YACT: belts

[rh71]

I have a squealing alternator belt from the time "mechanic 1" put it in new. I have till December before the "1 year warranty" on the work expires. Now I know I need a new timing belt also. I'm going to bring it to "mechanic 2". What's the best way to go about this ?

- Think mechanic 2 will adjust the squealing belt at no charge since he's already going to be in there?
- If I bring it to mechanic 1 after my timing belt is done, will he have to touch the new timing belt to adjust the alternator belt ?

 

[iamwiz82]

Well, belt one will have to be re-tensioned after it is put back on, so the squeaking will go away.

EDIT: Assuming you do not have an automatic tensioner.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Well, belt one will have to be re-tensioned after it is put back on, so the squeaking will go away.

EDIT: Assuming you do not have an automatic tensioner.

Yes I know this... I'm just asking which is the best way to go about it.. potentially free at mechanic 2 when I ask him to do my belts too, or definitely free back at mechanic 1 who initially did it, but I don't want him touching the new timing belt.

Question I guess is... can he adjust alternator belts without having to touch the timing belt in any way? I don't want him to fvck up anything else.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Well, belt one will have to be re-tensioned after it is put back on, so the squeaking will go away.

EDIT: Assuming you do not have an automatic tensioner.

Yes I know this... I'm just asking which is the best way to go about it.. potentially free at mechanic 2 when I ask him to do my belts too, or definitely free back at mechanic 1 who initially did it, but I don't want him touching the new timing belt.

Question I guess is... can he adjust alternator belts without having to touch the timing belt in any way? I don't want him to fvck up anything else.

I am positive Mechanic 2 will tighten it when the timinig belt is done, so do that.

 

[Zenmervolt]

One assumption first: One, that yor car does not use a serpentine belt system, but rather uses a dedicated belt for each ancillary (or ar most, two ancillaries on one belt) as is the case with most Japanese or European cars.

If that is the case, it is _highly_ unlikely that there is any sort of automatic tension adjustment for the alternator belt.

Also, if that is the case, the alternator belt will have to be removed in order to change the timing belt.

Since the alternator belt will have to be removed to change the timing belt, mechanic 1 will _not_ perform warranty service on it after the timing belt change because it is no longer his own labor that he would be repairing. In essense, you will void his warranty since after the timing belt change, mechanic 2 will have removed and re-tensioned the alternator belt. On the other hand, since changing the timing belt means that the alternator belt must be removed, mechanic 2 (assuming he's a decent mechanic) will re-tension all the belts as a matter of course during the timing belt installation.

As a general rule of thumb, it's easiest to just replace every belt at the same time unless one of the ancillary belts snaps for some reason.

ZV

 

[rh71]

:thumbsup: thx mechanic 2 said he'll do it