DanSmithKY

Yesterday on my way to work I noticed all of the idiot lights came on in the car. I now know that this was telling me that the alternator belt had broken, but at the time I had no idea what was going on. I needed to get to work and noticed no other problems so I kept driving. Within a minute or so I guess, I noticed some steam coming out of the hood. I took the car out of gear but I could not safely stop on the road I was on, but I was coming up on a turn so I decided to take it. The car had died after I took it out of gear but I dropped the clutch to get it going again so I could get it off the road. After about a half mile I stopped in a gas station parking lot. By the time I had gotten there there was a good amount of steam rising from underneath the hood. I popped the hood and noticed that the alternator belt was broke and that the air pump belt was off of it's pulleys but still intact. I figured that one of the belts had hit a radiator hose and split it causing the coolant to spew everywhere. I left my car at the gas station and got a ride to work.

Today I got it home and got a better look at the engine bay. There is a crack in the black plastic cap on top of the radiator which is where the coolant surely came from. All of the hoses are intact. I have done some searching and a guy in an S4 (my car is an S5) had a very similar problem and his engine seemed to be fine, and I hope mine is as well. I noticed a good amount of build-up on the waterpump pulley where the alternator belt rides, and also the belt itself is eaten up pretty good, to the point that the inner part that rides in the pulley is maybe only half as thick as it should be. I am thinking that that means that the waterpump or the fan clutch was locking up causing the belt to slip on that pulley. There is a lot less wear on the air pump belt, but I replaced that when I bought the car as it was missing, so it has not been on as long as the alternator belt.

I heard that if the fan spins freely then the fan clutch is bad which I am assuming could make it seize up on occasions. My question is, what is meant by freely? When I hold the pulley still and spin the fan it does spin easily, but does not keep spinning for even a second when I quit pushing it. It stops almost immediately. I assume that means it is good but I want to make sure. If it isn't the fan clutch then perhaps it is the waterpump. I have checked the Factory Service Manual, and it doesn't seem to have any info on signs of a bad waterpump, besides inspecting various parts after it has been removed and disassembled. From searching the board it seems that the bearings could go bad which could cause it to sieze, but I would think it would make noise. I can spin the pulley easily and it doesn't make much noise, and keeps spinning a little after I stop spinning it.

There really isn't any residue on any of the other pulleys so I am assuming something must be going on with either the fan or the waterpump. Can anyone provide any input? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Long story-My suggestion is to clean up the pullies, make certain they are all in alignment, and as everything spins freely, install new belts and give it a shot. The rotaries don't like to be overheated, but hopefully you'll find no damage.

Black Knight RX7 FC3S

iTrader: (7)

same thing happened to my alternator belt 3 weeks ago. I was driving on the highway and all of a sudden all the lights came on. The alt belt was ripped and it almost ripped my airpump belt. I replaced both belts.


Glad I had a new battery the same week.
My old battery didnt even last 2 cranking of 5 secs each : / so driving without an alternator wouldnt even last me 3 miles yet alone 10 miles so that I reach my house.

DanSmithKY

I looked at it before work today and the pulleys appeared to bein line with each other. I also have an oil leak that causes oil to get on the alternator belt, which I suppose could have caused it to start slipping, but I don't know why it would just slip on the waterpump. Perhaps that would be the hardest pulley to turn. I just wish that I had known that when all of the lights come on that the alternator belt had broken. I figured it was just a random electrical problem to add to the list of problems the car already had.