Catera serpentine belt- help needed

You haven't been to a Cadillac dealer yet?

Ian

New recommended belt from auto parts store is too small. Any suggestions on what the problem is? Should I just ask for a belt that is an inch longer ? Are there different size belts used on this engine? Tim Urbin Bluff City, TN ________________________________________________

We replaced the alternator on our 92 Buick and suddenly the belt was too tight. We double-checked with the auto parts dealer who showed us it was the correct alternator specified for our car, but we found the new pulley was larger than the old one. The dealer installed the old pulley on the new alternator and everything was fine.

If the Catera belt length problem comes from a prior pulley change, a longer belt will do the job. Record the part number of the longer belt for future reference.

Wendy & John. _______________________________________________

Hello, Ian!

No I haven't- should I? It seems to be a straight forward process if the belt is the right size. Am I missing something that would require a dealer to address?

Tim

Thanks! That is helpful to know as I was suspecting something was different since the belt that broke was larger than the standard belt. The history of this vehicle is not clear so a changed pulley is a strong possibility.

Tim

My experience has been that you often don't get the right belt from aftermarket places for specialized applications like the Catera. I'd be getting an original GM belt and trying that before you worry about whether the pulleys are the original size or not.

Ian

Oh- thanks, Ian. I misunderstood. I thought you meant for them to do the work on it- I wasn't thinking for getting the part. How does the cost compare to aftermarket prices? Competitive? The aftermarket prices ranged from a low of $14 for a Kelly-Springfield to a high of $40 for a Dayco.

As always, your responses are very helpful!

Tim

That I don't know. No doubt it's much more expensive...but then again, if it fits...can't beat that.

Ian