Is it time to replace upper pulley?

[Harb]

Hey everyone, I have a '98 ex and it has about 80 000 miles on it. This past week I go away on a snowmobile trip and the wife is driving it when she loses steering control. She managed to limp it home. I get home and have a look at it and see that the upper pulley has ripped apart and taken out the serpentine belt. Got it back together after getting a new pulley and serpentine belt. Is this common? I have pic's but I see I can't upload them.....

 

[aldive]

Not that common to go to the extreme that you described. However, it does happen.

It is very common for the idler pulley to start making noise.

 

[96eb96]

Hey everyone, I have a '98 ex and it has about 80 000 miles on it. This past week I go away on a snowmobile trip and the wife is driving it when she loses steering control. She managed to limp it home. I get home and have a look at it and see that the upper pulley has ripped apart and taken out the serpentine belt. Got it back together after getting a new pulley and serpentine belt. Is this common? I have pic's but I see I can't upload them.....

I had the exact same thing happen, and I heard many other cases. I had to get it towed because the temp gauge started moving north (no waterpump). You should change the pulley on the tensioner mechanism too.

Everyone should change both these pulleys if they are more than 10 yrs old, for $20 its not worth the risk.

 

[Harb]

I will be ordering a new tensioner pulley to put on as well. I guess these pulleys are just cheap pressed metal. We'll see how long the new one lasts!