420A Alternator Serpentine belt keeps falling off and or rips up and comes off

[8mook6]

I have a 1998 Eclipse GS, recently had the serpentine belt come off and i replaced it then i went a couple miles and came off again. Ive replaced it 4x now. All tensioners are as tight as needed.
Im new to driving manual so my shifting isnt great yet and im starting to wonder if im almost stalling or pushing too many RPMS in the wrong gear is it causing the alternator to over work and come off? Someone please help!!

 

[Dericsh]

Check your crank pulley/ harmonic balancer to see if the rubber has deteriorated causing it to slip or separate.

 

[DogWhistle]

Have you done any work to the alternator lately, or a project that requires its removal?

A slightly angled pulley on the alternator from something as simple as missing a washer when reassembling can cause the belt to walk off.

On the 4G63 models, it's easy to mistake which side of the water pump pulley to face outward, and a reversed pulley will walk off belts. Maybe the same is possible on the 420 models.

 

[8mook6]

Have you done any work to the alternator lately, or a project that requires its removal?

A slightly angled pulley on the alternator from something as simple as missing a washer when reassembling can cause the belt to walk off.

On the 4G63 models, it's easy to mistake which side of the water pump pulley to face outward, and a reversed pulley will walk off belts. Maybe the same is possible on the 420 models.

I think I may have it now, I just did the 90 degree method with the new belt I just bought. But to answer your question, no I haven't. I bought the car from this guy and 2 days later it fell off so maybe he did some work that required moving it

I appreciate your response I'll definitely take the advice if it happens again!

 

[99dsmer4g63]

Check the power steering pump and make sure it’s not slightly angled.

-Daniel

 

[RubyEclipse]

Have you done any work to the alternator lately, or a project that requires its removal?

A slightly angled pulley on the alternator from something as simple as missing a washer when reassembling can cause the belt to walk off.

On the 4G63 models, it's easy to mistake which side of the water pump pulley to face outward, and a reversed pulley will walk off belts. Maybe the same is possible on the 420 models.

Hoping to bring this article back maybe, I did some work to my alternator and now my belt keeps breaking or squeaking like an insane amount. Just snapped on the highway today, a nice gates belt. I think I have it right, the water pump pulley is on correctly.

 

[DogWhistle]

Hoping to bring this article back maybe, I did some work to my alternator and now my belt keeps breaking or squeaking like an insane amount. Just snapped on the highway today, a nice gates belt. I think I have it right, the water pump pulley is on correctly.

As long as the alternator pulley is lined up squarely, to cause that much squealing and breakage in just few miles may mean that one of the pulleys is either not turning, or has extremely high resistance to turning, maybe even after the bearings heat up. Check all pulleys for wobble and binding.

 

[RubyEclipse]

As long as the alternator pulley is lined up squarely, to cause that much squealing and breakage in just few miles may mean that one of the pulleys is either not turning, or has extremely high resistance to turning, maybe even after the bearings heat up. Check all pulleys for wobble and binding.

Ok, that I will do, I’m pretty sure the pulleys are in line. Im getting my gf to watch and look at it, she’s got much better vision. I’ll get it hopefully looked at and figured out tomorrow.

Thank you for the response!!!

 

[luv2rallye]

Make sure the ribs are not bottoming out in the pulley grooves (ie. which means you have the wrong belt). They should not touch the bottom of the grooves. Also make sure the ribs are the proper width and shape to fit the grooves.

 

[RubyEclipse]

Make sure the ribs are not bottoming out in the pulley grooves (ie. which means you have the wrong belt). They should not touch the bottom of the grooves. Also make sure the ribs are the proper width and shape to fit the grooves.

Ok will do, thank you very much.

 

[RubyEclipse]

Also, got a new harmonic balancer cause my other one was cracked, new gates belt and all. Car runs great, except it now overheats. I think my water pump got really messed up by it snapping, how do i check or fix it? Still new to this all and would love absolutely any advice or help, i really don’t want to replace this water pump again, it’s brand new. And it sucked last time to replace.

 

[luv2rallye]

Well you could put a coolant pressure tester in place of the rad cap while running to test it's pressure. If the water pump is jammed you won't have any.

Also if the water pump is working, have you replaced the rad cap, burbed the cooling system, reversed flushed the cooling system with coolant system cleaner, checked/replaced the thermostat?

 

[RubyEclipse]

Well you could put a coolant pressure tester in place of the rad cap while running to test it's pressure. If the water pump is jammed you won't have any.

Also if the water pump is working, have you replaced the rad cap, burbed the cooling system, reversed flushed the cooling system with coolant system cleaner, checked/replaced the thermostat?

I have replaced the water pump, again. I am waiting on the alternator arm linkage. Then going to flush, burp, and refill the coolant. I think air pockets got into it so I didn’t have to replace the water pump in the first place. Thank you very much for the advice and help, I do appreciate the reply.

 

[luv2rallye]

Ya air pockets are common when replacing/refilling rad. After refilling when cold, with rad cap off squeeze the lower rad hose a bunch of times to burp out the air. Then if you can, with warm engine (so thermostat is open) and cap off, burp it again (with rag over hose to not burn yourself).

 

[RubyEclipse]

Ya air pockets are common when replacing/refilling rad. After refilling, with rad cap off squeeze the lower rad hose a bunch of times to burp out the air. Then with warm engine (so thermostat is open) and cap off, burp it again (with rag over hose to not burn yourself).

You got it, I will do that. Thank you very much!!