smipx013

Hi,
At my last service the technician said there were some small parallel cracks on the back of my v-belt. Upon further inspection thre are some hairline cracks running in line with the belt (ie not across the belt) on the smooth side. On the ribbed side if you flex the belt a little I can clearly see the metal banding.

Does this mean the best is in need of replacement? If it snaps then is it going to damage the engine or will it just mean calling out the recovery and getting it done.

the technician was not overy worried and said to keep an eye on it and get it done at the next service.

If it does need doing then is it a simple DIY job for a non technical person (I am at the level where I can change pads) but I don't have a vast array of tools.

Any help much appreciated.

below is a picture showing the brading peeking through.

yeuchau

not familar with this, but how much does it cost to replace that??

smipx013

Hi,

Not sure of the replacement cost. Are there any Guru's out there that have experience of this (not the cost I mean but more the condition of my belt and some tips on installation of a new one.).

Cheers,
Paul

Moviela

Well, it is not a V-belt. It is a serpentine belt. Many newr cars have a single wide multi-ribbed belt that drives all the external pulleys like alternator, AC compressor, and water pump. The belt needs a special tool to release the spring on the tensioner. The belts typically are good for 3 to 5 years depending on climate, and about 60,000 miles.

Buellwinkle

Haha, V-belt, haven't heard that since I used to restore classic cars. The serpentine belts run about $15-20 at an auto supply store. Look at the old one, the stock ones are in millimeter so you can covert that to english and get a 6 rib belt in that size. Removing/installing is very easy, doesn't require any special tools, takes about 10 minutes, 5 of which are wisely spent sketching the path of the current belts before you do anything (although there's drawings in the owners manual). Basically, there's a pulley that's smooth (no ribs) that has plastic cover in the middle, that's the tensioner pulley. Get a thin screwdriver and snap the plastic cover off. There's a nut underneath, find the right metric socket for it and put the longest handle socket wrench you have and then put a piece of pipe on that for leverage (I use the jack handle from my floor jack) and turn it clockwise as far as you can go. This will release pressure on the belt and you can remove it with your free hand and then release pressure. Layout the new belt as best you can on the pulleys and then release pressure on the tensioner and slip it on. Visually check to make sure the belt is on each pulley and start the motor to see that it's all good. Snap the plastic cover back on the tensioner pulley.

vadim

It is called "Poly-V-Belt" in the manual. So, V-belt is a perfectly correct name for it. Its cross-section looks like "VVVVVV", hence V-belt.

Moviela

Poly-V is a registered trademark of Goodyear. The writers of the manual should take notice unless they are using a Goodyear product.

The SAE has determined that serpentine is the correct word for multi-ribbed flexible belts driving accessories on internal combustion engines.

V belt is the preferred term for belts that transmit power between sheaves with tapered walls, as is the case for accessories on older vehicles and belt driven drive trains in modern cars with CVT's.

vadim

I would not blame it on the manual writers - it appears that this type of belt is called "Poly-V-belt" by MB. And Goodyear's trademark on "Poly V" may not apply outside the U.S (e.g., in Australia: http://www.powergrip.com.au/PG_Transmission_Poly_V.htm). In fact, the designation "Poly V" is used rather liberally by many belt manufacturers even in the U.S.

I retract my earlier statement: this type of belt should not be called "V-belt" (don't remember the last time I actually saw one). "V-ribbed belt" would be a proper name for it (as well as serpentine, of course).

yeuchau

learn something new everyday

advans

btw, the V BELT part # is A 011 997 97 92

heres a pic

Buellwinkle

Haha, in the catalog is shows as "SERPENTINE BELT", $57 msrp. In case anyone cares, Duval has it for $43 but with the MB part number, Autohausaz.com has the same OEM Contitech belt for $23.

advans

I paid around $60 (also with the purchase of 4 brake sensors)

elchinocache

I had to get mine replaced after 4 years and 42,000 miles. I'm not sure if the belt broke because the tensioner went bad or that the tensioner broke because the belt went bad. Not sure how much the belt was but i remember my dad saying the tensioner was about 400. Thank Gog my dad is an MBTech and I dont have to pay for service.

Mine broke on the highway and my car kept going for a few miles until it almost overheated. The only messages that I got on my dash was that the alternator was not working and my battery juice was low. Then a couple of miles down the road I got the blaring red display saying to turn off the car because its over heating.

Then when I got off on the next exit I almost crashed because the steering was so stiff. So moral of the story is to get it fixed before wat happned to be happens to you.

Buellwinkle

Holy cow, the tensioner lists for $240, MB dealers sure now how to stick it to ya, $400, ouch. BTW, it's $112 at Autohausaz.com and I usually do tensioners every other belt. So if I change belts at 50K miles, then at 100K I would also change tensioners. It could be the problem with his belt is the tension is too tight that's cause the belt to split.

advans

do u guys think the VBelt is the same as the evosport ones? since one of the pulleys are abit chipped I was thinkin of replacing it

Buellwinkle

I would imagine that their serpentine belts are sized for their pulley kits so if you have their pulley kit it's a good way to go.

advans

yeap, I would love to get their pulley systems. One thing I was worried about is that If I have to replace the Belt, then I would have to buy another set? I should email them