Belt getting chewed up NEED HELP!

[Civib2]

Hey guys I need some serious help. I bought my 96 GS a couple months ago. I knew it needed a new belt when I first bought it so i replaced it. After about a week i checked on it and it was down to half its size in width. So I put another one on and then started the car up when it was on the lift to see if i could see the problem. The belt got wraped around the edge of the A/C compressor. So I think okay maybe its an aftermarket A/C compressor, and i buy a whole new assembly. So i put 700$ into it and installed it corrrect and everything. Crank it over and yet it does it again same place the belt hops over the edge of the AC comp. I need some serious help this problem is costing me more than i want. Now i thought about buying all new underdrive pulley system because the edges seem higher on those pulleys so the belt wont come off. But i can only find a Crank from UR, I cant find any other pulleys for my 420A engine.

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Also my head gasket is leaking what a suprise is there any solution out there for that or do you just have to keep replacing it every time.

 

[Korndogg]

how many miles on the car?
i wonder if maybe your crank pulley is starting to separate? *Shrug* that just happened to me... the pulley is $130 at a mitsubishi dealer and not a hard install...

 

[Civib2]

Originally posted by Korndogg
how many miles on the car?
i wonder if maybe your crank pulley is starting to separate? *Shrug* that just happened to me... the pulley is $130 at a mitsubishi dealer and not a hard install...

80,000 miles are on it yeah that was my second guess is to replace the crank. I am going to do that anyways with the unorthodox racing crank so wouldnt hurt.

 

[Civib2]

Comon guys i really need some help this belt is going to blow any time now! I think im going to replace the crank with a AFX light weight one, some guys have told me it could be my crank so wont hurt I guess.

 

[Defiant]

Agreed, probably your harmonic balancer.

 

[Civib2]

If you think its my harmonic balancer then should i still get the AFX pulley because it doesnt have one. Or do you think i should go with stock. And im still confused on how people keep telling me it could be my crank when the belt gets wraped around the AC comp.

 

[Civib2]

Hey guys, well I put the AFX crank pulley on its sweet I love it. But my belt seems to still be doing it. When i tighten the belt to what its suppose to it gets cut up but if I keep it a little loose it still turns all the other pulleys okay but then it doesnt get cut up so I guess im going to keep it that way.

 

[LiquidOC]

this is also the one that goes around the alternator, correct? i recently had a problem with my alternator that it would only start to seize once the car was fully heated, and there was a good load applied on it. if it's not that belt, i'd still get it checked out.

 

[Doug99RS]

There's a TSB for power steering belt alignment problems. If the vehicle was built prior to sept 19, 1997 calls for the replacement of the poewr steering pump bracket and idler pulley with new with revised parts. If the car was built after the above date then the pulley can be shimmed. Ask your local dealership this: "If I buy the parts for this TSB from your dealership will you provide me with a copy of the TSB?" You can probably just talk with the parts person since they're the ones who get paid comission off of your purchase. No TSB, no comission.
Doug

 

[Civib2]

Yeah i talked to the parts guy a little while ago and he said there was a problem with the power steering bracket alignment so i will do this next and hope it will be the end of my problem. it has to be i replaced the crank and the A/C compressor the only thing left is the p/s.

 

[Doug99RS]

If you have access to an air compressor and impact wrench you may want to check if the crank bolt is fully tightened as well. If it is then you know the crank pulley itself is pressed fully against the crank. If the bolt is not tight, tightening it may take care of any mis-alignment problem caused by the crank pulley being off just a bit.
D

 

[BrokenTsi]

one time i put my water pump pulley on backwards and it kicked the belt just a little bit off and i kept spitting out belts. Make sure the pulley lines up. I dont see how a harmonic balancer can go bad and chew up belts.

 

[Doug99RS]

The particular vehicle in question in this thread is a 2gnt and the water pump is timing belt driven. While I've done the same thing on a 4g63, it can't be done on a 2gnt.

I'm very suprised you have not heard about the harmonic balancers wreaking havoc on the 4g63's. This is really a big problem with higher mileage 4g's.
Doug

 

[vteclipsegs]

Aight guys heres my story. Had this same problem on a 420 2gnt engine. Mitsu wanted 130 for the pulley but dodge wanted only 60 for the same thing. Needless to say which one you would choose. I had the belt and pulley replaced tonight and it work great. The dealer claims 90% of the belt problems are from bad harmonic balancers not power steering alignment. My suggestion to everybody that shreds more than 2 belts on a 420a is to jack the car up take off the pass tire and watch the crank pulley. most of the time if its bad you'll see it wobble or like mine did you can see the belt start to twist.

 

[FutureGSXOwner]

Hey! My car is in the shop right now for the same problem! I have a 99GSX and shredded my belt like halfway off..and changed the belt and turned on the car, and my pulley started knocking against my frame really bad..it came completely loose and I'm getting a new pulley and harmonic balancer installed as we speak...SO many people were telling me CW but thank GOD it wasnt, I never even heard about this problem until it happened to me

 

[vteclipsegs]

people kept telling me that cw was the main prob w/ my 420a. even some mechanics thought that it could be cw. how can a crank walk a good 1/2 to full inch and the engine run great. when i found out it was the pulley it was a load off. I'm surprised the gsx's had the same problem. to bad mitsubishi didnt post a recall, theyre usually so good about that. ....

 

[Doug99RS]

Recalls won't be released unless there is a safety issue involved. The vehicle knocking off and rolling to a stop is not a safety problem. The transfer case siezing up and the car doing 360's in the middle of the interstate is a safety concern.

Some components have warranty extended because it's a known problem or because the EPA wants certain components to be able to do their jobs well past the warranty.
Examples:
1. exhaust manifold studs covered to 7 year/ 70,000 miles on 2.5L jeep wranglers-exhaust leaks, emissions failure.
2. A/c Compressors on 01 and newer Chrysler Minivans covered 7-70 as well, compressor failure due to lack of lubrication, compressor locks up, and throws off serp. belt, power steering is driven by serp belt.
3. Catalytic convertors required to be efficient for 100,000 miles. Even if you don't maintain your car (i.e. tune-ups) the cat can still clean up a large percentage of the exhaust gases and prevent some pollution.

There's extending warranty by the manufacturer for known problems and then there's a recall by the manufacturer, National Highway Transportation Safety Board or both.
D