Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:20:34 PST From: mojavegnospamveg.lsan.sisna.com (Everett M. Greene) Subject: Re: Smoking Auxiliary belt (fan belt / serpentine belt)
NW Fungi <tbissonnospamfier.com> writes: > Fred W wrote: > > Drew wrote: > >> On a long trip at high speed, once I slowed down I noticed a burning > >> smell from the engine compartment (of my 1997 Saab 900s 2.0i, 160K > >> miles). I opened the bonnet and there was a small amount of smoke > >> coming from the belt (the one that drives the oil, power steering, and > >> AC pumps). The belt seems in good condition though it looks a little > >> "shiny" on the outside face. The inside, ridged, face looks just > >> fine. A mechanic said it was likely to be the tensioner pulley > >> bearings seizing up rather than the belt its self giving up. Sounds > >> like an OK reason to me. Checking the Haynes manual it says the belt > >> should be changed every 15K miles or so - I missed that one along the > >> way. Mine hasn't been done in something like 80K miles. How > >> difficult and expensive is it to replace the pulley bearings and belt > >> do you think? There is a bit of a squeal developing now.) > > > > Quite easy. The worst part is getting access to everything which > > requires removing the right front wheel well liner. I would definitely > > replace the pulleys and the belt. > > > I agree, I have a 96 900s and the idler pully froze and caused alot of > smoke, and tore the belt all to %&%%$$%$%! It is easy enuff to fix, but > as Fred said, you do have to pull the right front wheel well liner. I have a 1985 900 which destroyed a belt in the middle of nowhere in Montana prior to 1989. I replaced the belts at the time of the incident and haven't thought about them or done anything about them since. Do they really need to be replaced every 15K miles?