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Engine & DrivetrainDiscussions about the engine and drivetrain of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Service Question, Please Help (serpentine belt)", within the Engine & Drivetrain forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
I recently brought my truck in to have the serpentine belt changed since it was sqweeling during the first 5~10 minutes after startup. I asked the service guy to change my oil and belt, he said okay and took the truck to the shop.
When he got back he said, "We changed your oil and adjusted your belt." I was pretty sure from reading here on TS that this belt could not be adjusted and I was ticked but decided to trust him and left. The next morning it was still sqweeling
I called back and he said they HAD to try adjusting it before they could change it under warranty. Whatever! Now I have to take another lunch hour to get it finally done right.
Sorry for the rant. Here is the question: Was this a load of bull or is the adjust/then replace statement true? If this is not true I will let them know politely that I am not a happy camper. The truth will set you free, ya know.
As far as I know there is no way to adjust the belt, it has an auto tensioner pully. I replaced my belt at 30k for the morning squeeling and it has been OK since (45k now).
While there may be no adjustment for the belt, I do know from past experience that the dealers are required to find alternative methods to remedy the problem.
In my case to recent examples include turning warped rotors when they knew they would just warp again, and cleaned up my leaking battery only to replace it the next time because it still leaked.
My dealership has told me that they are required to do things this way by Toyota. Lately I've been told that they have to verify issues involving squeaks and rattles, during a test drive with the customer before working on the vehicle. That's being done so they aren't looking for intermittent problems they can't reproduce in the shop.
I imagine it done with the expectation of saving a few bucks (adjustment $ versus replacement part $$ and installation $).
To me it often seems a bigger waste of money since they are pretty sure they'll have to do the same basic work twice. then of course there is the matter you mentioned, "erk"ing the customer since we've got to take the time to go in twice for the same issues!
Automotive service seems to have become more of a hassle the few years, but I guess in today's economy, all corporations are looking to save every dollar they can.
I brought the truck in on my lunch break and explained what had happened. The person I spoke to had a puzzled look on his face and said it should have been changed since, as I thought, you can't adjust this belt.
Just thought I would pass this along, since plenty of others have serpentine belt squeeking problems.
Why not just buy a new one at the parts counter and replace it yourself. It cost me less than 25.00 bucks. Took 10 minutes to replace. They diagram is on a sticker under the hood. Its pretty brainless work. It is technically a wear related item, so Toyota can deny the warranty repair.
So it's pretty easy huh?? I'm getting ready to do this on my truck. So you don't have to remove anything...just loosen the tensioner and remove it. Then do the same for the install? Seeing as how the tensioner is not adjustable, is there a bolt on it to use a rachet or wrench to take the tension off the belt.
I just replaced the serpentine belt and tensioner adjuster (~94K).
The belt never made any noise but the tensioner started making noise on start ups (~85K) and gradually increased in duration. When replaced the belt was had some wear, cracking and grazing; definately needed replacement.
I just replaced my serpentine belt this past weekend and it was a pretty easy job. The belt cost about $28 at the Toyota dealership. I noticed that the new belt had a kind of “felt like” material on the inside of the belt. I’ve always changed the belts on all my previous cars and they were always rubber on both inside and outside the belt. I guess this is just newer materials or technology to help prevent the belt from squealing in the future. You don’t have to take anything off. Just take a ratchet and turn the tensioner pulley counter-clockwise and pull off the old belt. You can slowly release the tension on the ratchet and have it rest on the fan blades. Take the new belt, turn the ratchet counterclockwise and route the belt through the pulleys…DONE. Took about 15 minutes.
__________________ 2001 Limited Tundra 2WD Ivan Stewart Mods: TRD dual exhaust, TRD headers, Donahoe Racing coilovers, Bilstein 5100 rear shocks, Total Chaos Uniball upper A-arms, Hellwig swaybar, BFG A/T 285's, Line-X, TRD air filter, Jet Accu Speed calibrator, PPD billet TB and fuse cover, Sylvania Silverstar head/fog lights, clear corners,
When he got back he said, "We changed your oil and adjusted your belt." I was pretty sure from reading here on TS that this belt could not be adjusted and I was ticked but decided to trust him and left. The next morning it was still sqweeling
I called back and he said they HAD to try adjusting it before they could change it under warranty. Whatever! Now I have to take another lunch hour to get it finally done right.
Sorry for the rant. Here is the question: Was this a load of bull or is the adjust/then replace statement true? If this is not true I will let them know politely that I am not a happy camper. The truth will set you free, ya know.
Adjust belt = spray some sort of lubricant on it. The tensioner is preloaded,there's no adjusting.
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I replaced mine earlier this year after reading a thread here with a Goodyear Gatorback belt. It's still quiet after 14,000 miles and eight months.
Larry
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2004 Tundra V8 Limited Access Cab 4X4, Michelin 265/65/R17 ATX2 tires, Auto Dim Comp/Temp Mirror, Aero Turbine #2525 muffler, Access Roll Up Cover, Optima D31A battery, Multi-Vex adaptive outside mirrors, Eclipse AVN5510 Nav unit and Sirius SIR-ECL1 tuner as of 10/07 pictures in my photo gallery
If a combo of all these whizz bangs met their claims you'd have to syphon gas out of your tank every second day and sell the excess horsepower on the third????
Dealer put a new Toyota serpintine belt on at 17K (Warranty) now it's squeeling again at 30K. Is there a better belt out there? Thanks.
May be the tensioner causing the squeel, not the belt. Bettin' your dealer sprayed lube on the tensioner when replacing the belt and now it's worn off. Ditto the Goodyear belt comments
Service Question, Please Help
