Drive Belt Replacement Melbourne

Drive Belt Replacement in Melbourne, at Your Door

The drive belt runs your alternator, power steering and air conditioning, and on many cars the water pump too. When it squeals, slips or snaps, those systems go with it. Mechanic Near You sends a mobile mechanic to your home or workplace across Melbourne's west. Drive belt replacement starts from $79 and takes about 30 minutes.

That squeal on a cold morning

You start the car and it shrieks. A few seconds later it stops, and you forget about it until tomorrow. Meanwhile the whole street knows what time you leave for work.

That noise is a belt slipping, and a belt that slips is on its way out. When it finally lets go, the battery light comes on, the steering goes heavy and the temperature gauge starts to climb.

It is one of the cheapest jobs on a car and one of the easiest to put off. We can do it in your driveway before it picks its own moment.

Drive belt, serpentine belt or fan belt?

They are names for the same job. Most modern cars have one long belt that snakes around every pulley at the front of the engine, which is why it is called a serpentine belt. Older cars use two or three separate V-belts, often called the fan belt and the alternator belt.

Whatever your car has, the belt takes power from the engine and turns the parts that keep the car charging, steering and cool. We replace all of these types.

Signs your drive belt needs replacing

• Squealing or chirping, mostly on start-up or when you turn the wheel
• Cracks, fraying or pieces missing from the belt
• A shiny, glazed surface on the ribbed side
• Steering that feels heavy
• A battery warning light on the dash
• Air conditioning that stops blowing cold
• A temperature gauge that climbs higher than usual

Why a belt can look fine and still be worn

Older belts cracked as they aged, so you could see the wear. Modern belts are made from a rubber called EPDM, and they wear differently. Belt maker Gates explains that these belts lose material from the ribs, much as a tyre loses tread, and can be close to failure without a single visible crack. Noise is often the first clue.

Drive belt or timing belt?

These two get confused, and the difference matters.

This page is about the drive belt. A timing belt is a different and much bigger job.

What happens when a drive belt breaks

Everything the belt was turning stops at once:

• The alternator stops charging. The battery light comes on and the car runs on battery power alone.
• The steering goes heavy, on cars where the belt drives the power steering pump. The car can still be steered, but it takes real effort.
• The air conditioning stops.
• The water pump stops, on the many cars where the belt drives it. The engine then begins to overheat.

Pull over as soon as it is safe and switch off. Driving on with no water pump can overheat the engine and turn a small job into a very large one.

What our drive belt replacement includes

1. Drive belt inspection. We confirm the belt is the cause of the noise or the fault.
2. Pulley inspection. A rough or wobbling pulley will destroy a new belt.
3. Tensioner inspection. The tensioner keeps the belt tight against the pulleys.
4. Drive belt replacement, with a belt that suits your vehicle's specifications.
5. Belt tension adjustment.
6. Engine operation and noise testing.
7. Final check before we hand the keys back.

Drive belt replacement cost

Our drive belt replacement starts from $79. The final price depends on your vehicle and the work required, and we confirm it before we start.

For comparison, published Australian price guides put a drive belt replacement at $100 to $400 or more. Three things move the price:

• How many belts. Some cars have one. Others have two or three.
• Access. On some engines other parts have to come off first.
• The tensioner. If it has failed as well, the same guides put a tensioner replacement at $200 to $400 for most cars.

How to get a drive belt quote

Call 0406 396 397 with your car's make, model, year and engine, and tell us what you are hearing. We give you a price before we come. Our car service quote guide explains how to compare quotes fairly.

How long does a drive belt last?

A standard drive belt lasts about 80,000 km. Modern EPDM belts can last 150,000 km or more. Gates advises inspecting the belt system from about 97,000 km and replacing worn parts by about 145,000 km, or as your car's maker recommends.

Age counts as well as distance, because engine-bay heat hardens rubber over time. Your logbook gives the interval for your car. A belt check is part of every general service and logbook service we do.

Should the tensioner be replaced too?

Not always. We inspect the tensioner and the pulleys on every job. A tensioner that is weak, noisy or wobbling will wear out a new belt quickly, so if yours has failed we tell you and explain the cost before going any further.

Drive belt replacement near you

We are based in Wyndham Vale and travel across Melbourne's west:

• Werribee and Hoppers Crossing
• Tarneit and Truganina
• Point Cook and Williams Landing
• Wyndham Vale, Manor Lakes and Eynesbury

See all our service areas for the rest.

When the belt has already done damage

A belt that slipped or snapped can leave other faults behind.

• Battery light still on after a new belt: the alternator may have failed. Alternator replacement is from $299.
• The engine overheated: the water pump or the coolant may need attention. Water pump replacement is from $149.
• The battery was drained flat: battery replacement is from $110 if it won't hold charge.
• Buying a used car: our pre-purchase inspection checks the drive belts, hoses and radiator.

Why drivers call us for a drive belt

• It is quick. Most belts are changed in about half an hour.
• We come to you. No workshop drop-off for a 30-minute job.
• We check what the belt runs on. A new belt on a bad pulley lasts weeks, not years.
• The price before the work. Nothing extra is done without your say-so.

Drive belt questions

How long does a drive belt replacement take?

About 30 minutes for most cars. Engines with more than one belt, or with tight access, take longer.

Can I drive with a squealing belt?

For a short while, but treat it as a warning. A belt that squeals is slipping, and a slipping belt can fail.

Can I drive with a broken drive belt?

No. The battery stops charging, the steering can go heavy and on many cars the engine starts to overheat. Pull over and call.

Why does my new belt still squeal?

Usually because the belt was not the whole problem. A weak tensioner or a pulley that is out of line will make a new belt squeal as well.

How much is a drive belt replacement in Melbourne?

With us, from $79. Published guides put the cost at $100 to $400 or more, depending on the car and the number of belts.

Do you replace fan belts on older cars?

Yes. We replace serpentine belts on modern cars and the separate V-belts found on older ones.

Belt squealing? Fix it before it snaps.

Call 0406 396 397 between 7 am and 9 pm, 7 days a week. Tell us what you are hearing, and we will give you a price and a time.