EMERGENCY Please Help!! Belts!

[exile]

Hello I am sitting in a Holiday Inn parking lot wirelessly connected to their internet, I'm stuck here because one of the belts in my car flipped over and I had to run up the street to Adv. Auto Parts and get a new one. I put replaced it and started the car and it flipped AGAIN..

I NEED TO KNOW NOW: There's a belt that is held by 3 wheels (spindles, rotars, whatever) and it appears to be the Water Pump belt (maybe), that belt shares a double "wheel" with another belt. The wheel that it shares is jiggling back and forth and I THINK that's what is causing it to jump and flip over everytime I start the car. IS THIS WHEEL SUPPOSED TO JIGGLE LIKE THIS? If it's okay that it's jiggling does anyone here have ANY clue why it keeps flipping?


(please if you feel the need to flame wait until I get this problem fixed I don't have much time before it gets dark and I'm in quite a bad neighborhood )

THANKS.

 

[exile]

Oops BTW It's a 2g Eclipse GSX AWD 1995

 

[-silencer-]

The double-pulley is the water pump - it has 1 belt to the power steering pump and another to the alternator. If I'm hearing you right, it's the power steering pulley that's jumping? The smaller of the two water pump pulleys goes to the power steering pulley.

Hopefully someone else knows the answer to this with a DSM because I know it is okay with other cars (like my old celica), but you can drive without the power steering - it just takes more strength to turn the wheel, especially at low speeds. However, it may not be a good idea with a DSM since the power steering belt is a part of the balance with the alternator belt on the water pump pulley..

 

[exile]

Thank you so much for the response, I BELIEVE that it's the LOWER double pully that is moving on me, the one you are referring to I think is the upper one. The double pully is on the opposite side of the oil filter and set back about 5 inches from that.

 

[carwizard1]

Is it the lowest pulley on the motor? If it is, that's the crank pulley! That means the harmonic balancer split in two. Do not drive your car if the crank pulley is bad!!!!!!

 

[92awddsm]

That is definately the crank pulley(harmonic balancer). It is 2 pieces joinded together by a rubber ring. When the ring deteriorates, it causes the outer ring to move freely back and forth like what you describe. As stated already, dont drive it. The outer ring can and probably will find its way through the timing cover, breaking the timing belt, and destroying the engine.

 

[exile]

You're completely right, the both of you. It IS the crank pully because the rubber ring was split in half and let the wheel move freely.

Do you guys recommend a donor replacement or a brand new replacement (is the rubber ring suppose to break on purpose over time to induce a replacement?)

Also thank you all again for the quick responses, I really LOVE this forum.