aux belt issue! very close call, panicking slightly and need some advice :)

[s3an2009]

hi there i have a little issue with my 05 clio 182 cup basically i was driving down a road around 50mph andi noticed suddenly i lost my power steering as i looked down at the clocks i noticed my battery and stop light where on instantly had a panick attack and turned the car off popped the bonnet to find my aux belt literally on top of my engine not tangled in anything tensioners fine its just baffled me how its just threw the belt off it was changed like 2500 miles ago genuine renault...

been having a weird dry bearing noise from around belt area lately thinking maybe water pumps seized?

any suggestions going to take it apart tomorrow and look..,.

 

[scotty2hotty81]

So you had a belt changed, but no tensioner/pulley?

 

[s3an2009]

Both where changed ofcourse

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Just check if all the pulleys move ok, belt could have been fitted incorrectly (easily done) seen them fitted not quite right on the p/s pump pulley.

 

[s3an2009]

Its been fine for this long though? Why all of a sudden?

 

[wrc172]

Could of just got a foreign body caught in the belt.

I would re fit, double check, and monitor.

 

[Dave..]

Fit a new belt at the very least. If the belts flicked off like that, I'd imagine somethings been chewed on it. They're under a lot of tension and the edges of the pulleys could have damaged the belt as it hopped off.

 

[Dan519]

the noises you've heard will be related. you'll have to have it looked at to see what's been doing it

 

[s3an2009]

All fixed now...turned out the alternator and the bracket that mounts the aircon pump and alternator had snapped!

 

[mikekean]

I just picked up a 172 with a very similar issue. Top bracket on the alternators had snapped causing the belt to loose tension and come off. Very weird.

 

[lemonnobby]

Snapped I've never seen that happen.

 

[Djw Dave]

Somthing similar happened to mines at knockhill

was very odd

 

[slob]

The start of 2012?

 

[MicKPM]

I've seen that failure a couple I times now.

Why it happens, I believe, is the bottom bolt comes out due to incorrect assembly and the alternator is pulled round by belt tension/force and it snaps the casting.

 

[Gavins182]

Seen the same before.. fractured when refitting the new belt etc over tightened nut?

 

[niall.pearce.7]

Exact same happened to mine.

 

[s3an2009]

I've seen that failure a couple I times now.

Why it happens, I believe, is the bottom bolt comes out due to incorrect assembly and the alternator is pulled round by belt tension/force and it snaps the casting.

This is exactly what happened!!