How to check your car’s belts
You know that part of routine car maintenance requires that you check the car belts. If a belt breaks while you are driving it can leave you stranded, cause a lot of damage and make for a very costly repair bill. The repair bills are almost always more than the cost of just having a belt replaced. By catching the problem before it happens, you can safe a nice part of your budget.
If your belts are making a horrible sound when you are pressing on the gas pedal, it is usually a sign that the belts are too lose and they need to be tightened or replaced. Don’t let the sounds of it intimidate you. It isn’t that hard to check the belts.
Make sure that the engine if off and is cool before you start looking around the engine. Engines get very hot and the resulting burn and be very bad.
Look for the belts that are located in the front of the engine. If the car is a rear-wheeled-drive car, the engine is next to the radiator and the front bumper. In front-wheeled-drive cars, the engine is right up against the front of the car, next to the fender.
There are several types of belts, depending on the car. The belts are used to operate the fan, water pump, alternator, smog pump, power steering pump, and the air conditioner.
Start by pressing your thumb, lightly, on the belt with the longest part between the pulleys. If the give is more than 1 inch in each direction, there is too much give in the belt. On belts that are pulled in a serpentine, the push test is not accurate because of the belt tensioner and manufactures recommend using a tension gauge.
Check all of the belts for cracks. If there are cracks, or the belt can easily be pushed more than an inch, these belts should be replaced as soon as you can.
If you see cracks, visit your local dealership like, Lustine Dodge Jeep, for service. Having a relationship with a dealership can help when it is time to replace your car.
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