broken serpentine

1991 BUICK LESABRE
236,000 MILES • 6 CYL • AUTOMATIC
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THOECASE
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  • 1 POST
will a faulty water pump cause a serpentine belt to break
Mar 3, 2011 at 4:19 AM
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CARADIODOC
  • CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 34,309 POSTS
Absolutely. Why would it not? Pulley alignment is critical for a serpentine belt to survive. Worn bushings in the pump can let the pulley become misaligned and the belt can walk off the side and fall off or it can become shredded from running on the edges of other pulleys. A tight pump, which is not very common, can burn the belt off.
Mar 3, 2011 at 4:37 AM
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FIXITMR
  • CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 9,990 POSTS
is there anything to indicate the pump is faulty? like it wobbles and or leaks or locks up? those symptoms may cause belt to fail,jump off but breakage is likely due to age of belt.
Mar 3, 2011 at 4:42 AM
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