92 XLT eating serp belts

[mpersell]

I have a 92 Explorer XLT thats eating drive belts. I've replaced the idler pulley and the tensioner assembly. A year ago I replaced the harmoni balancer. I'm wondering if I have crappy aftermarket idler and tensioner or cheap drive belts or both...

Any one else have this problem and fixed it?

Mike

 

[IZwack]

inspect all of the pulleys that the belt runs on - most of these pulleys should have grooves on them. look for any chipped, scuffed and/or marred grooves - its those little oddities in the pullies that often eat up the belt.

(i would suggest temporarily removing ur current belt so you can rotate the pullies easier)

 

[marragtop]

Did the belt problem start before or after you replaced the balancer? If after, are you sure the balancer hasn't back out a bit? You also might want to check for excess play in the power steering pulley.

 

[mpersell]

Did the belt problem start before or after you replaced the balancer? If after, are you sure the balancer hasn't back out a bit? You also might want to check for excess play in the power steering pulley.

Funny you should say that....thanks for the info. I'm sure this is learned firsthand and with frustrations.

The power steering pulley has about a 1/16 to 1/8 end play. the pulley is also chewed up a little on the forward part of the grooves where it hold the belt in place.

I know the pumps are available all over. Can you get a pulley with a pump I wonder?

Mike

 

[410Fortune]

take your pump to the store (carquest I prefer) and they will swap pullies for you, or you can buy a new pully from junk yard or dealer.

 

[marragtop]

Are you sure you need a pump? There should be some play in the pulley. Have you tried tightening the pulley up to get it better aligned? As an fyi.., you will need a puller if you have to take the pulley or the pump off. Also, have you checked to make sure the balancer hasn't loosened up?

 

[mpersell]

Are you sure you need a pump? There should be some play in the pulley. Have you tried tightening the pulley up to get it better aligned? As an fyi.., you will need a puller if you have to take the pulley or the pump off. Also, have you checked to make sure the balancer hasn't loosened up?

This pump's had a nagging little leak for a while so I don't mind replacing it.

I haven't tried anything more than looking at the balancer when running to see if it shifts when reving.

Mike

 

[Creager]

There isnt any reason to replace the pump if its working. Those things either work, or they dont... there isnt any 'inbetween' power steering.

Your pump probably isnt leaking, its probaby the O-ring on the Pressure Line fitting on the pump. Usually thats the culprit for leaks. The pump itself is sealed, if it were to start leaking, you would be out of power steering in no time =)

You won't be able to remove the pump and the pulley in once peice :thumbdwn: it sucks, i know, and whats even suckier is getting that PULLEY OFF! But since you said its all goobed up, i would suspect thats what is eating your belts. There will be slight play on the pump shaft (which the pulley is pressed on too) 1/16in sounds about right.

Pressing/pulling that pulley makes a 15 minute job a 3 hour job. Go to Napa or whatever, they will have a kit for removing it. A new pulley is like $15 bucks.

That Oring is like a .50 cent part.

 

[mpersell]

92 XLT that used to eat serp belts

I got tired of the too many replacements of the belts. The belts always had the front rib chewed off. I went to the local AZ and got the same length belt that was just over a mm narrower and the problem has gone away.

I have a 92 Explorer XLT thats eating drive belts. I've replaced the idler pulley and the tensioner assembly. A year ago I replaced the harmonic balancer. I'm wondering if I have crappy aftermarket idler and tensioner or cheap drive belts or both...

Any one else have this problem and fixed it?

Mike

 

[trucku]

I had issue with a worn belt. One thing also is to clean them metal pulleys with a wire brush. They can build up rubber and debris and the belt wont seat correctly into them. Clean them till you see metal again, not black in the grooves.

Good luck