Losing Power Steering belts + Timing question.

[sinjin]

Lately I've been going through some power steering belts. Uncertain about the cause, I have simply been buying cheap belts to keep me going while telling myself i'd get to it later.

This time, the belt broke just before pulling into my neighborhood a few nights ago. Thinking it not a big deal, the following morning I attempt to limp down to the local parts store...but after a short stop at a convenience store, my car was idling horribly upon restart. SO, I turned around and limped back to the house...and found the timing belt wobbling about, turned the engine off and could depress the timing belt by hand. not good. A couple of days later, the timing belt tension is back to normal. eerie.

Now that i've had more downtime to look at the pulleys, I notice the water pump pulley extends outwards almost 1/2" beyond the rest of the pulley locations. Obviously this must be the reason for my going through so many belts...right? Not sure why the pulley extends so far, I assume I must have purchased the wrong part when doing the timing belt maintenance a couple years ago.

As for the rough idle, when starting the car in normal mode, the timing indicators are bouncing all over the place. While in diagnostic mode, everything seems to be running fine. I found no codes, reset the ECU and eventually received a 25 (fuel pressure regulator?) but now that code has disappeared. Part of me is afraid the timing belt jumped while the tension was gone...so back to square one, lining everything up proper-like.

Anyhow, does anyone have any insight to either my pulley issue or why the engine may be running so roughly? any help is appreciated!

[mazdags94]

Could be running rough because of bad timing- due to bad tension. When you did the timing belt, did you replace your tensioner? Also, what size/type of engine do you have? How many miles?

Not sure why your water pump sticks out so far. Could be the wrong part.

[sinjin]

yes i changed the tensioner out for a new one. i drive a GS, factory K8 with about 230k miles on it.

[sinjin]

determined engine issue to be crank angle sensor, but i still have an issue with my water pump pulley alignment. i'd love some advice since i can't keep a belt on my water pump...

[sinjin]

Okay. after cross-referencing auto part sites for differences in water pumps, i've come to find that there are "early style" and "late style" models. the difference being either a 16mm or 32mm I.D. i wasn't made aware of this at the time of purchase, and so had no idea i would be having such problems. awesome.

so, now it appears that i need a "early style" pulley to match my new water pump. i don't have much money at the moment, but if anyone in the Atlanta area would be willing to trade a early style pulley they might have laying around for my late style pulley...please hit me up.

thanks!

[RX8SE3P]

Ahhh interesting. Thought you might have noticed while changing though hehe. Good luck changing the water pump, it's such a b---- to stuff on that area of the engine.

[PATDIESEL]

just buy the correct pulley from Rock-Auto. It is the easiest way to take care of the issue. I dunno about your timing issue. I would pull the timing cover and have a look in there if I were you. Timing is kind of important for engine life

[sinjin]

Thanks Patdiesel, but the timing issue just turned out to be the crank angle sensor. I haven't gotten a new one yet but unplugging the faulty one lets me get around for the moment.

surprisingly, i didn't notice the difference at the time i replaced the water pump. honestly the pumps were considerably different, and with the late hours i had to work on my car at i may have been too tired to pay attention(?). in any case, i was DEFINITELY not informed at the time i had purchased the equipment...even now online i only find SOME parts sites that mention it. i could've bought a new pulley with the money i've wasted on belts.