Creation
I want to inform you about a serpentine belt tool—an unusual-looking wrench element that I would by no means heard of till I desperately wanted one—and the way spending $25 in this tool savedme from what would have been the most expensive automobile repair of my llife
This befell six months ago in a grocery store parking lot, and I nonetheless preserve that serpentine belt device in my trunk like it’s some form of automobile good fortune attraction. permit me to explain how an easy tool became the hero of one of my worst car breakdowns.
The Day My Automobile Started Screaming
I used to be leaving the grocery shop with a cart full of meals—such as ice cream that sincerely could not melt—after I turned the key and my vehicle made a sound I might in no way heard before. now not the everyday engine begins sound. A horrible, high-pitched squealing that made people inside the parking zone turn and stare.
I immediately grew to become the auto off, terrified. grew to becomwhat e what it returned on. equal scream. It seemed like something was once in demise beneath the hood, and I had no concept what.
I’m known as my dad, because that’s what you do while your automobile makes frightening noises and you realize nothing about automobiles. He requested me to explain the sound, raskedsome questions while it began, then stated the phrases I was dreading: “appears like your serpentine belt. You’ll need to get it checked out.”
I had no concept of what a serpentine belt used to be, but it sounded costly. My dad defined it as the belt that drives more than one ccomponenthe alternator, power steering, air conditioning, and water pump. sort of essential stuff.
“Am I able to power it domestically?” I requested. I lived about 15 miles away.
“If the belt’s simply free, perhaps. If it’s approximately to snap or already broken, you could cause greater problems. I might name a tow truck to be secure.”
I looked at my cart, complete with melting ice cream and hastily warming frozen meals. A tow truck would take at least an hour to arrive. The whole thing in my cart would be ruined. Plus, towing would costme possibly $one hundred, and then i Iight haveto pay for anything the mechanic identified.
itIteally is when I did something either very smart or very stupid, relying on the way you look at it.
The YouTube Video that changed the entirety
I pulled out my phone and searched “serpentine belt squealing.” The first result used to be a video titled “How to check and replace a Serpentine Belt – smooth DIY.”
I watched it. The guy in the video defined that serpentine belts can grow to be loose, worn, or misaligned, causing squealing. He confirmed how to check the belt’s condition and tension. He confirmed replacing a belt with the use of something referred to as a serpentine belt tool—a specialised wrench that releases tension at the belt tensioner so that you can slip the belt on and off.
The whole system looked… plausible? scary, however plausible.
I searched “automobile parts shop near me” and found one about a mile away. I could stroll there, buy whatever I wished, and attempt this repair in the car parking zone. If I completely failed, I might call the tow truck then. As a minimum i would have tried.
I abandoned my cart of groceries (sorry, grocery store personnel), grabbed my pockets, and started on foot.
My First Serpentine Belt device purchase
The automobile elements shop man was once notably useful once I defined my state of affairs. “Squealing belt, might not preventvevehicles a parking zone, want to restrestorenow or name a tow truck.”
He asked what kind of automobile I had. looked it up on his pc. “You may want a serpentine belt—I have got the ones in inventory. And you will certainly want a serpentine belt device to make the activity less difficult. Without the right tool, it’s nearly not possible to get the tension right.”
He confirmed several alternatives for a serpentine belt tool. There have been fancy ones with a couple of heads and functions for $60+, and a fundamental one for $24.99 that could work exceptionally for my particular automobile. I went with the basic one because I was already spending more than I would deliberate and had no idea if I might even do this restoration.
He also grabbed the perfect serpentine belt for my automobile, confirmed to me a sketch of the way it must course across the pulleys, and gave me a printed copy of the design “just in case.”
total value: $ fifty-tw,o which includes tax. way higher than a tow truck plus a mechanic’s hard work.
I walked lower back to the grocery store car parking zone carrying my new serpentine belt tool and substitute belt, feeling a weird mix of determined and terrified.
absolutely using the Serpentine Belt device
I opened my hood and stared at the engine, trying to seewhat i used to be seeing with the diagram the elements shop man had given me. The serpentine belt used to be there, wrapped around multiple pulleys in a particular pattern. I could see it used to be frayed and cracked in locations—really needed replacing.
in line with the YouTube video and the diagram, I had to use the serpentine belt tool at the tensioner pulley. This would launch anxiety and permit me to slide the old belt off.
The serpentine belt device match onto the tensioner bolt. I pushed down on the device’s lever, and miraculously, the tensioner moved, releasing tension on the belt. The belt went slack. I held the serpentine belt device in place with one hand and used the alternative to slip the belt off.
I would carry it out. I would efficaciously remove a serpentine belt using a serpentine belt device iImight owned for approximately 20 mins.
Putting the new belt on was more difficult. I needed to path it successfully around all the pulleys following the graph, then use the serpentine belt tool again to pull the tensioner back and slip the belt onto the very last pulley.
It took me likely 45 minutes total, together with numerous fake starts offevolved wherein I routed the belt wrong and needed to start over. My palms have been filthy. I used to be sweating regardless of the cool weather. however I got the belt on correctly, double-checked my work in opposition to the format, and felt ridiculously happy with myself.
I began the auto. No squealing. just normal engine sounds.
I may additionally have finished a small victory dance within the parking lot.
What I discovered about the Serpentine Belt device
After successfully using my new serpentine belt tool to fix my vehicle, I became weirdly obsessed with the perception of what I had just finished. I spent the nighttime watching greater motion pictures, reading articles, and learning about serpentine belt systems.
A serpentine belt device, I discovered, is specifically designed to work with the spring-loaded tensioner that maintains regular strain at the belt. Barring this tool, you’d need to, by hook or by crook, pull the tensioner back manually while additionally seeking to slip the belt on or off—nearly impossible to do on my own, barring the proper leverage.
