess....

**EMTimZJ** · 05-05-2005, 05:10 PM

mine was $45 at napa

(5.2L)

but the 4.7L price was about $35... still not bad..

Ruffy · 05-05-2005, 06:10 PM

Gatorback Belt for my 93 ZJ 4.0.

Nice little upgrade. Old one was fairly new(prob had 10k miles on it) But this one just performs better.

2Grand4s · 05-06-2005, 08:25 AM

I change mine every 3 years, never had one go yet. Save the one just replaced, just in case. When a serpentine belt breaks, you Stop ! So it is not a bad idea to know how to change one yourself.

MG McAnick · 07-07-2005, 10:10 PM

I've always used the rule of thumb that the "S" belt needs to be replaced when ther are seven or more cracks in one inch of the ribbed area. Another clue is that a worn belt may squeek as it goes around. The noise is annoying enough to warrant relacement in and of itself. The advice of keeping the old one under the backseat is good. Putting it on your self is EASY if you have a wrench to move the idler pulley so there will be slack in the system. There is a decal near the front of of the engine bay that shows the routing for the new belt. Takes five minutes if you're a klutz like me. If Iffy Lube charges more than $5 labor, they are robbing you.

Stocker · 07-08-2005, 07:58 AM

For some reason I was thinking 60K miles was the recommended change interval for serp belts. Anyway, as others have said, it's easy to change yourself.

Meerkat · 07-08-2005, 05:33 PM

Actually, you should replace all underhood rubber components every two years.

But who really does that?

Personally, I replace radiator/heater hoses and belts every two years. Vacuum hoses and other "low stress" components I replace every five years or so.

HTH

MG McAnick · 07-08-2005, 07:00 PM

OK, so I'm a bit Scottish, but I've NEVER known ANYONE who changed all their vehicles belts and hoses every two years. Do you? I've even known a lot of BMW owners whose dealers are notorious for suggesting unnecessary (sometimes scheduled) maintenance. I have more than one vehicle that is over 10 years old that is still running its original belts and hoses. I'll bet the hoses are original on the '82 AMC Eagle 4X4 that's in my driveway right now. Not to say that every two years would hurt anything but a wallet, but I believe it's big time overkill. In the mid '90s, some Chevy Caprices came out with green silicone rubber hoses that were said to be capable of lasting the life of the car. I don't know that they did, and some of those cars are surely dead by now. Perhaps they were killed by a burst hose. I've had serpentine belts that went over 100K before they started to squeek. they still weren't badly cracked, but I replaced them to get rid of the noise. I've always thought 100K was the suggested limit for "S" belt replacement.

Brian's 97 ZJ · 07-08-2005, 08:39 PM

I've got 158,000 miles on the original serpentine belt. Oddly enough, it is the new belt that I keep in the back. May have to reconsider my logic.

- Brian

Meerkat · 07-08-2005, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MG McAnick

OK, so I'm a bit Scottish, but I've NEVER known ANYONE who changed all their vehicles belts and hoses every two years. Do you? <snip>

I think that is pretty much what I said....

On this forum, I try to tell what is recommended, and then contrast that with what my practical experience is. This allows the person asking the questions to make his/her own decisions based on the best available data.

Simply stating my personal habits is only telling part of the story and may lead to unecessary problems for somebody.