GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Diagnostic Aids

Excessive wear on a drive belts is usually caused by incorrect installation or the wrong drive belts for the application.

Minor misalignment of the drive belt pulleys will not cause excessive wear, but will probably cause the drive belts to make a noise or to fall off the pulleys.

Excessive misalignment of the drive belt pulleys will cause excessive wear and may also make the drive belts fall off the pulleys.

Test Description

The numbers below refer to the step numbers on the diagnostic table.

  1. The inspection is to verify that the drive belts is correctly installed over all of the drive belt pulleys. Wear on the drive belts may be caused by mis-positioning the drive belts by one groove on a pulley.

  2. The installation of a drive belt that is to wide or to narrow will cause wear on the drive belts. The drive belt ribs should match all of the grooves on the pulleys.

  3. This inspection is to verify the drive belts is not contacting any parts of the engine or body while the engine is operating. There should be sufficient clearance when the drive belt accessory drive components load varies. The drive belts should not come in contact with an engine or a body component when snapping the throttle.

Step

Action

Yes

No

Notice: Do not use belt dressing on the drive belt. Belt dressing causes the breakdown of the composition of the drive belt. Failure to follow this recommendation will damage the drive belt.

DEFINITION: Wear at the outside ribs of the drive belts due to an incorrectly installed drive belts

1

Did you review the Symptoms - Engine Mechanical diagnostic information and perform the necessary inspections?

Go to Step 2

Go to Symptoms - Engine Mechanical

2

Inspect the drive belts for the proper installation. Refer to Drive Belt Replacement - Accessory or Air Conditioning Compressor Belt Replacement .

Did you find this condition?

Go to Step 5

Go to Step 3

3

Inspect for the proper drive belt.

Did you find this condition?

Go to Step 5

Go to Step 4

4

Inspect for the drive belt rubbing against a bracket, hose, or wiring harness.

Did you find and repair the condition?

Go to Step 6

Go to Diagnostic Aids

5

Replace the drive belt. Refer to Drive Belt Replacement - Accessory or Air Conditioning Compressor Belt Replacement .

Did you complete the replacement?

Go to Step 6

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6

Run the engine in order to verify the repair.

Is there still excessive drive belt wear?

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System OK