Alternator Belt Flies out the back of the car

[mr.Hand]

It rained the other night, REALLY HEAVY, I go out to start up the 95 Metro with 162,000 miles and running good, and all the sudden I get the horrible squealing of the alternator belt. Mind you, I replaced the belt four months back, and had no problems at all with a new alternator, and NO SQUEALING and good charging.

So I'm driving back from work, it is still squealing, so I just kept driving hoping to get home and fix it, and all the sudden, the squealing stops!

I look in the rear view mirror, and there is my shredded drive belt bouncing off the car's windshield in back of me going down the highway! So now I know the situation is dire, b/c my battery could die from not being charged. The dash light warning came on, so that is good.

I stop at Pep Boys, get a new belt for $8.00, in the parking lot I'm putting it on, the pulleys and tightening, a few punks in a souped up civic sneered at me, but the hell with them.

Anyway, I noticed ALOT of water on the upper pulley near the engine! And it wouldn't come out, it would just stay in the pulley grooves, so I took off my shirt and sopped up the water. I get the belt on and tension it up, all this in the parking lot at Pep Boys with people everywhere.

She starts right up, no squealing, and the battery is charging, and I can hear the alternator humming. So what the hell? Was that water causing the belt to slip? Did the torrential rains get in the car with the hood down and wet the belt? Who knows, but everything is running fine now. It has rained since this happened, but I haven't gotten a squeal yet.

Maybe I was parked at a strange angle out in the driveway so that the water could get under the hood. What are your thoughts?

[GM Line Rat]

What brand of belts are you using? I had 2 kelly/springfield belts break prematurely on me...1 after only 2 months (There Junk)....I then installed a Dayco belt.....Zero problems after 6000 Miles on it. With the setup on these Metros for the belt tightening, you need to check it more often to make sure they stay tight. Once a Belt starts coming loose (Loss of tension)....It wears fast, squeels, then breaks. What I did was picked up some good grade 5 external tooth Lock washers, a grade 8 Bolt and nylon filled crush nut for my alternator lock down setup.....Doesn't loosen up anymore!

[mr.Hand]

The belt I put on after replacing the alternator had been lying around in my garage for about 3 years. I think it was from Good Year Tire, it was rather flimsy and not as thick as this one I got from Pep Boys.

[leonbentz]

Lucky to be water and not anti-freez. These belts are tiny in these things. I have one that squeels sometimes, but that's because a little oil has leaked on it in the past. Just make sure that little bugger stays tight and you should be good.