Belt breakage on 1997 malibu.

[heavensdoor]

I've changed all pullies (idle and tension pully) no other pully is freezing. Belts are brand new and right size, but continue to seperate down the center of the belt leaving the belt intact but in two pieces. All pullies are inline.

Please help,
Thank you in advance.

[rodeo02]

Are you sure the serpentine belt isn't riding up and on the edge of one of the sheaves? That's the only thing I can think of that would chew through the belt with out shredding it. Make sure all of your pullies are in the same plane. I've seen washers or bushings get missed on idlers and tensioners. That could force the belt to ride over the edge of a pulley.

Joel

[heavensdoor]

Originally Posted by rodeo02

Are you sure the serpentine belt isn't riding up and on the edge of one of the sheaves? That's the only thing I can think of that would chew through the belt with out shredding it. Make sure all of your pullies are in the same plane. I've seen washers or bushings get missed on idlers and tensioners. That could force the belt to ride over the edge of a pulley.

Joel

thanks Joel for your response, I did notice it riding upon the crank pully, also I bought a pully from auto parts place, although it fit, it did not have the ridge to hold the belt in place. I think I'll try a genuine GM part, may have to pay a little more but belt replacements are expensive. Thanks again for your response so quickly, now I feel it is repairable.

[stratford_boy]

Please write back and let us know if this fixed your problem, never seen chronic belt breakage on this car. 3.1 right?? Most are.

[rhandwor]

I think you have a spacer missing on the mount for the idler pulley or the mount is coming loose. This will cause the arm holding the idler pulley to move outward so the edge is in the center of the belt. This will cut a belt in a couple of hours.