Serpentine belt on 2007 Corolla LE

[brooklynphil]

Hi guys. Question. I changed my serpentine belt and tensioner about 7 months ago because of loud noise and cracking at teeth. A few weeks ago the noise started coming back. I look at the belt and saw that the teeth were perfect with no cracks but the outside of the belt had grooves pretty much the length of the belt. You can see them better while the car is on. What can cause the outside of the belt to get like that? I believe the outside only becomes the inside at the tensioner and water pump pullies.

Help please. I spent $325 for the repair 6 months ago when the car had 34,000 miles. It now has 40.000.

Thanks,

Phil

[prophase]

I find this interesting as my last belt replacement I went with the goodyear gatorback I believe it was, which instantly silenced the horrid noise on my wife's 05 rolla.

Now about a little less than a year later, the noise is coming back and my belt also shows lines or grooves on the outside of the belt as well

It's getting quite loud again and I hope I don't need to replace it yet again.

My wife's car had the tensioner replaced under warranty about 2-3 years ago, I hope it's not going again, ugh.

I don't understand why this issue even with the best belt I could by keeps coming back.

[mikered30]

Do you have a pic of the grooves? I take it you were out of warranty when you got this work done 6 months ago?

[prophase]

Originally Posted by mikered30

Do you have a pic of the grooves? I take it you were out of warranty when you got this work done 6 months ago?

I will try to get pics of my wife's belt, which has lines or grooves on it, I have to check more closely but I as well have the noise coming back.

[brooklynphil]

Originally Posted by mikered30

Do you have a pic of the grooves? I take it you were out of warranty when you got this work done 6 months ago?

I'll try also.

[brooklynphil]

Don't know how to show the pic here but it's in my photo gallery.

Thanks,

Phil

[mikered30]

Those grooves are normal. Is that salt on the pulley? Cant tell if it is white or pink.

[brooklynphil]

Originally Posted by mikered30

Those grooves are normal. Is that salt on the pulley? Cant tell if it is white or pink.

That's the A/C pulley. Looks like white dots to me.

Anyway, you say the lines are normal but I looked at my Santa Fe and a few other cars and the back of the belt is smooth. Any reasons why this belt would have those marks? The teeth of the belt are perfect at least. Thank you your help.

Phil

[Raddman04]

A little off the subject but I have a picture of the serpentine belt diagram if anyone needs it!

[don24mac]

Those lines look like the tensile cords showing through the belt. The outside surface has a thin protective covering that looks worn through. That belt should be replaced.

Here's a link to a book that you can read a few pages showing belt construction. Here's another article.

[brooklynphil]

How does the belt get those grooves when it only hits a smooth surface on the tensioner and w/p pulley?

Originally Posted by don24mac

Those linesllook like the tensile cords showing through the belt. The outside surface has a thin protective covering that looks worn through. That belt should be replaced.
But


Here's a link to a book that you can read a few pages showing belt construction.

[mikered30]

It would be extremely difficult for a serp belt to wear out in 6,000 miles.

[don24mac]

I saw that happen to the belt in my 2000 Camry. I left it and eventually you could clearly see it was the cords of the belt. The protective surface on the back of those is quite thin. It did take about 30,000 miles to happen on mine. 6000 miles does seem rather soon, unless there's a misalignment of one of the (flat) pulleys. Tensioner would be my guess.

My comments are just an opinion based on what I've seen before. Take a close look at that belt with a magnifying glass, and see if it looks like cord strands.

[07corolladude]

I had a water pump replaced under warranty. Don't forget to check for play in all your pulleys!