30 Jun Serpentine Belt Service At JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc. In Jacksonville
If you’ve ever heard a squealing sound under your Japanese Import hood, chances are it was your serpentine belt. Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine. It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems in your Japanese Import. Let’s go over them.
First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. It spins the compressor that makes the cool air that takes the edge off the summer heat in Jacksonville.
More importantly, the belt powers the alternator. The alternator creates electricity that’s used by your Japanese Import’s electrical systems and also charges your car battery. Without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles.
The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering (some are electric) and power brakes (some use vacuum boost).
And, on most Japanese Imports, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it within optimal operating temperatures. On some Jacksonville cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt instead of the serpentine belt.
When they understand what it does, Jacksonville car owners realize that if it breaks, it affects a lot of systems. That’s why vehicle manufacturers outline recommended replacement guidelines in the owners manuals. If this important maintenance component is not included in your owners manual, come see us at JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc..
At JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc. in Jacksonville, your hones technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon. If the belt has more than three or four cracks every inch, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.
If it has lost a significant amount of thickness, it also needs to be replaced. Talk to your hones tech at JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc.. There’s a special spring-loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley. Its job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. At JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc., we recommend Jacksonville car owners that the tensioner be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.
As mentioned, a squealing sound could alert you that the serpentine belt needs to be replaced. It may be loose if you hear a slow, slapping sound when idling your Japanese Import.
All in all, the serpentine belt’s is essential to the operation of your Japanese Import. And it’s not that pricey to replace at JJ’s Custom Import Repair, Inc. – so it’s good to do so before it fails.