Update on newbie doing Drive belt progress, need further help please

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Sorry for doing another thread on same topic, I just wanted to start fresh with the update and start the conversation from this stage rather thna the other thread already 4 pages long.

My car has gone through 2 drivebelt in 18 months, this is now the 3rd. something keeps shrtedding them. there is also a grating sound coming from that area althoguh I felt the pulleys they feel tight.
car is at 197 on clock.
I have made progress with you guys helping me, I finally figured out how to put the drivebelt on my car ( vectra 1.9 120 bhp ).
Car started fine and I shut engine off about 30

seconds to see this IMG_20200421_165425.jpg a groove on the new belt, I don't see anything sharp and the belt is fitted according to the diagram.
The old belt had a similar groove on it in the same place.
Can someone please tell me what could be causing this ?

Also I noticed when I fit the drive belt it looks straight at the top like this

but after I shut off the engine after

a few seconds it looks wonky from the top and also the belt slips off a bit off the crankshaft pulley likes this
189877-7f68b5ef9f65744527ff16d2d575dc7e.jpg


Csn someone please tell me why the belt slips off the crankshaft pulley a bit once the engine has been running for 30 seconds and also what is socring the belt like this ? thanks


here is a viceo of something, potentially a bad pulley rattling near/on drivebelt area, what couldi t be ?

thanks

Also there sh1ould be 6 pulleys altogether but i only see 5 on my car
 

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This pulley is not running straight. Could be a badly worn bearing which will give you a noise. Take the belt back off and see if there’s any play in that pulley.

D295BACB-E457-49D9-8C8D-272E4B1F3D81.jpeg
 
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I'm sure the crankshaft pulley is a rubber damped device on these and my guess is that its starting to part company with itself.
Many a Transit is plagued in the same way!
John :)
 
This pulley is not running straight. Could be a badly worn bearing or something bent.

View attachment 189733

good to see you , thnaks for replying !
that is the tensioner pulley isn't it ? can that cause the groove on the new belt as soon as the engine has been running or can that be the reason the belt has slipped off a little bit on the crankshaft ? it is all on proeprly but once I tuned the engine off the belt from the top looks wonky and I see it has come off the crankshaft a little bit.
can I take the tensioner off to check it over ?

what can be causing the groove on the belt ? it was only running 30 seconds and had a visible groove all along like the old belt.



thanks again, you are apprecieted
 

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Check pulley alignment.

To check for a worn bearing, get a longish wood stick such as garden caine and with the engine running, touch one end to metal near the rotating bearing and the other end to your ear. Its a stethoscope effect and you can easily identify a worn bearing. Proceed with caution since the engine is running!!!
 
You'll have to remove the belt and have a good look at the tensioner, even remove it and check it. Make sure the other are ok while you are at it. If it's been shredding belts, you can't fit a new belt until you know why.
 
Check pulley alignment.

To check for a worn bearing, get a longish wood stick such as garden caine and with the engine running, touch one end to metal near the rotating bearing and the other end to your ear. Its a stethoscope effect and you can easily identify a worn bearing. Proceed with caution since the engine is running!!!
And make sure you're not wearing a tie.
 
I wouldn’t worry about the groove on the belt too much. Check why that pulley is not running true. Either a badly worn pulley bearing (which will be your noise) or something bent on the tensioner arm. When you have the belt off, check the alternator pulley clutch. If it is seized, it will give a rattle. It should drive the alternator when going clockwise but freewheel when turned quickly in an anti clockwise direction.

 
On a damn astra in the same situation a few years ago I cut the losses and replaced all pulleys and tensioners.
It worked.
 
Check pulley alignment.

To check for a worn bearing, get a longish wood stick such as garden caine and with the engine running, touch one end to metal near the rotating bearing and the other end to your ear. Its a stethoscope effect and you can easily identify a worn bearing. Proceed with caution since the engine is running!!!

If I find anything like a long pirce of wood I try it but I don't think I do. Can I test the pulleys/bearings on the car or shall I take them off, will it be obvious if faulty ?

and thanks !
 
On a damn astra in the same situation a few years ago I cut the losses and replaced all pulleys and tensioners.
It worked.
I considered that but only place open seems to be euro car parts, I don't want ot spend hundreds on all those pulleys it wont need at top prices , when car is running I can get good used the whole lost for around £50 but I see what you mean it will solve the problem. thanks
 
I wouldn’t worry about the groove on the belt too much. Check why that pulley is not running true. Either a badly worn pulley bearing (which will be your noise) or something bent on the tensioner arm. When you have the belt off, check the alternator pulley clutch. If it is seized, it will give a rattle. It should drive the alternator when going clockwise but freewheel when turned quickly in an anti clockwise direction.


hi
the groove looks bad seeing as it is a brand new belt and it looked like that after 30 seconds. If I take the pulleys off to inspect them will it be quite obvious which are bad ?
THe alternator was replaced about 18 months ago and the pulley on it looks new I don't think it is the alternator pulley, the rattling seems to be more toward crankshaft pulley imo.

do you know why the belt may be slipping off the crankshaft a little bit after the engine has been running a few seconds ? tension feels good on the belt.

thank you so much
 
You'll have to remove the belt and have a good look at the tensioner, even remove it and check it. Make sure the other are ok while you are at it. If it's been shredding belts, you can't fit a new belt until you know why.

hi there, thanks for replying !

should it be quite obvious if the tensioner is bad after it is removed from the car ? I tried rocking the other tensioners up and down side to side they feel tight. there is a grating noise coming from the drivebelt area though i think more toward the bottom of the engine.
this is the 3rd belt it has had in 18 months or so and it loos like this after 30 seconds of fitting the new belt

it has groove all the way along it. what may be causing this ?
 

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Take the belt off and try spinning/wobbling the tensioner pulley. If it is the bearing, undo that tensioner pulley bolt and the pulley will come off the arm and can be replaced. If no noise/worn bearings on the pulley, the tensioner or something else is bent and will need replacing.
 
Take the belt off and try spinning/wobbling the tensioner pulley. If it is the bearing, undo that tensioner pulley bolt and the pulley will come off the arm and can be replaced. If no noise/worn bearings on the pulley, the tensioner or something else is bent and will need replacing.
thank you, I will try this can't remember if I did already but will check again. shall I hold it with my fingers side-side then top to bottom and feel for movement, should it not have any movement at all ?

Can you tell me what might be causing that groove along the belt ? It will shred the belt if I drive which is why I am not going to drive it. it became grooved like this after about 30 seconds, is that the result of a bad pulley/bearing ?

Also why is the belt slipping off the crankshaft pulley a little bit ? thank you
 
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