We discuss just about everything except the serpentine belts. The 3.5L has two belts, not sure of the 5.0L or others.

Is anyone changing these belts based on years of service or miles? Or are you just inspecting them periodically and checking for wear?

I changed the belt on my 2004 expy 4.6L at 95K miles and upon a more thorough inspection,it occurred to me that it really didn't need to be changed.

I just rolled 90K miles, once I hit 100K miles, I'm having the tranny / coolant flushed and perhaps getting the belts changed while it's in.

Thoughts?

 

WOW, 128 views and not one opinion.

 

 

I would change normally by inspection.. That being said, 10 years or 150K miles might be my limit.

I would NOT spray any crap on the belt... What is it suppose to do ? "FIX" the rubber ? Belts get old and cracked due to heat and age.. There is no sunshine on them, no oily hands, etc... If I get one that squeeks I might wash with laundry soap, rinse and let dry... but no sealer.

 

I do believe in transmission pan drops, cleaning up things, and adding a new screen. The design life is a Ford internal thing and your opinion of "life" could vary.

For the belt, I took the tension off mine and checked the condition of the idlers and looked the belt over at 60k. I considered it good and put the belt back on. I'll likely swap it and the idlers at 120k.

I have a 6.2 so two idlers, not sure of the eco.

 

[QUOTE=steve(ill);18464708I
I would NOT spray any crap on the belt... What is it suppose to do ? "FIX" the rubber ? Belts get old and cracked due to heat and age.. There is no sunshine on them, no oily hands, etc... If I get one that squeeks I might wash with laundry soap, rinse and let dry... but no sealer.[/QUOTE]
I'm not talking about spraying anything on a used belt, the idea is to make a new one last. Soak a new belt in the liquid for a period, it gets absorbed then you let it dry before installing. I don't see how it could hurt to try it. I already use it on my door rubber and that kind of stuff to keep it soft and pliable.

 

using a spray on exposed rubber like door gaskets and trim , maybe hoses sounds like a good idea. I do that also. The BELT needs a specific coefficient of friction since it drives the pulleys.. Too dry or too slick and it might squeak or slip.. Its up to you...

 

Change the belts, the stretch belt can be a PITA to do.

 

Thanks for the input to you all.

 

 

Hi Tim,

There is a "gauge" that is available (typically free) from most auto parts and belt mfg that measures the depth of the ribs....but I also inspect for cracks, etc. by twisting the belt....with that said, I always replace the oem belts on a 5 year duration regardless of miles and I purchase goodyear belts for replacements....as they have a lifetime warranty and are of excellent quality IMHO.

 

I would simply have them inspected, Tim. We used to have a member in the van forum who ran a fleet of airport shuttles, and one of his vans ran over a half-million miles on the factory belt. If pitted and corroded pulleys don't chew them up, they can last a really long time.

[QUOTE=unibody62I'm not talking about spraying anything on a used belt, the idea is to make a new one last. Soak a new belt in the liquid for a period, it gets absorbed then you let it dry before installing. I don't see how it could hurt to try it. I already use it on my door rubber and that kind of stuff to keep it soft and pliable.[/QUOTE]

I see were you going with your logic, but that's a really bad idea. These belts are not designed to be treated with chemicals of any kind, and none of us have any idea what that will do to the long-term durability of the belt. It's more than simple weatherstripping rubber, but an engineered Kevlar-reinforced piece that must maintain exact dimensions.

 

My EB has 1 belt. I replaced said belt AND tensioner last year at 165K. Because I have had tensioners fail and left me walking- all that belt rides on is a tiny little sealed bearing in that plastic pulley; this is why I always change it all out on a vehicle when I buy it.
The belt and entire tensioner was like $60 so I git peace of mind.
I thought I knew how tensioners worked but learned that the device inside the spring unit does eventually wear and cause tension to slack over time. Just replac e

 

"Beechkid nailed it. With modern EPDM belts you can't normally tell if the belt is worn without that little plastic gauge. As "downtowner99" stated replacing the tensioner should be replaced when the belt is replaced. Why would you want a new belt not tensioned correctly?

 

I disagree. To me, replacing a tensioner is like replacing ignition coils at a certain interval; they are not maintenance items that will necessarily wear out over time.

I no longer subscribe to the service manual for the F150, but there was a blurb in the description for the tensioning system in almost every manual I've seen about the tensioner being designed for the life of the vehicle. There is a procedure to check the tensioner for correct operation, and I've attached the relevant page from the 2004 Super Duty manual because it's the only Ford service manual I've got my hands on at the moment.

If the tensioner is working correctly, throwing the parts store at it is not going to make truck run better or last longer. Something else to consider is the "bathtub curve", which is the principle that part failures are most likely to occur in the very beginning or the very end of the product lifecycle. So replacing a working tensioner in the middle of its normal lifecycle may cause more harm than good.