Worn drive belt...pulley or tensioner problem?

[bimmo_2007]

Hi there, I am having a bad week apparently!! First the P/S hoses and now the belt. Ok here it goes I was driving back home and all of a sudden I heard a clink noise from inside of the engine compartment and the steering felt very heavy -like engine off-and all dash lights came on. Fortunately I was few hundred yards from home. The bad news is that I found the belt is burned and the P/S plastic pulley is broken into countless pieces and the fan blades as well. I was wondering what caused the pulley to break. Could it be the belt tensioner or the P/S pump? My belt tensioner is mechanical one -spring loaded-and it looks normal, but my mechanic -who is a liar & stealer- told me that this spring might be worn. I also noticed that the steering pump moves freely but not same as other pulleys like the water pump or the idler pulleys, so I was wondering is that normal or it should move freely just like other pulleys, water pump, idler, etc..? And is there any chance the spring loaded belt tensioner can get worn-although the spring looks good from outside.

Thanks in advance

[russiankid]

Make sure all the pulleys spin freely. How much different is the power steering pump in comparison to the other pulleys? It should be very easy to spin.

[bimmo_2007]

Make sure all the pulleys spin freely. How much different is the power steering pump in comparison to the other pulleys? It should be very easy to spin.

All pulleys spin freely, but like I said the P/S pully is slightly different, not really harder to spin but still not free as water pump or other pulleys.

[Ross]

The PS is a positive displacement pump so should offer some resistance. The WP is only an impeller so is very easy to turn slowly as is the alt. and idlers. A/C should freewheel unless it's clutch is engaged.
I'd examine the remains of the belt for evidence of slipping on a dragging accessory pulley or if it was deteriorated from the previously leaking oil.
The plastic fans on these cars disintegrate with alarming regularity so this may have been the cause. A seized fan clutch will exacerbate this.
Also a posibility the PS pulley was degraded by the leaking oil.

[genphreak]

And perhaps a faulty/worn tensioner, might allow the belt to slip off in some momentary high-slack situations... they need reg replacement, so with your belt I'd buy a new tensioner also. I recently bought new pulleys for mine too. Will do it once as it takes abit of effort and time geting all the way in and around that area.