Serpentine belt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A serpentine belt is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple peripheral devices in an automotive engine, such as an alternator, power steering pump, water pump, A/C compressor, air pump, etc. The belt may also be guided by idle pulleys, and/or belt tensioners. Not all cars have an air pump; cars without an air conditioner (A/C) don't have an A/C compressor. It was invented by Jim Vance while working for the Gates Rubber Company, and first used by Ford Motor Company for the 1979 Mustang.
It is more efficient than the older multiple belt system. By using a single, wider belt instead of multiple, thinner belts, the belt may be put under increased tension without stretching. Higher tension reduces slip, which increases belt life and mechanical efficiency. Reduced slip can allow the use of lower-ratio pulleys; this reduces the load on the engine, increasing gas mileage and available power. Additionally, it is easier for the driver to know when the belt has broken, since this will cause the steering resistance to suddenly increase. With multiple belt systems, if a single belt breaks, such as the alternator belt, the driver may not realize that there is a problem until the engine fails completely.
Serpentine belts are also much easier to maintain and change, since there is no need to remove multiple belts to replace a single broken or worn belt. Removal of belts can itself cause stress and premature wear.
The drawback of this single belt is that if the belt breaks, the vehicle loses all peripheral devices. There are some cars that use 2 serpentine belts for their system, such as the 95-99 DOHC Nissan Maxima.
