poly v belt change interval - Benzworld.org

pvel · 05-26-2008, 02:41 PM

at how many mile intervals does the poly v belt need to be changed?
the reason i ask is that mine snapped at about 35000 miles. now i am at 62000 miles. should i change it preemptively? thanks for any help. paul

ohlord · 05-26-2008, 03:14 PM

check for cracks,frayed,dried out.It should have lasted longer,Use some belt dressing on it every year to condition the belt.
ohlord

E430SportMB · 05-26-2008, 03:37 PM

Ohlord,
Can regular oil do it, for coditioning ?

**Matt L** · 05-26-2008, 03:47 PM

Oh no, don't get any oil on the belt.

Kajtek1 · 05-26-2008, 03:56 PM

So called "belt dressings" soften the rubber to give it more traction, but kill it on the long run. The only stuff I know for sure extends the rubber life is UV protectant "Formula 303"
But engine belts are not exposed to UV, so no need for it and the Formula 303 is slippery when wet, what might bring some sensation.
Serpentine belt last a long time I had mine for 60k before I did preventive replacement only because I had to take it off for other job.
As mentioned above -inspect. If it looks good carry spare with you and make sure you know how to replace it.
I posted it before how broken belt on newly purchased Mercedes ruined my weekend in Tennessee. If you don't find it, take my word for it. Now whenever I buy new (for me) car far away from home, the first thing I am getting for it is the belt.

ohlord · 05-26-2008, 04:12 PM

serpentine belts are all of synthetic construction and a good quality dressing will not soften it nor shorten its life of about 50k miles on average.all it will do is remove some of the glazing that forms from friction on the pulleys and prevent slippage under load.
ohlord

Kobus · 05-26-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohlord

serpentine belts are all of synthetic construction and a good quality dressing will not soften it nor shorten its life of about 50k miles on average.

I think 50K miles is a bit pessimistic. I've never changed the serpentine belts at less than 100K miles, and then it was still good enough to keep in the car as a spare. And I've never used any conditioning. Now the old V-belts was a different story - they didn't last very long.

ohlord · 05-26-2008, 08:24 PM

is the recommended interval for serp belts.Probably on the cautious side but what can go out that will leave you more stranded then the main belt,everything depends on?
ohlord

Kobus · 05-26-2008, 08:52 PM

Well, I guess if you use the aircon a lot, that will reduce the life of the belt as well. I use the aircon very sparingly and at 50K the namebrand painted on the belt still looks like new. But I'll agree that you wouldn't find a replacement belt in every small town, so if you're not in the habit of having a spare belt, you better play it safe. I grew up in South Africa where you could sit and wait for days if you broke down, so I always carry some essentials along from habit. Oh yes, and you better carry some Mobil 1 0-40W along if you do long-distance travelling - you don't find that in any filling stations either.
Another thing which is frequently ignored is the radiator hoses, They tend to get hard over time, and with the plastic radiators currently in use, it's a sure way to crack the the radiator pipes - especially the top one, which is more subject to engine movement.

tirona · 05-26-2008, 09:08 PM

as far as i know my serpentine belt is still the original one from 02/1997, and the car is past 140k miles. i was gonna change it when i replaced the water pump over a year ago, but they sent me the wrong belt, so i kept the old one which looked in pretty good shape. they did send me the right one a week later, but never got myself to change it. the old belt still looks in pretty good shape, but i should replace it sometimes this summer since i already have a new one.