Back to all

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Pickerington Maintenance Tips: The Belt Goes On

February 23, 2020

drive All Pickerington service advisors know that without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. And on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it within normal operating temperatures. (On some vehicles, the water pump is powered by the timing belt instead of the serpentine belt.)

So you can see the serpentine belt does a lot of work. And it if breaks, it affects a lot of systems. That's why your vehicle manufacturer and your service advisor at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Pickerington have recommended that it be changed every so often so that it doesn't fail.

Your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Pickerington service advisor can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Your serpentine belt works in tandem with a spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley. Its job is to make sure there's a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn't slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. At Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Pickerington in Pickerington, we recommend that the tensioner be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Pickerington
1223 Hill Road N.
Pickerington, Ohio 43147
614-751-0111
http://www.tuffypickerington.com

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Tuffy Pickerington

Fuel Injection: It Keeps Getting Better for Pickerington Drivers

April 21, 2024

Pickerington residents know that engines need to burn fuel to operate. Fuel is pumped from your fuel tank to your vehicle engine where it is squirtedor injectedinto your engine's cylinders. This is the function of the fuel injectors.There are two ways to inject fuel into an engine. Fuel needs ai... More

Take Charge! (Battery Testing)

April 14, 2024

OK, so you probably take your vehicle's battery for granted. Turn the key or push a button and it starts right up. During times of warmer weather, you probably think your battery can take it easy. But it may surprise you to learn that hot weather can be much harder on a vehicle's battery than ... More

Why Alignment Matters (Vehicle Alignment Maintenance)

April 7, 2024

It's one of those things that can happen on a multi-day road adventure or a quick trip to the grocery store. You hit a pothole, go too fast over a speed bump, nail a curb. When it happens, you think, "I wonder if that was hard enough to do any damage?" But things seem ok and you continue on yo... More