Help! Keep blowing my alternator belt
3 Attachment(s)
First I did some searching and can't find anything similar to this so any help/comments/ thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Story... About a month and a half ago came home from my cottage (2hr drive) on the hwy about 10min from my place, I hear some noise like running over stones or something, a second later my battery light comes on. Watching my gauges engine starts heating up so pull over and turn her off quick. Smoke now and well my alternator belt completely gone and coolant everywhere. Got a new one installed from Mazda all is good. Go to the track the next weekend run 2+ hours no problem. This past Sunday (so about a month or so since new belt) go to Mosport for 20min of parade lapping, first lap ez lap no problem, second lap starts, getting some speed and rpms up, battery light comes on, and sure enough smoke and temp starts going up. Pull over belt completely gone again and coolant everywhere. Oh and it pulled apart my metering oil pump harness and pulled out the (black) negative wire from one harness urg. Towed it home and on the tow truck there is a bearing (looks like a donut decent size and thickness greased to hell) on the flat bed. Any ideas why I would keep blowing belts? Thx in advanced! UPDATE Oct. 26 There is still a problem :( so pissed! The mazda tech thought my intake hoses where slipping off (one leading to the oil excess overflow spout). I replaced that with a longer hose and clamped them all down. It seemed ok. Was at the track on the weekend and after about a 20min run, checked under the hood and fukin oil everywhere (not coolant). My hoses on my intake are fine, there was a bunch of oil on the lower side of alternator, and mostly left of the belts. Least I didn't throw a belt this time. Has anyone had this kinda problem? Would this be covered under the extended 160,000km/100,000 mil warranty? By looking in the engine bay it impossible to pin point. Will post pics later tonight. Updated new pics/problem/freakin mess Attachment 273139 Attachment 273140 Attachment 273141 |
My first thought is the water pump seized since you mentioned coolant everywhere and overheating.
Can you spin the pulley freely? |
Ya all pulleys seem to move freely. It would seize twice like that?
When it happened the first time, the reason I got for coolant everywhere, was because the water pump not cranking it backed up and had to go somewhere and boiled over to the excess drain spout. |
Maybe I read your 1st post wrong, did you get a new water pump after your 1st incident or just a belt?
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Just a belt and they redid my coolant of course.
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Just from what you described, it really sounds like the water pump is dying.
You can get the MazMart pump... its easy to install. |
Really...huh...It's going into Mazda tomorrow and will have them look at that.
Thanks!! Looking for the DIY on the install for it. |
gonna have to disagree with you jon :P
water pump wouldnt just seize while you are driving.. the reason its overheating is because there is no longer a belt spinning it. of course its gonna spew and smoke if its not being turned if the car starts fine without a belt, then there is nothing wrong with the main pulley. if the car runs with a new belt for more than 10minutes, the alternator is fine. if the water pump pulley spins free then it is fine. There has to be something hitting and fraying your belt or either you have it too tight/loose and its snapping. |
Yes the engine starts fine and runs smooth, but of course heats up quickly.
"There has to be something hitting and fraying your belt or either you have it too tight/loose and its snapping. " That's what everyone kinda thought, but what the hell would be hitting it to brake it, the tension/belt was done by mazda so I would think that would be fine. |
Originally Posted by G3tR3DDY2GR3DDY
(Post 3236125)
gonna have to disagree with you jon :P
Probably because the same thing just happened to my step-brother (different car) and it ended up being the water pump. The belt just breaking can be caused my a number of things, but when he threw in overheating and coolant everywhere, all those "points" lead to the pump for me. But I see what you're saying... the main belt broke (which spins the water pulley) so that in itself caused it to overheat. Guess we'll wait and see what the dealer says and then you can say to me, "told ya so!" ;) |
If all things above have been covered. I'd suggest about the only things left 1. I assume there is no problem maintaining tension on the belt or 2. verify all pulleys lineup is a single plane, no twist or possible rubs against the side of the pulleys. 3. just thought on one more , double check for any sharp edges on any of the pulleys.
Sorry to see you on the side of the track, glad it was just coolant. |
I checked the water pump again and it moves freely and very smooth so...same with alternator.
Updated first post with pics. Thx again for suggestions! |
And do you have pictures of the belt?
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Not in any order.
1. overtightened 2. faulty belt 3. misalignment 4. or just bad luck. |
if your belt snapped, it wouldn't result with all that residue - it looks like you've had something going on for a while now.
I would take off the belt and see if the water pump spins freely. It will have some resistance, but you shouldn't find it difficult to spin. |
Is it possible that some solid object is in the coolant?
A bolt or nut? ... Coolant flows fine till the object gets caught in the water pump, water pump locks, belt shreds. |
Originally Posted by Rote8
(Post 3236655)
Is it possible that some solid object is in the coolant?
A bolt or nut? ... Coolant flows fine till the object gets caught in the water pump, water pump locks, belt shreds. It seems that the belt was overtightened in the first place, and the dealership overtightened the new one again. |
Originally Posted by invasion08
(Post 3236586)
And do you have pictures of the belt?
Originally Posted by invasion08
(Post 3236610)
Not in any order.
1. overtightened 2. faulty belt 3. misalignment 4. or just bad luck.
Originally Posted by mysql
(Post 3236628)
if your belt snapped, it wouldn't result with all that residue - it looks like you've had something going on for a while now.
I would take off the belt and see if the water pump spins freely. It will have some resistance, but you shouldn't find it difficult to spin.
Originally Posted by Rote8
(Post 3236655)
Is it possible that some solid object is in the coolant?
A bolt or nut? ... Coolant flows fine till the object gets caught in the water pump, water pump locks, belt shreds.
Originally Posted by nycgps
(Post 3236704)
if it does, it will lock up in between the housing. or hit the water pump blades.
It seems that the belt was overtightened in the first place, and the dealership overtightened the new one again. |
Originally Posted by Rote8
(Post 3236655)
Is it possible that some solid object is in the coolant?
A bolt or nut? ... Coolant flows fine till the object gets caught in the water pump, water pump locks, belt shreds. |
My first thought was misalignment and therefore the pulley abrading/cutting into it.
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Originally Posted by rotarygreg
(Post 3237703)
Ka-Freakin-Boom.
Originally Posted by rotarygreg
(Post 3237703)
the bearing would likely be toast after that. at the very least. something would feel weird. but i can attest to the pump spins perfectly free (with just the slightest resistance from any coolant that is in the housing).
Any thoughts on what that Bearing would be from??
Originally Posted by Huey52
(Post 3237737)
My first thought was misalignment and therefore the pulley abrading/cutting into it.
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Does the drive pulley have a rubber isolator built into it? On my wife's Subaru, that broke loose. This allowed the pulley to move. This would cause belts to be thrown or break. It appears that the pulleys on the alt and water pump are solid metal, so there shouldn't be any alignment problems there.
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^I don't know...but if was you would think the AC belt would be gone as well?!
I'm gonna guess it's just comes down to me be very unlucky...as others know to well on this forum lol. |
Just to throw this in there...
My thoughts are incorrect alignment of belt...or Wrong brand or type of ribbed belt?, not aligning properly in pulley grooves? Looks like a pulley bearing or sealed bearing, maybe Air pump or an Idle pulley bearing? |
Your last pictures, I cant get an idea of size or material, but it it looks like one of the rubber grommets located under the back of the air box that holds it in place.
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