Throwing belts!

Bought my Jimmy 2 months ago. Found a rust free example and was happy. The auxiliary belt was slipping soon after I bought it, but I thought no big deal as it seems common.

Three days into ownership, and it broke/threw off the belt. Got it to the local garage I use, and they replaced the belts. Expensive as they took out the radiator and did it properly.

Great, no slipping belt noises, and all week for six weeks.

Bad day today with two inches of snow. Jimmy did great getting me to work. Coming home I stopped for petrol. Bit of a slide coming out of the petrol station, and then a slipping belt sound for a coupe of seconds before they battery light came one.

Same old issue, trashed the belt and cooked itself! Just about got home in a blizzard, but it kept stalling in the driveway (probably due to overheating).

Any advise on why this is a repeated problem? The guy I bought it off said he replaced the alternator, battery and belts (although only the simple one was new) before he sold it. In retrospect I should have walked.

The car has cost me a fortune since I bought it. Belts £120, new cat £300, front discs and pads (after it a pad disintegrated, leaving me with no brakes, £120. New key £60. And now the belts again, hopefully just another £120!

I want to love this Jimny. Always liked them, and the need for a sensible winter car forced the purchase. I really want to keep it, use it, and keep it sound, but with the experience so far my head is saying get rid.

Any experiences and advice on solving the belt issue greatly appreciated. I really want to get the issue solved and improve and keep running this Jimmy till it dies.

Thanks

Hi, sorry you have issues. I dont think they throw or consume belts any quicker than any other vehicle, so it sounds like you may have problems elsewhere. Does the alternator and waterpump turn freely, PAS (it you have it) pump turn?
Sorry not an expert on belts as I need to change mine, but they have been on the vehicle for the 46K the car has travelled without issue, hence why I would look elsewhere.
Eurocarparts sell the belts for between £11 and £15 depending upon PAS or Alternator, dont look that hard to fit even if you keep the radiator in place, although undoubtedly easier with it removed.

Sounds like the crankshaft pulley is coming apart. Common problem. You shouldn't be paying £120 for new belts though! If a professional mechanic can't change the belts with the radiator in place he needs to hand in his tools. It's certainly not necessary to remove it to "do it properly".

Well, that’s a bummer.

You don't need to take the radiator out to do the belts. A pair of belts cost me less than £16 from Euro car parts and took less than 30 minutes to change outside the house. If you aren't good with spanners a mate with some should be able to help you easily enough.

I'd second that on the crank pulley.

I had a fair few things to get mine the way I wanted and everything sorted. It's worth doing - they are great fun and once right reliable, extraordinarily capable vehicles.

How hot did the engine get? Overheating is normally not good for an engine.

Best of luck.

Agreed that the underlying problem is the crank pulley. Also agree that your chosen professional is having a laugh with what they are charging you, I'm not saying they can't make a profit but 120 quid for both belts is obscene. I would also contend that if a car comes into a workshop with not just a squeaky belt but one shredded to bits as a professional they should have looked for causes like seized components or excess play and reported it back to you not just stuck on a new belt and let you come back for more when they fail again.

Stick with the Jimny though, they are very rewarding once they receive some tlc.

Sounds like the pulley, but you do not mention which engine (i.e. vehicle age) you have.

Pulley failure is a feature of M13 and M13VVT engines.