ac/ps/alt belts snapped

[dublee]

Driving along today and started to hear what sounded like gravel hitting the wheel arches, turned out to be the ps/aircon/alt belts.

Stopped the engine asap, hopefully no damage done, i'm not sure if the timing belt went, don't think so, i cant see the belt due to the cover.

If the timing belt is grand, can the car be driven to a garage?

Last year everything but the main crank pulley was replaced.

Am i better off replacing all belts and pulleys including the timing again this time, or just the belts that snapped and the main crank pulley? There is less than 10k on all other belts & pulleys

[Kieran]

If both belts have gone, you might run out of electricity before you get there. You've got about 5-10 miles without the alternator, assuming you've got a good condition cold-spec (IE Big!) battery.

If the cam covers are undamaged, don't sweat about the cambelt.

[Chip]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GALANT-2-5-VR4-97-02-P-S-PAS-POWER-STEERING-BELT-A-C-/250603360176?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a591fcfb0

[Rambaud]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GALANT-2-5-VR4-97-02-P-S-PAS-POWER-STEERING-BELT-A-C-/250603360176?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a591fcfb0

I don't think that is the right one, as it's for cars without air-con?

[dublee]

thanks guys, camskill is where i'll get the belts and main crank pulley.

finding a mechanic to do it is my main problem.

[Davezj]

it is an easy job to do yourself. it sould only take about 30mins to change the altinator and PS/aircon belts.

well that is if you don't have an under tray, and the correct tools. the only difficult bit is getting the altinator idler pulley nut undone. idealy you will need a 1/4in rachet with a 14mm socket. it is possible to undo the nut with a ring spanner but deppending how tight it is you run the risk of rounding it off.
the other 3 nuts and bolts are all 14mm normal socket types.

[dublee]

After reading the article on changing the belts think i will try it myself.

Do i need any special tools to get the crank pulley undone? I cant find much info about it at all.

I don't want to start the job and get stuck trying to remove the pulley.

[Johnny_Cashed]

Make sure you have a shallow socket to get to the 14mm nut, there's very little room. Also, watch out for shearing the wheel arch liner bolts - thanks Mitsubishi it was a great idea to use metal nuts and bolts in an area subjected to road salt :blahblah:

[Nick Mann]

Check out the cambelt change article for the crank pulley.

[waxer]

If the engine still runs, the timing belt is obviously OK for now. But I'd be really worried about why the belts snapped, especially if they've done less than 10k.
If, as I read it, they were all replaced together less than 10k ago, I would definately replace the timing belt for peace of mind.

[wintertidenz]

If the belts have snapped already I would suspect that they haven't been tensioned up properly or they just weren't replaced. I would be a bit suspect of the place that did it...