Top causes of serpentine belt failure:

• Age and Wear: Over time, serpentine belts can wear out naturally. Even when it’s not in use, it is still exposed to the atmosphere and is degrading. Also, environmental factors such as extreme heat and the exposure to friction and tension can cause the rubber to become brittle and crack.
• Misalignment pulleys or tensioner: If the belt is not properly aligned on the pulleys, it can wear unevenly or slip off entirely, leading to its premature failure. This situation usually happens if some of the components have been previously removed, replaced, and not returned in to place properly.
• Incorrect Tension: There’s a lot to be said about the damage that can be caused from the incorrect tension. If the belt is too tight or too loose, it can wear out prematurely. This is critical to its proper functioning: If it’s too loose, it will slip, leading to the underperformance of engine accessories and causing all sorts of problems. If it is too tight can put unnecessary stress causing them to wear out faster.
• Fluid Leaks: Coolant, power steering fluid, or oil leaks can also affect the belt causing slipping and damage to the belt surface. This may result into power steering or water pump not working.
• Worn or damaged Components: If the air-conditioning compressor, the power steering pump, the water pump, or the alternator, driven by the serpentine belt, become faulty, this will affect directly to the belt leading to premature failure.

How to prevent serpentine belt failure?

There are many ways to prevent a serpentine belt failure. One is to keep the engine bay clean and well lubricated. But take into account not to be tempted to apply any lubricant to the belt which will cause it to slip. Besides, it is important to check the tension of the belt to make sure that it’s in perfect condition.

Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual and find out when your recommended car maintenance services should be scheduled. We always recommend service replacement schedules to protect the engine and safe operation of the vehicle.

Also, pay attention for key warning signs of a failing serpentine belt, including:

• Squeaking or chirping noise from under the hood of the car.
• Engine light or battery light signal on your car dashboard.
• Air Condicioning isn’t working.
• Power steering isn’t working.
• Engine overheating.

Maybe you are interested: What does a car’s auxiliary drive belt do and why should you care?

Final Thoughts

It is essential to understand that all components of the auxiliary drive system must work optimally together.

To summarise, the most common cause is age-related cracking. Practically, every part in a vehicle would fail after a long time. That is why you need to keep up with maintenance and servicing to keep every component in good shape.

If you keep having problems with your serpentine belt, it’s best to take your car to a mechanic so they can diagnose the issue and fix it.

All in all, do regular maintenance, early detection and use quality spare parts are critical to extending the life of your auxiliary drive system and contributes significantly to the overall health and performance of your car.

About DOLZ

DOLZ is an Automotive Aftermarket parts manufacturer that has been providing top-notch, OE-equivalent parts for passenger cars, trucks and commercial vehicles since 1934. With nearly 90 years of knowledge and experience, our presence has now expanded to more than 70 countries around the world.

Get in touch with us if you’ve run into any of the issues mentioned above and obtain personalized advice to choose the best option for replacements.

La entrada Top 5 causes of serpentine belt failure se publicó primero en Industrias Dolz.

In today’s article, we will learn how it works, the different types that we find on the market and the importance of this key element for the accessory drive system.

How does a belt tensioner work?

As we have seen in previous articles, the auxiliary drive belt transmits rotational energy from the engine crankshaft to all engine accessories.

What happens is that, during the operation of the auxiliary drive system and as our vehicle’s engine speeds up and slows down, the belt can stretch or even lose some tension, hence the importance of the tensioner pulley within this system.

The aux drive tensioner or serpentine belt tensioner is, therefore, an element responsible for exerting a regulated amount of pressure/tension on the belt and thanks to this the belt can rotate all those pulleys as needed.

Potentially, its main function is to guarantee that the auxiliary belt has the optimum tension, although among its basic functions we also find:

• Maintain the correct and tight tension on the pulley by compensating for any possible loss of tension in the auxiliary belt.
• Maintain correct alignment with the rest of the accessory belt drive system.
• Avoid slipping and vibrations that cause premature wear of the elements and that avoid fatigue in the auxiliary belt.
  

Keep learning: Understanding the Drive Belt Tensioner

Main types of drive belt tensioners

As auxiliary drive belts with poly-V belts, tensioners have also been upgraded in recent years. The two most common types of tensioners in the auxiliary drive system are hydraulic tensioners and mechanical tensioners, the last one being able to be manual or automatic. Let’s see its characteristics below:

Mechanical Tensioner

This type of tensioner can be subdivided into manual tensioners, where the mechanic will be in charge of providing the correct prescribed tension manually, and automatic tensioners.

Automatic tensioner is the most common tensioner on the market. This tensioner is characterized by the fact that it adjusts itself according to the need of the moment and its working conditions.

It has a spring located inside with an oscillating arm that maintains pressure on the belt and moves always keeping the strap in place.

