Well folks, it happened again last weekend. My dang Neon's PS belt once
again flew the coupe, er, sedan. Here's the scenario. Long uphill slalom,
redline in 2nd gear, cresting a hill and simultaneously lifting off of the
gas to apply the brakes before a quick left-right offset. Belt flies and no
power assist.
What's a guy to do?? It seems like that once it happens it happens each
successive time a tad bit easier. And yes, I am using new belts each time.
This last time I personally installed a replacement Gates belt and torqued
the tension past the 135 ft/lb factory spec to 150 ft/lbs. Of course in
doing this I also managed to round out the 1/2" square drive hole in the PS
pump bracket that one uses to set the belt tension. DOH!!! So next time
it'll go to the dealership and I'll plead ignorance (highly believable in my
case) as to the stripped out bracket hole.
"But you guys were the last ones to touch the PS belt." ;^) I should get a
new bracket anyway since they bent the hell out of it when they replaced the
belts under the 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty.
Personally, I'll live with the spongy front motor mounts if I could just
keep the dang belts on the pulleys. At least this time it didn't take out
the alternator belt on it's way out.
Eric Linnhoff in KC
1998 Dodge Neon R/T
#69 DS #13 TLS
eric10mm@qni.com
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who
approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright
force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined." -Patrick Henry
|