Car maintenance is essential if you want your car to stand the tests of time. There is plenty of responsibility for car owners, some of which really goes overlooked. There are many things that people do not realize they can take care of themselves. The drive belt is one of these things that you can both check on and change yourself if needed. This is just one of many items under your hood that you should be paying close attention to. It certainly does not hurt to keep a list of the things that you should be checking on regularly.
You may find that your drive belt squeals when it is in need of replacement. It is a very noticeable sound that is easily identifiable once you have heard it. If you do have it serviced by someone else, make sure that it is someone that is certified to do so. There are many oil and lube places that do not have fully licensed mechanics. Getting these people to do that is not at all recommended. It is much better to do it yourself or seek out a certified auto shop.
The car should always be turned off and the engine cooled down before you attempt to do any kind of maintenance under the hood. To neglect this could result in burns or other injuries. Checking on the drive belt is something that you should do every so often when you check your oil or have it changed. This is a good, regular schedule for maintenance. You need to be aware if your drive belt is breaking down or becoming incredibly worn. If it were to break completely you could be stuck stranded and in need of a tow truck.
You need to know what to look for when you are checking over your drive belt. If there are small cracks or signs of wear, that is generally normal and nothing to worry about. However, if you notice large splits or tears in the belt, then you will need to replace it. Look for such things as frays or obvious stretching as well. Those are great indicators that your belt is close to the end of its lifespan.
You may prefer to equip yourself with a tension gauge before you replace any of your belts. It will help you to measure the accurate tension so that you do not put the new one on too tight or too loose. There is a tension adjuster near your belts as well which is for securing it to the right level of tightness. You need to be careful when doing this. Check your manual if you are not sure where to find it.
Removal of the old belt is relatively easy. You simply release the tension with the tension adjuster and then slip the belt off of the pulleys. Replacing it with the new one is much the same. Make sure that the new belt is the right one for your vehicle as well as the correct size. Double check this before you get started.
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