1995 Dodge Caravan serpentine belt

DONIS

MEMBER
1995 DODGE CARAVAN
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
13,640 MILES

Dear Sirs, I just installed a new Serpentine Belt ! Everything looks fine untill I start the engine and then the belt starts to work it's way off of the power steering pump pulley. Do you have any suggestions as to why this happens? Thank You very much

5 Replies

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Hi, are any of the pulleys loose? Does the power steering pump pulley line up with other pulleys? Is the pump itself loose? If proper belt and installed correctly, it shouldn't go anywhere, unless something is out of alignment.

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Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 AT 3:33 PM

DONIS

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thank you very much for your quick response to my question ! I checked the pulleys for tightness and they seem o.K. ! The power steering pulley can be moved a very small amount, but not much. I will check the alignment of the pulleys next. I think the power sterring pulley needs to move out a little but I don't see how to do that. Thanks again for your help. I like your website very much !

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Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 AT 10:25 AM

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Thanks, a lot of informational links, if you have time to look around. Repair info-- videos--tool store. A lot of good people.

I'd probably have to watch the belt, engine running, if it will stay on, long enough. If a lot of flop in the belt between pulleys, it's a tension issue. If the power steering pump pulley has visible wobble, you may need to replace pump. The pump mounting bolts are tight, can't move the body of the pump?

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Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 AT 10:58 AM

HAHNY1

MEMBER
75 POSTS

Out of curiosity, did the old belt do this, and did you take the old one off, if I remember right mine was able to come off be releasing tension off the tensioner pulley and then work it off the rest of the pulleys. It you still have the old belt you might want to compare the width and the length to make sure you got the right belt

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Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 AT 5:33 PM

DONIS

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Hi, The width, length and Part # are the same on both belts. When the old belt came off, the tensioner pulley bearings had frozen-up. I replaced the pulley and belt at the same time ( That is when the problem first started I think. ) The outer rib on the old belt was worn off all the way around so it may have been doing the same thing. The new belt didn't come all the way off but it moves over on the power steering pulley. The last thing I have done is press the bearings out of the new tensioner pulley and press them into the old pulley and it seems to have helped a lot. Th ebelt still moves a little bit but not as much as before. Maybe I am on the right track now. Thanks again for all your help !