Brenda Archer

So we had an unusually heavy storm, and I had to drive through a parking lot with about 3 inches of rain in it, and now my serpentine is making a racket.

I have to go to work tomorrow, but I am hoping to find a place on Saturday that can fix it. It being a 98 Ford Taurus.

I am feeling pretty panicky and can't concentrate on anything else.

I am hoping it will dry off some but it doesn't sound like it's getting better.

I am tempted to call in sick tomorrow and go to the dealer but that means that I don't have a sick day again until December and what if I get an even worse car problem later? I hope it will hold out a few days. Reading online horror stories of belts breaking and doing huge damage do not help.

eku Zhong

Instructions

1. • 1Open the hood with the engine running and shine the flashlight on the belt. Inspect the belt for any heavy glazing on the belt surface. If any glazing exists, you may need to replace the belt in the near future.
     
     
   • 2Spray a quick burst of WD-40 on the ribbed side of the belt. Wait three seconds and repeat until the squeak stops. Make sure to do this while facing the front of the engine, as the WD-40 will spray outward parallel to the belt travel, potentially getting into your eyes or all over your clothing.
     
     
   • 
     
   • 3Wait several minutes; then, if the sound does not return, spray three quick bursts of rubber conditioner on the belt in the same manner that you sprayed the WD-40. Close the hood when done.
     
     

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Johnnie Carling

Fucking hell????? the LAST thing Id want to do is to lubricate a belt that is already slipping.

Brenda, don't worry about those huge damage stuff you might of read... Id bet they are talking about the timing belt, not the serpentine belt. (aka fan belt to us old farts)

Things the serpentine belt can effect.. the alternator, so watch out for low voltage (if you have a gauge, or the battery light), Your air conditioner runs off the belt so it might not work as well. The big one is it drives the waterpump.. so keep an eye on the water temp.

Tess Whitcroft

Just a note: WD-40 is not a lubricant it is an anti-water compound.

Tess

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eku Zhong

WD stands for water displacement... although yes its a lubricant.. we have an equivilent here in japan.. i just looked up your US same stuff..

you can also find it here
How Do I Stop My Serpentine Belt From Squealing? | eHow.com

i used to do a fair amount of silly offroading .. as well as drove for about an hourish in about 70cm deep typhoon flood one time..
spraying the alternator belt .. serpentine to you .. with a water displacing lubricant and then a rubber conditioner always got rid of the wet belt squeal.

Marita

Brenda , if it is your Serpentine Belt and it does go poof while driving then you can at least drive it to where ever you were going.

About 5 months ago , back when it was cold outside , mine finally decided it no longer like going in circles and split in half.

Was out in the dark boonies at night and said F@#K IT and continued home , slowly but better than walking in the woods with the monsters out at night.

Like Johnnie said nothing real major is driven by the belt but you do loose power steering so it will give your arms a work out.

Good Luck ... and if it was/is the serp belt mine was only 150 to get replaced at a local garage.

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Brenda Archer

Many thanks everyone. I am not up to working on it myself, I wish I was but my hands aren't steady enough anymore. But I will go in tomorrow and have it looked at. I am not so scared now. Thank you.

Jura Shepherd

Ack! You've just reminded me that I need to replace my car. Two actually. I hate it. Why can't buying cars be a simple as buying shoes?

Brenda Archer

Truth. I find buying a car or fixing it pretty terrifying. I'm always afraid of being ripped off.

I went in today and got an estimate and there's more going on than the belt, and I will go back Monday to get it fixed. I believe the mechanic though. It's a pretty old car and what they're describing matches up to what it sounds like.

I think I need to wave hi at the local company I got my last car loan from, though, because it looks like that's an eventuality I need to prepare for.

Shoes are so much easier. Do they fit and I like them, sold!

Desmond Shang

Just a quick comment ~

Former automotive engineer here, had to do a lot of severe conditions testing on vehicles like the GM C / K platform (Silverado, Suburban &c) back in the day.

When you drive through a mess and the belt starts in, get everything the belt touches cleaned up, not just the belt.

Depending how dirty it is, your belt may have turned itself into a belt sander... and depending who replaces it, if they don't clean up everything else it touches, it's going to keep right on power~sanding everything with the new belt. A good mechanic will hit the whole area with a shot of steam or something, just enough to clean it off.

Also, it could be that the belt tensioner got mucked up, and there's nothing wrong with your belt. But if it was me, I'd just replace the belt anyway, if they gotta mess with the tensioner too.