Melting The Serpentine Belt

[Mounty09]

This weekend has been a rough one. Just bought my dad's 2005 mustang with a Saleen supercharger on it. I put the charger on it at 15,000 miles and now it has 50,000 miles. I replaced the alternator with a PA Performance one and have changed nothing else. This weekend I was cruising at around 2700 RPM and I lost one of the smooth idler pulleys. Replaced it with a new pulley and a new belt and got to where I was going. When I got close I snapped another belt. Both of the belts were melted on the outside and the rips were fine. Put on a new belt to make it the rest of the way to really start looking at it. Got it in the and pulled off the other smooth idler pulley and noticed it was pretty hard to spin compared to new one so I replaced it. Since I wasn't in my garage and didn't have much time I didn't clean all the rubber off of the pulleys. Put a new belt on and decided to try and make the 1.5 hour trip home. Sure enough as soon as I pull into town I snapped another belt. Ribs still in tack the the smooth side of the belt is melted. They have been melting through and then snapping. So what gives? From what I can tell all of the pulleys spin freely. I would say pulleys are out of alignment but since the ribs on the belt are fine I don't think this is the case.

Thanks

 

[weather man]

Supercharger spins freely?

 

[Mounty09]

Supercharger spins freely?

Yes

 

[weather man]

Your on the right track. Something is dragging and causing a lot of heat. Just have to find the right pulley. Power steering or AC could be going bad also.

 

[skwerl]

If the back of the belt is melting then look at the smooth pulleys such as the water pump and smooth idlers.

 

[06silverbullet]

If the back of the belt is melting then look at the smooth pulleys such as the water pump and smooth idlers.

bingo, you have a locked up pulley somewhere shoyuld be super easy to find, my ac clutch took a shit on me, so if i put the ac on the ribbed side of my belt starts to smoke.

 

[Mounty09]

Took some pictures and looked at it more today. All the smooth pulleys feel free. If I flip the p/s pulley it moves freely but doesn't spin after my finger leaves it. Could this be my issue? Also as you can see in the pictures the idler pulleys have a build up of rubber on them but the water pump does not.

 

[Wes06]

Well power steering is a hydraulic pump so I wouldn't imagine it would free spin.

Hmm odd

 

[edwin108]

Does the tensioner pulley spin freely?

 

[thump_rrr]

Stupid question but when did you replace the alternator?
1)When you replaced the alternator did you remove the one way clutch pulley and install the pulley supplied by Saleen?

 

[Mounty09]

Stupid question but when did you replace the alternator?
1)When you replaced the alternator did you remove the one way clutch pulley and install the pulley supplied by Saleen?

I replaced the alternator the Wednesday before all this started happening. Thought I read somewhere that you didn't need to replace the pulley on a pa performance alternator so I didn't replace it.

I will pull the tensioner tonight and see what it is like. Pretty sure it spins freely.

 

[Toy4Bob]

Sorry you are having problems with my old car! Looking at that picture and knowing there was never a belt problem prior to the alternator switch, I bet that pulley is the issue.... especially looking at the pulleys and seeing the new one having a taller side. Bet that is what is melting the belt. Let us know...

 

[v6tungsten]

Sorry you are having problems with my old car! Looking at that picture and knowing there was never a belt problem prior to the alternator switch, I bet that pulley is the issue.... especially looking at the pulleys and seeing the new one having a taller side. Bet that is what is melting the belt. Let us know...

idlers shouldn't be a problem unless they won turn at all. Ive had an idler come off the bearing and cut threw the timing chain cover without the belt snapping

I'd pull the alt pulley and check it if a clutch or not. I'd bet thats the problem

can you get a better picture of the alt pulley from the front?

 

[Mounty09]

The new alternator is the black one. I will pull the pulley off tonight and look at them. Hopefully that will fix my problem.

 

[v6tungsten]

The new alternator is the black one. I will pull the pulley off tonight and look at them. Hopefully that will fix my problem.

Well from that picture it looks like a non clutched pulley. also a locked up alt pulley would cause wear on the grooved side of the belt not smooth side.

double check all smooth pulleys to make sure the rotate freely

Also compare the PA Performance alt to old alt. put them both a flat surface and make sure the pulleys and mounting tabs are on the same plain.
If the new alt pulley it off it will make the belt drag across the smooth pulley causing heat. even a few mm will be bad fo the saleen as they have smooth pulleys very close to the alt.

 

[Mounty09]

Just pulled off all of the smooth pulleys to clean the rubber off of them They all spin freely and the bearings feel good. Also water pump spun freely. I plan on cleaning the pulleys and then putting the old alternator back on and see what it does.

v6tungsten, What belt and size do you run? Could to much tension cause this problem? Pretty sure I have the 3.4 pulley on the Saleen. I put a 6K1080 belt on it which measures 108.5"

 

[irishpwr46]

try running the engine for a few minutes and see if any of the pulleys is hotter than the others after you shut it down

 

[v6tungsten]

Just pulled off all of the smooth pulleys to clean the rubber off of them They all spin freely and the bearings feel good. Also water pump spun freely. I plan on cleaning the pulleys and then putting the old alternator back on and see what it does.

v6tungsten, What belt and size do you run? Could to much tension cause this problem? Pretty sure I have the 3.4 pulley on the Saleen. I put a 6K1080 belt on it which measures 108.5"

No you cant run to much tension...I run a gates K081088hd...think its 108. Post some pictures of the broken bent.

As stated above run the car and watch/look for problems

 

[Mounty09]

Ok so I get the stupid of the month award. Started cleaning all the pulleys and a the Saleen alternator bracket. Noticed something weird on the bracket, the same wear that is on the belt. I never realized that you actually had to remove the bracket to get the belt in there, who would have thought! Got everything cleaned up and put back together with a new belt and sure enough no problems. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Wes06]

hahaha
knew it was something stupid simple