Blowing Serpantine belts

[battery_aaa]

I have a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, V6 4.0L engine. Approx 138,000 Miles on the clock

I have been having a problem with my belt squeaking after about 2-3 weeks after installing a new one. I have gone through about 4 Gates belts that were all good fresh rubber. I also replaced the belt tension-er with a Gates aftermarket. as well as replaced all the other idler pulleys with OEM Toyota ones.

After speaking with Toyota Parts Barn Dealers. they recommended i install the Toyota belt tension-er and a Toyota belt. The belt lasted about 1.5 months no squeaking until it self destructed. i did notice a slight wobble over the idler pulley between the power steering pulley and the water pump pulley. I just installed a new gates belt again as it was all i could get when the Toyota one snapped. however i took a short video of the play in the Power Steering pulley before i installed the new belt. I will attach the link as soon as you tube approves the video. I am wondering if the play in the pulley is normal I'm guessing about 1/4" inch in and out i cannot make the pulley wobble it only moves in and out. there is also no leaking from the power steering pump and i would estimate this issue being at least 2.5 years going on now.



Further notes i have also installed a the new Harmonic Balancer "revised part number"


Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhv7cnDFM3w


Any Ideas ?

 

[aha2988]

The only accounts I've seen or dealt with on belts destroying themselves after install has been a tiny pebble or rock stuck in one of the pulley's grooves.

I know on the third gens at least on one 4 cylinder i worked on if you installed the power steering pump pulley backwards it was about a 1/4" out of alignment with all the other drive pulleys. (luckily i noticed that before I put the belt on haha.)

Edit after video watch: there shouldnt be any play in that pulley like that at all is the retaining nut loose? or is the shaft moving with the pulley in and out of the PS pump?

why have you had to change so many pulleys and the harmonic balancer? I understand the idler and tensioner pulley change out's (trying to determine which pulley is causing trouble) but why the harmonic balancer has the vehicle been in a front end collision?

 

[having fun]

I noticed as you pull the pulley in and out, it as a wable to it also.
No bearing howl or anything, coming from there.

That much play in/out, side by side wable would definitely cause the premature belt to fail.

 

[battery_aaa]

I cleaned out all the grooves in all the pulleys that have them every time I've installed a new belt. I have heard of debris causing belt issues.

I changed out the ideler pulleys because they had rust and pitting on the belt path. and was hoping that would solve the problem. I also read on a Forum that toyota has had a few issues with the Harmonic Balancer on the 1GRFE engine and there has been several revisions in the design. I replaced it as shot in the dark hoping that was my issue. I'm located in the Cayman Islands and the local Toyota Dealer is also a Ford dealer and they don't specialize on either brand. Further the markup on their parts is way higher than it should be and they don't usually stock much. so i usually end up ordering my parts online. and it seems i'm getting to the expensive parts now and i don't want to keep replacing good parts.

I have not removed the pulley on the PS pump its still factory installed and from the way the design of the pulley looks it has the bolt/shaft pressed on to it so it only attaches one way.

The Vehicle has not been in any accidents.

 

[battery_aaa]

The PS Pump is quite not making any noise and not leaking. before i installed the new belt i thought that i would see if anything had play in it. this is the only item i would assume if the bearings are going the seal wouldn't last long.

 

[LobstaMobsta]

Power steering pulley should not be moving in and out

 

[having fun]

The PS Pump is quite not making any noise and not leaking. before i installed the new belt i thought that i would see if anything had play in it. this is the only item i would assume if the bearings are going the seal wouldn't last long.

So, you are saying that when you changed all the other belts that broke and pulleys, you just now checked the pulleys on the ps and air conditioner, ect.
And just noticed it was lose/play in it.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Something is wrong with the powersteering pump, that pulley has far too much play in it.

I assume the pulley bolt is properly tightened? Which indicates a possible internal failure. What I mean is that the attachment of the pulley shaft to whatever gear/lobe/end piece that is used in the powersteering pump has broken or come loose.

At this point you will probably be better off replacing the powersteering pump if in fact it damaged internally.

 

[battery_aaa]

Yes I guess i should have checked it first. I was under the impression the PS pump would develop a leak if the bearing or pulley shaft was out of alignment.

Something is wrong with the powersteering pump, that pulley has far too much play in it.

I assume the pulley bolt is properly tightened? Which indicates a possible internal failure. What I mean is that the attachment of the pulley shaft to whatever gear/lobe/end piece that is used in the powersteering pump has broken or come loose.

At this point you will probably be better off replacing the powersteering pump if in fact it damaged internally.

 

[battery_aaa]

The pulley is tight from the pictures of the part i've seen online the pulley is pressed onto the shaft which is threaded and tightens in the direction of the belt rotation. I just want to make sure its worth spending the $300 on a new one. dont want to get a new one and find out its normal.

Something is wrong with the powersteering pump, that pulley has far too much play in it.

I assume the pulley bolt is properly tightened? Which indicates a possible internal failure. What I mean is that the attachment of the pulley shaft to whatever gear/lobe/end piece that is used in the powersteering pump has broken or come loose.

At this point you will probably be better off replacing the powersteering pump if in fact it damaged internally.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

The shaft might not have any runout on the pulley itself, but it should not be sliding in and out like that. Just as little as about an 1/8 an inch of deflection from the pulley sliding forward will tweak the belt and munch it up. I've seen this a bit on misaligned or tweaked supercharger pulleys off by only a few MM from centerline.

 

[TechWrench]

I don't think the play in the power steering idler pulley is normal. Also, do know if the TSB EG012-03, to have the Serpentine belt and tensioner replaced was ever done? This TSB was designed to solve a problem with improper tensioner pulley alignment, which could cause premature belt failure and belt noise.

 

[battery_aaa]

Yes i've looked into the TSB but it only applied to the 2003 models. I have replaced my Belt Tensioner with the latest part number. which is the corrected one for that TSB.


I have just ordered the PS pump based on most of the reply's i'm fairly certain that this is the issue.

I don't think the play in the power steering idler pulley is normal. Also, do know if the TSB EG012-03, to have the Serpentine belt and tensioner replaced was ever done? This TSB was designed to solve a problem with improper tensioner pulley alignment, which could cause premature belt failure and belt noise.