s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

[roscoe]

Took a little road trip today, about 200miles.<br />Got to within 1 mile of home and smelled burning rubber as a semi passed me and I turned onto my road. Went 3/4 mile more and the lights dimmed, volt meter to 10 !!!<br /><br />1/8 till home so I kept going.<br /><br />It seems the smooth idler roller just to the drivers side of the alternator has siezed up, causing the serpentine belt to slide across it, eventually breaking the belt. It was hot !! Belt only 10 months old and still looked new when I checked it last month.<br /><br />So ?? Is this a typical failure?<br />I have never had or heard of one of these siezing before.<br />Should be an easy fix, once I get the parts.<br /><br />Glad it happened close to home or I would still be walkin to get a tow truck.

 

[Pascal]

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

I just changed the serp belt on my Jeep last week. Gave the idler a spin while the belt was off and made another trip to NAPA. It sounded dry and rough and the surface was well worn too. The aligning ridge in the center was worn flat.<br /><br />Some use a greasing needle to work under the seal and give it some gun grease then seal it with a bit or RTV. <br /><br />My now SIL had one go in the middle of winter when he was sparkin my daughter.... Was making a noise and wobbled around on the mount when he started it up in the driveway so loaned him one of our vehicles to git him on home till he fixed it the next day. <br /><br />Glad you only had a close call and not a long walk.....<br /><br />JD

 

[roscoe]

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

...."when he was sparkin my daughter"....<br /><br />I guess that doesn't mean what I thought it meant, otherwise he would have been dead. !!!!

 

[snapperbait]

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Typical failure, far as I'm concerned..<br /><br />I had the tentioner pulley crap out on me in the middle of BFE, Georgia at 6am on a saturday some years back... The pulley got so hot that it seperated from the bearing and flew off with the bolt and siezed bearing still in place... I found what was left of the pulley months later, lodged in a tight spot on the core support while trying to track down a rattle in the front end...<br /><br />Ever since, I carry a spare pulley, a 5/8ths socket & ratchet to change it, and a couple of belts.... Never again...Knock on wood!..

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Yes a common failure but an easy fix. Just be aware of the quality of the replacement. There are cheap chinese manufacrured ones out there that DO NOT last. Purchase only OEM part.