Author Topic: Spraying WD40 on fan belt  (Read 9768 times)

u587162

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Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« on: December 10, 2017, 12:35:25 PM »
Car sometimes makes a high pitch squeak type sound when starting up and driving off.

I sprayed some WD40 on the fan belt when the engine is running.  Was that a bad idea?  How does one know when the fan belt needs changing and what is the cost of it (56 plate Jazz)?


culzean

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2017, 01:30:35 PM »
If you didn't need a new belt before you probably do now - the Kevlar and polyurethane micro-V belt will last pretty much for ever - there is no set replacement period, our local Honda service manager told me his had done 120,000 miles and still OK,  they only replace if badly cracked or frayed. 

Your belt probably just needed a small adjustment.  They cost about £50 from dealer for belt,  don't know what they charge for fitting, they obviously don't get much demand for new belts as last time I tried to buy one they said they don't keep in stock and would have to order it in, that is when tech told me about his car,  so I did not replace my belt as it looked OK and was still OK when I traded car in at over 120,000 miles.

But WD-40 on the belt wont do any good as belt relies on friction to work,  its a bit like spraying it on your brakes or clutch plate.

There is a deflection idling roller on belt,  sometimes if bearing gives up it can squeak.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2017, 02:27:08 PM by culzean »
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guest7267

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2017, 03:35:31 PM »
I agree with culzean. Probably the belt wont last very long anymore. I suggest you replace the belt soonest with a new one and correctly adjusted the new one will not squeak.
I did once the same mistake and sprayed something like WD40 on a previous car and soon after that the belt broke off.

culzean

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2017, 04:07:15 PM »
All drive belts are not equal,  I used to be engineering manager in a large automated pharmaceutical warehouse and we learned the hard way that Contitech (Continental) micro V belts and some other 'good' brands were a waste of time and money- just not up to the job,  we used to buy more expensive Gates Kevlar corded polyurethane belts and they paid for themselves many times over - you cannot put a price on peace of mind that a belt is not going to break during peak activity periods in the warehouse.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest5079

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2017, 05:21:17 PM »
When our Rover V6 needed timing belts done, there are THREE, I found a chap who looked after Mercedes vans to do the job. Rover specialist wanted £1000 to do it. He insisted he bought  Gates belts. He claimed they were by a country mile the best one can buy. Surprisingly enough they didn't cost any more than others.

Jocko

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2017, 05:59:53 PM »
Timing belts are a totally different issue to a fan/aux belt.

MartinJG

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2017, 06:12:56 PM »
Timing belts are a totally different issue to a fan/aux belt.

Yes. You don't really want a timing/cam belt to go ping. Not a problem with the Jazz though as it has a chain. Much better idea and surprisingly quiet too. Odd when you think the selling point of rubbery belts was their silence. Oh, and a way of fleecing the public of course when they are due for replacement. Not a five minute job.

culzean

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2017, 06:26:52 PM »
Timing belts are a totally different issue to a fan/aux belt.

Yes. You don't really want a timing/cam belt to go ping. Not a problem with the Jazz though as it has a chain. Much better idea and surprisingly quiet too. Odd when you think the selling point of rubbery belts was their silence. Oh, and a way of fleecing the public of course when they are due for replacement. Not a five minute job.

You don't really want any belt to go ping especially if it can be prevented by paying a few extra quid for a quality one.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

MartinJG

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2017, 07:57:49 PM »
Timing belts are a totally different issue to a fan/aux belt.

Yes. You don't really want a timing/cam belt to go ping. Not a problem with the Jazz though as it has a chain. Much better idea and surprisingly quiet too. Odd when you think the selling point of rubbery belts was their silence. Oh, and a way of fleecing the public of course when they are due for replacement. Not a five minute job.

You don't really want any belt to go ping especially if it can be prevented by paying a few extra quid for a quality one.

True, but if I had to make a choice, I would go for the alternator/fan belt. Back in the old days when troubleshooting on the hoof was the norm and improvisation was the name of the game, I seem to recall women's tights/stockings came in handy as a temporary fix for a broken 'fan' belt and the striker 'bit' on a match box (no safety matches please) was a must for cleaninig the points in a distributor cap on a wet and windy night. Yes, things have certainly moved on.

u587162

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2017, 09:49:17 PM »
So just to clarify does anyone want to change their response in case they thought I meant timing belt rather than the fan belt towards the front of the car given that someone said there is no timing belt on this car just a chain?

Was I supposed to have sprayed the Wd40 on something else if not the belt itself.  Feel like a plonker now!  Car still drove ok when I tried it this morning.  Will the car still move if the belt does snap or whatever?

MartinJG

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2017, 12:01:41 AM »

I think the feeling is that WD40 is a lubricant and therefore probably not the best thing to put on a belt which needs to grip the pulley. The common symptom of a loose fan/alternator belt is a squeeking or screeching sound cause by slipping, often in adverse weather. It can normally be tightened. If has stetched or is damaged beyond adjustment a replacement is fairly straightforward.

culzean

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 08:23:58 AM »
So just to clarify does anyone want to change their response in case they thought I meant timing belt rather than the fan belt towards the front of the car given that someone said there is no timing belt on this car just a chain?

Was I supposed to have sprayed the Wd40 on something else if not the belt itself.  Feel like a plonker now!  Car still drove ok when I tried it this morning.  Will the car still move if the belt does snap or whatever?

Never spray a lubricant on any belt (although WD is not a very good lubricant in the field of lubrication).

Doubt if the micro V  'auxiliary serpentine' belt will break, the original Honda one will be made of polyurethane which is pretty impervious to oils (timing belts are almost certain to be fully enclosed and are a toothed belt, and do not squeak because they are toothed and cannot slip relative to pulleys) - but will probably have less grip but because of WD will not squeak.  Belts more liable to squeak in cold weather because of extra load on alternator and also because belt material gets harder and less grippy. 

 In my experience in industry WD-40 dries to a tacky mess anyway when left,  and attracts dirt like a dirt magnet,  so who knows it may improve grip.  Belt is unlikely to break,  but if it does you will lose alternator,  aircon and water pump,  so alternator warning light will come on and car will continue to work until battery goes flat,  but will probably overheat before then due to lack of cooling water flow.

If you do not feel confident yourself take car to garage......they may just tighten belt a bit.  You have to be careful with modern belts,  they are very strong in tension with little or no stretch,  so if belt is tightened too much it can ruin alternator, water pump and aircon bearings plus the bearing of the idler roller.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 08:35:04 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest5079

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2017, 09:12:11 AM »
I am quite aware of the difference between timing belts and alternator drive belts. I was merely endorsing an earlier comment about Gates' belts and the importance of buying the best where possible for essential 'services' as the alternator and water pump.
Having had an alternator belt break at night, dark and raining, it was touch and go to get home. With the miniscule battery fitted to the Jazz I suspect it would be out of the question to get more than a few miles at night in the dark.
There is also the question of cooling, no belt, the temperature soon rises.
Of course at the end of the day it is a matter or personal choice and economics.

Jocko

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Re: Spraying WD40 on fan belt
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2017, 10:32:31 AM »
I am quite aware of the difference between timing belts and alternator drive belts.
I certainly was not insinuating that you didn't. What I meant was that for a Timing Belt I would by the best, whereas for a Fan/Alternator belt I would accept any suitable belt of reasonable quality. Such as the SKF belt I linked to (SKF are a reputable manufacturer of bearings, pulleys etc)

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