Going again solely a few a long time, it was nonetheless widespread to see indicators at garages and gasoline station promoting substitute fan belts. Fan belts—or simply belts—had been instrumental to a car’s efficiency, as they linked necessary engine-powered equipment to the motor.
Why Don’t We Exchange Fan Belts Anymore?
One belt usually drove the engine cooling fan straight, whereas others dealt with the alternator, energy steering pump, water pump, and air-conditioning compressor. These belts required periodic handbook rigidity changes, and wore out steadily, so folks changed them usually—typically each 20,000–30,000 miles. Fashionable vehicles (usually from the Eighties onward) have required less-frequent belt upkeep for numerous causes. Listed below are a couple of:
Electrical cooling followers
Most automobiles now use electrical followers managed by the engine laptop. These activate solely when wanted (e.g., in site visitors or scorching climate), bettering gasoline effectivity and decreasing engine drag in comparison with always-on belt-driven followers. No devoted fan belt is required anymore.
Serpentine belts
A single, wider, ribbed belt (known as serpentine as a result of it snakes round a number of pulleys) changed the previous a number of V-belts. Serpentine belts drive most equipment and are adjusted with automated tensioners—no handbook changes wanted. These belts are extra sturdy than old-school fan belts.
Longer lifespan
Fashionable serpentine belts sometimes final 60,000–100,000 miles earlier than needing substitute, and will final the lifetime of the car. That mentioned, we suggest sticking to a car’s upkeep schedule and changing the serpentine belt as prescribed by the producer. Fashionable belts usually present clear put on indicators corresponding to cracks, glazing, squealing, effectively upfront of failure.
At the moment
We nonetheless change belts as we speak, however far much less steadily than we did old-school belts. If one fails now, it impacts the whole lot directly–no charging, no energy steering, no air con–so preventive substitute is really helpful throughout routine service.
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Fan Belt Photos