The serpentine belt device offers you that leverage. It fits onto the tensioner bolt and helps you to observe the managed force to compress the spring and release tension. A few serpentine belt gears have multiple sizes or attachments to fit unique automobiles. Mine was once an easy one-length sketch that fell to work for my automobile’s tensioner.
expert mechanics genuinely personal serpentine belt tools as part of their trendy system. But I learned that several DIY automobile proprietors do not own one because they don’t assume they shall ever want to work on belts. Then, while their belt fails, they’re caught calling for help rather than being capable of restoring it themselves.
I also learned that serpentine belts should be inspected often and normally need replacement each 60,000-a hundred,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and belt type. Mine had gone about 90,000 miles and used to be displaying clear signs of wear that I’d have noticed if I had ever looked at it.
The money I saved
Out of curiosity, I called a neighborhood mechanic and asked what that they had fee was to update a serpentine belt on my automobile. The quote was once $280—$180 in labor plus the belt and keep charges.
I might spent $fifty two general at the serpentine belt tool and a new belt. Even if you consider the hour I spent fixing it myself, I would stored properly over $two hundred.
but greater importantly, I’d saved myself from being stranded with a tow truck invoice, having my automobile in the shop for an afternoon or more, and dealing with the inconvenience of being without transportation while looking ahead to a simple repair.
The serpentine belt device, which cost me $25, had already paid for itself multiple times over, and I nonetheless owned it, prepared for the following time I or a person I knew needed to work on a belt.
Becoming the person with the Serpentine Belt device
here’s the bizarre component that occurred once I fixed my vehicle: I have become the character human beings known as when they had belt troubles.
My coworker’s car started squealing three weeks later. She was once panicking about towing and repair costs. “i’ve a serpentine belt tool,” I informed her. “I will possibly assist you in testing your belt and replacing it if wanted.”
I drove to her area after painting with my serpentine belt tool, recognized that her belt was simply unfastened (not worn out), and used the tool to test the tensioner. gHer tensioner spring grew to become weak which used to cause the belt to slide. I could not restore the tensioner itself; however, understanding the actual trouble saved her from buyingan unnecessary belt alternative.
My neighbor heard about my newfound automotive abilities and asked if I might want to test his belt whilehe started listening to squealing. Used the serpentine belt tool to look at it—the belt was first-class, however considered one of his pulleys was once misaligned. At least he knew what to inform the mechanic in preference to simply pronouncing “it squeals from time to time.”
I’ve now used my serpentine belt device on four unique cars. It lives in my trunk together with the belt routing graph for my specific automobile, just in case I ever want to do an emergency repair again.
What each automobile proprietor ought to understand
After this entire revel in with the serpentine belt device and studying to do that restore myself, I have advanced a few sturdy evaluations approximately fundamental vehicle upkeep:
Every automobile proprietor should recognize what a serpentine belt does and kind of in which it is located in their engine. It is one of those integral additives that can leave you stranded if it fails.
Visible inspection of your serpentine belt needs to be a part of primary preservation. search for cracks, fraying, or glazing at the belt floor. If you see great put on, update it before it fails.
A serpentine belt tool is one of these purchases that appearneedless till you desperately need one. For $25-40, you could own a device that makes belt inspection and alternative dramatically easier.
stStudyinghis one repair skill can prevent masses of dollars and hours of inconvenience. It’s no longer complex—it’s just unfamiliar. After you do it as soon as, you realize it is truly one of the more approachable DIY automobile repairs.
The contemporary country of My automobile self-assurance
Six months after that parking lot serpentine belt substitute, I’m nonetheless not a vehicle professional. I can not rebuild an engine or diagnose complex electrical issues. I nonetheless take my vehicle to mechanics for most repairs.
however i will trade a serpentine belt now. I realize the way to use a serpentine belt device nicely. I understand how the belt gadget works and what symptoms of damage to look for.
This one skill, learned out of necessity in a grocery store parking lot, has made me feel extra confident about automobile ownership in general. If I should educate myself to apply a serpentine belt device and do this restoration, what other preservation tasks should I learn?
I have found that found out to replace my personal air filter, update wiper blades, and check fluid levels. None of those are complicated obligations, but they have ball beenthings I used to pay different people to do due to the fact that I believed I could not do them myself.
The serpentine belt tool used to be a gateway drug to fundamental car competence. And I’m ok with that.
the bottom Line on Serpentine Belt tools
If you own a vehicle, you should probably own a serpentine belt tool. They’re inexpensive, do not take up a large area, and can prevent from high priced towing and labor expenses while your belt unavoidably wishneedsention.
You do not want the fanciest expert-grade serpentine belt tool. A fundamental one that suits your vehicle’s tensioner will paintings fantastic for occasional DIY repairs.
learn how to use it before you need it. Watch motion pictures, examine articles, and perhaps practice on your belt when it is no longer an emergency. That method, in case you’re ever stranded with a squealing or damaged belt, you may realize precisely what to do.
And test your serpentine belt regularly. significantly. Pop your hood every few months and observe the belt. In case you see cracks or fraying, replace it proactively in preference to expecting it to fail at the worst possible time.
My serpentine belt tool sits in my trunk now, next to the jack and spare tire. I’m hoping I will never need to apply it in an emergency scenario again, but I am clearly happy it’s there simply in case.
because that tool grew to become what could have been a $four hundred+ catastrophe right into a $52 learning experience and a pretty excellent tale about the day I crashed my vehicle in a grocery store parking space.
And sure, I did pass back and buy all new groceries after. The ice cream was already melted.
but whats up, priorities? Constant automobile comes earlier than frozen dessert.
As a minimum, I had the serpentine belt device to make that preference possible.
