Do I have the right accessory belts?

[ishnish]

It's about time I changed my accessory belts. Power steering and alternator belt to be more specific. A few days ago my power steering bolt tore up a little bit. It still ran fine but I knew it was time to replace it. I figured that I'd change out the alternator belt as well since that one must come off first in order to replace the power steering belt.

Anyways, today I went to Pep Boys and the guy helping me really didn't seem to know what he was talking about. I asked him if he could come look at my car to let me know what belts I might need or to just get a better understanding of what they should look like but he just gave me a blank stare and asked what model/year Eclipse I had. Anyways, he gave me the power steering belt and alternator/water pump/crankshaft belt. Well the power steering belt seemed way too long and the alternator belt seemed way too small. He told me which was which though but I still didn't believe him. Not only that, but one of the belts look totally different than the one ones on the car. So I took a trip to O'reilly's and had a nice man actually check out my car and help me out. My main question was if the belt looked like it was for my car.

This is the important part: He basically explained that the design of the belts with the "new technology" have different slits or cuts or whatever to prevent noise or squeeks. The belt he was referring to was the DAYCO belt. The other belt from Drive Rite apparently used the older technology that normal belts had but it looked exactly the same as the ones I already have in my car. I just wanted to know if anyone here thinks I got the right belts. Should the belts look exactly the same or was he right?

Here's a pic of both belts:

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Apparently the one on the top (Dayco) is the alternator belt and the other is the power steering belt. I think it's actually the opposite because the power steering belt looks way too long and the alternator belt looks way too short.

Here's a pic of the "supposedly power steering" belt:

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Notice the ribs on here look exactly like the ones I already have on my car so, to me, it looks about right (even though I think this is actually the alternator belt).

Here's the pic of the "supposedly alternator" belt:

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This is the part that bugs me. It's bad enough that I think the belt actually belongs on the power steering but what's worse is that idk if the cuts/slits on here should be looking like this. Is it really a "new technology"? Both belts currently on my car have the ribs like the one in the previous pic.

Anyways, I just wanted some help as to knowing if I got the right belts or not. Maybe the guy at Pep Boys was just being lazy and didn't bother looking it up to make sure or maybe I'm just wrong. Either way, as long as I know I have the right belts and which belt goes on which pulleys, I'll be a happy camper . Thanks in advance guys!

 

[danielbo91]

Actually that kid dosen't what hes doing or i think hes never seen a turbo car,and he was like wow im just saying.. any ways ok if i was you i would go return both and go to napa or O'rellys againg and give them your year,model and make any ways that dayco belt is too small for alt belt,water pump and crank, this is the size 14x990 or 9/16x 39" this your alt belt and water pump this is the big one this the right size and powerstering one is alot shorter than the drive rite.

 

[ishnish]

Actually that kid dosen't what hes doing or i think hes never seen a turbo car,and he was like wow im just saying.. any ways ok if i was you i would go return both and go to napa or O'rellys againg and give them your year,model and make any ways that dayco belt is too small for alt belt,water pump and crank, this is the size 14x990 or 9/16x 39" this your alt belt and water pump this is the big one this the right size and powerstering one is alot shorter than the drive rite.

Hey thanks for the advice man! Would you happen to know the size for the power steering belt? I'll return both and go to O'reilly's to get the belts since I don't know of a Napa Auto Parts that's close by here.

 

[danielbo91]

You welcome man let me check the size of the power steering becuase i still has the mitsubishi one i can give you the part number i hope it helps

Md189130 4pk695 R34-7 this the mitsubishi one ans this the gates powerstering belt part# k040274 hope that helps

 

[ishnish]

Thanks again! Both those part #'s are for the power steering belt correct?

 

[danielbo91]

Yes both part numbers are for the power steering belt

 

[ishnish]

Just to make sure, I want to measure this belt before returning it. Maybe the guy just got the mixed up. How would I measure the belt size?

 

[danielbo91]

Since belt are round i would mesure its diameter and π pi the equation mesuring of diameter i dont know if you still remeber the equation of diameter hope it helps

 

[ishnish]

I just measured the circumference and it was 39" around there. I couldn't measure diameter cause I couldn't get the belt to sit in a perfect circle.

 

[19Eclipse90]

You measured correctly; belt part numbers reference the belt length/circumference. 39" is pretty close for the alternator/water pump belt (Mitsubishi's spec is 980-985mm~38.6-38.8"). The power steering belt should be something like 27.4" (690-695mm) .

 

[ishnish]

Thank you for the measurements =) I actually went back to Pep Boys and had an older gentleman help me out who seemed to really know what he was talking about. The other guy must have been new or something.

Anyways, I got two new belts that look exactly like the ones I currently have on my car so that's a relief. The alternator belt is longer than the power steering belt so I'm sure I got the right ones this time. And I actually measured both and got close to the same measurements that you just stated. So thank you =)

Now I know I have to check the tension on the belts. Do any of you guys actually use the tool used to measure the tension? Cause I can't afford it right now and idk if I should wait until I get it to put the belts on.

 

[danielbo91]

Heres the torque specs you need to tight the alternador belt and bolts and for the belt the tension should have like 4mm of play you dont want them too tight or too loose or it will start making noise when you start up the car drive it with can cause the belt to fail faster..Heres the torque specs you need to tight those bolts generador pivot bolt nut 17lbs,generador lock bolt 17lbs and generador adjusting bolt is 7lbs make sure you torque them at least because these bolt get loose with use.. i hope this helps also note you should check the belts every 6k miles or every 6months for wear..

 

[ishnish]

Thanks for the torque specs. I have a Chilton and Haynes manual though so I'm sure that should have the torque specs in there right? Now when you say the belt tension should have like 4mm of play, do you mean I should be able to push down on it about 4mm or so?

I kinda' just wanted to know the process of how to remove and replace them. I know the manuals explain how to but it doesn't do as well of a job as I hoped for.

 

[danielbo91]

Yea push it with your finger you need to have some play like 4mm is not much but an idea how you have to have it tension you want to have so tight it would just snap and cause big problems on the alt belt,as far as removing the belts is really easy and dirty haha, you should loose the adjusting bolt and lock bolt, you may need to, loose the alt a bit if it dosent want to move up but once the alt is loose a bit you just take the belt off from alt,water pump and crank,and for the power steering belt this my way of doing it i remove water pump pulleys and belt comes off this my way so i dont how you doing it... This way is easy to me..
I can post some pics tomorrow i can show you how i do so you have an idea
I hope my advise helps man

 

[ishnish]

Wow it's been forever since I've actually came on . If you're still around and can post some pics then yeah I'd appreciate it! I'm actually thinking about changing them tomorrow haha. The old ones have been holding up quite fine for now but I've been driving the car very gently anyway

 

[2slow4now]

Hey ishnish I thought this might help you out some. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/maintenance-repairs/391066-determining-what-accessory-belt-use.html

 

[Calan]

That's some great info Lance.

I would suggest copying that over to a tech article, and maybe adding anything else about belts that you can think of that would be useful. As far as I know, we don't have any comprehensive articles on belt maintenance.

 

[ishnish]

2slowfornow, thanks for that article! I definitely agree with calan on that one. The only question now is how to install. I don't have anything to check tension. I found a great article to help with the alternator belt install but I don't know if the P/S belt would be the same process