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serpentine belt Midtown

All of us in Kansas City have those days when we’ve got a bunch of errands to run around the Midtown and Hyde Park area. Suppose on your day off you need to get gas, pick up some groceries, swing by your Kansas City ATM and get the kids from school. Now you could make four trips, but that would be a waste of time and money – totally inefficient. Instead you get organized and hit the ATM first and get some gas next. Then you go to your Kansas City supermarket and pick up the kids on the way home. Way better use of your time.

Now you may wonder what this has to do with your SUV. Well, back in the day, each of your engine’s accessories, like the alternator and air conditioner, were powered by separate belts. A vehicle might have 5 or 6 belts. These days, vehicles have a single belt to run all the accessories. It’s called the serpentine belt because it snakes around everything, efficiently connecting the accessories – like bundling your errands.

A pulley attached to the SUV engine’s crank provides the power to turn the serpentine belt. The belt may provide the power for the power steering pump, which makes it easier to steer your SUV. Next comes the alternator which generates electricity to run the vehicle’s electrical system and charge the battery. On to the air conditioning compressor. This helps make cold air to keep you comfortable all summer long in Kansas City.

On some vehicles the water pump or radiator fan or the power brakes are also run by the serpentine belt. Some even have two serpentine belts. No matter how your engine is arranged, you aren’t going far without a serpentine belt. Your car maker has a recommended interval for inspecting your belt and your Kansas City service professional can inspect it for damage or wear.

Finally, there is the belt tensioner. Its job is to apply pressure on the belt to keep it tight. Several years ago, auto makers started making serpentine belts out of a new material. It’s much more durable, but it’s harder to tell when the belt needs to be replaced. The old style belts would crack and chunks would fall off so you could easily see when you needed a new one.

On the new style belts, if the ribs wear too deep, it’s time to replace. Your service professional uses a simple gauge to tell when the belt is worn and you need a serpentine belt replacement. A worn belt stresses your SUV engine’s expensive accessories and causes them to wear prematurely.

So, change your serpentine belt and belt tensioner as recommended by your friendly I-70 Auto Service service professional to extend the life of your accessories and to prevent future breakdowns.

Give us a call

I-70 Auto Service
816.921.0505
3111 Stadium Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64128

At I-70 Auto Service in Kansas City MO (64128) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.921.0505. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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