Hydraulic Tensioner (with hydraulic shock absorber)

In this case, the hydraulic tensioner is based on a hydraulic shock absorber that stands out for its high performance, exerting precise tension and dynamic behavior. It can operate with a larger range of dynamic belt lengths than mechanical tensioners. 

These tensioners have an arm and a roller at the ends, and it is through the hydraulic element with an integrated pressure spring that they achieve the necessary belt tension.

Belt tensioner failure signs

A damaged or faulty tensioner will directly affect the performance and functionality of the auxiliary drive belt and will cause the entire system early failure. In general, a tensioner that does not work as it should show some warning signs. Among the most common signs and causes are:

1. Squeaking noise or unusual noise when starting the engine or during operation when the steering is turned all the way to one side. If the tensioner is loose and not exerting pressure, aux belt can squeak.
2. Accessories failure. If any of the engine accessories such as the alternator, air conditioner compressor or power steering are disengaging, this may be caused by a bad or faulty tensioner.
3. Premature aux belt failure. If you notice unusual wear on the serpentine belt, such as frayed edges or cracks in the belt itself, this is due to a malfunction of the drive belt tensioner.

Keep learning: Top 5 causes of serpentine belt failure

Too often, when the auxiliary belt shows signs of aging and needs to be replaced, it is overlooked to inspect the well condition and function of the other elements, including the drive belt tensioner. This error can cause premature wear of the serpentine belt and a new replacement operation.

All components are subject to stresses and wear, so during the auxiliary belt replacement process, it is highly recommended replace all components at the same time. This ensures optimal operation and longer lasting performance.

Dolz Kits, the most competitive kits on the market

Industrias Dolz has a complete range of Auxiliary Drive Belt Kits, designed following the experience of original manufacturers such as Audi, Volkswagen, or Renault to guarantee the best engine performance and the greatest comfort.

These kits include all the necessary components for a professional repair, that is, all in one package: poly-V belt, tensioning rollers, inversion and all the necessary accessories depending on the vehicle application.

For further information on any of our product lines, commercial information, or technical product specifications (including replacement guidelines) you can contact us here.

La entrada Knowing in depth the serpentine belt tensioner se publicó primero en Industrias Dolz.

Dolz has launched the Auxiliary Drive Kit SKD250A suitable for hybrid vehicles equipped with a DW10 HY Hybrid engine and a BSG (belt start generator) system.

In this article, we focus on the operation of the auxiliary drive belt tensioner of this kit and its features. Keep on reading to find out more.

Auxiliary drive belt tensioner

As mentioned earlier, the drive belt tensioner is a high precision element designed, as its name suggests, to optimize the tension of the accessories belt and prevent future breakdowns in the other elements such as the alternator or the water pump. It also dampens vibrations caused by changes in engine load or auxiliary drives.

This new DOLZ tensioner allows the accessories belt to be maintained with the correct tension in both BSG system operating modes, both in its standard function where the poly-V/serpentine belt drives the alternator, and in the starting mode of the engine.

BSG (Belt Starter Generator) System

The BSG (belt-starter generator) system is designed to enable alternator torque to be transmitted alternately, in different directions. Through the poly-V belt, enables start-stop functionality, energy recovery when coasting or braking, and allows reducing fuel consumption and emission of CO2 by improving the alternator efficiency.

Thanks to its design, can take advantage of the different acceleration phases. So, when the vehicle is in energy recovery, the BSG operates as a generator that provides reverse power flow back to the battery.

Tech Info on how to replace the accessories belt drive system: Auxiliary Drive Kit assembly, step by step.

SKD250A Kit: Advantages of Drive Belt Tensioner

This poly-V belt tensioner is characterized by its dynamism, since it can optimize and adapt the tension based on the demands of the engine. As engines have grown more powerful, their energy requirements have increased as well. That’s why more complex components are required, capable of responding to current demands. Therefore, among the main advantages offered by the new DOLZ auxiliary belt tensioner we find:

• Designed to reduce both vibration and friction.
• Reduces belt wear while extending belt lifespan.
• Reduces polluting emissions and consumption.

At Dolz we work to provide our customers with this competitive advantage by accessing our high-quality Auxiliary Drive Kits.

Designed to ensure great engine performance, they follow premium standards from original manufacturers such as Audi, Volkswagen, or Renault and include all the necessary components for a professional repair, that is all components are delivered in one package: V-ribbed belt or auxiliary belt, pulleys and idlers, drive tensioners all the necessary accessories depending on the vehicle application. Don’t forget it, we recommend to always check and replace, whenever necessary, all drive components, for the best maintenance activity.

Alternator pulley function plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of the alternator and efficient energy transfer, which is important for maintaining proper system performance, especially in hybrid and high-efficiency engines.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our quality standards and proven benefits of our auxiliary drive belt kits.

La entrada Auxiliary Drive Belt Tensioner for hybrid applications: SKD250A se publicó primero en Industrias Dolz.