# Serpentine is shredding! Help!



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Take a close look at all the pulleys the belt runs over. Also make sure it's not rubbing against something.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Tensioner pulley is my guess? Would that cause belt to shred if bearing is shot?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> when I fired it up, the cooling fan sounded like it wanted to take off


That's either a bad sensor or a A/C problem. 

Assuming the two problems are connected, belt shredding makes me suspect A/C compressor is causing the belt shredding. Either the compressor is bad or it's really getting jammed up.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

You should have some serious squealing if the ac or other pulleys were froze up.

You would also have smoke


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

That's what I thought. She brought it home and said A/C quit working. I looked and belt was real skinny. Is there a way to check? I just assumed a/c quit because belt was too small to drive a/c. ??? It's very odd. When i replaced belt and started car. The cooling fan immediately went to sounding like it wanted to take off!


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Oh and no squealing and no smoke.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Sorry everyone. I'm self taught. Do I remove belt and hand crank each pulley? I mean to detect the problem? Thank you for all input. This is a great forum.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Yes remove the belt and spin each pulley to make sure each one can rotate. Also check the play in the pulleys to make sure they aren’t wobbling.

Another thing to ask is have you recently replaced anything in that area? Maybe an alternator or idler pulley or something else that required a pulley to be removed.

The a/c won’t work if you are overheating or the compressor isn’t spinning, both can happen Quickly and easily without a drive belt.


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## mbushen1 (Oct 15, 2014)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> I have 2011 Cruze LT 1.4L TURBO. Found my belt was shredding. I replaced today and when I fired it up, the cooling fan sounded like it wanted to take off and about 45 seconds later, the brand new belt started to shred. What is doing this??? Thank you in advance.


I had the same problem & when I went to change the belt, noticed tensioner pulley bearing was shot, allowing belt to wander. Replaced tensioner & belt & all's well.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Thank you! I finally got the money together to get into today and of course it rains. (No garage). Anyway, I suspect that is what is going on with mine. I do remember noticing the belt last week looked odd and looked as if it was wandering side to side. I learn as it comes up so after reading your post, I think it confirms my suspicion. I really do appreciate your response. It helps more than you know. Thank you!


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## Bob Lewis (Sep 8, 2016)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> I have 2011 Cruze LT 1.4L TURBO. Found my belt was shredding. I replaced today and when I fired it up, the cooling fan sounded like it wanted to take off and about 45 seconds later, the brand new belt started to shred. What is doing this??? Thank you in advance.


Check to see if any bolts are loose and working their way out of the front of the engine/front cover, etc.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Hey thanks. I will do that. I picked up the parts last night and get to dig in today. I hand turned the pulleys last night and the idler pulley has some drag to it. So I will go over everything with a good inspection. Thank you again.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

If you disconnect the mass airflow sensor connector at the air cleaner without first putting all the circuits to sleep by pulling the negative battery cable, you'll get the fast rocket fan at startup. Same goes for the pressure sensor in the intake piping near the throttle body. 

This car needs to be put to sleep, before disconnecting electrical connectors. Nearly all the circuits under the hood are monitored all the time even with the key out of the ignition. 

Check the water pump pulley as well, these 1.4's are known to have water pump issues, and you should be covered by the 150,000 mile 10 year extended warranty if it is indeed the pump. 

I did the pump myself, the impeller on the 2011/2012 is plastic.. The new AcDelco Professional pump at Rockauto is metal.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Oh wow thanks. Is the water pump pulley the very bottom pulley. It resembles the camshaft pulley?


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Water pump pulley I believe off the top of my head is smooth.. It's in the middle above the main crankshaft, which is center and at the bottom. Alternator tward the back, and air conditioning lower front near bumper. No power steering pump on these. It's all electrical.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

And again, it's why I love this forum. Thank you for all the info. I'm headed out now to get into this. I'll post an update after i'm finished. Thank you for everything.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Well everyone, that was a no go as well. And after looking at it real close at start up, it's the tensioner assembly. It's slightly bowed out and it's helping the bottom of pulley to look a little cockeyed as well. So it's back to the parts store and another $85 for an assembly and another belt. I did pull negative cable and it helped the fan so thank you! Have a good one.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Hi again. So as you might have seen. I believe it's the whole tensioner assembly that is bad. I just purchased a new one. Is there anything special I should know before installing the part??? Thank you!


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Not that I can think of. Every tensioner I’ve ever done is remove and replace.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Also I think most tensioners are reverse thread. So you would tighten the bolt to loosen it... (counter clockwise to remove) if that makes sense.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Thank you. There is a cotter pin at top of spring. Do I pull that out once I secure the assembly? Or no, don't touch!!??? Lol.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

I’d have to look at mine quick. I got my traverse all torn apart but give me a sec and I’ll check on it.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> Thank you. There is a cotter pin at top of spring. Do I pull that out once I secure the assembly? Or no, don't touch!!??? Lol.


I looked at my tensioner and I would say no don’t worry about pulling that pin out.


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Ok it's all finished! Lol. Quite a learning experience. Thank you to all who responded. It helped!


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## funkyman (Apr 15, 2017)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> I have 2011 Cruze LT 1.4L TURBO. Found my belt was shredding. I replaced today and when I fired it up, the cooling fan sounded like it wanted to take off and about 45 seconds later, the brand new belt started to shred. What is doing this??? Thank you in advance.


dude the car is almost a decade old with only a 1.4 litre engine get rid of it it's junk


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## Kdo_1129 (Jul 2, 2021)

Cruzewoeisme said:


> Hi again. So as you might have seen. I believe it's the whole tensioner assembly that is bad. I just purchased a new one. Is there anything special I should know before installing the part??? Thank you!


Hey bud I am having the same issue right now. Did it end up being the tensioner?


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## Cruzewoeisme (Jul 15, 2019)

Yes indeed. I've learned you must replace tensioner every time you change belt! Bad design for sure! Good luck! Let me know if you need anything else.


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