cooling system and belt problems!

[jakemprater]

Hey guys, hopefully yall can help me. first off ill tell ya what were workin with. i have an 87 f150 2wd 300 I6 4spd EFI. Ok so tonight me and the wife go on a drive, i start to hear my belt squeal. Earlier this week i put a new alternator on and new belt. tore it to shreds, got one an inch longer and that leads us to tonight. i hear the bet squeal and hop out and look at it. the belt had jumped up and is riding on the edge of the PS pump and tensioner. so i slid it back on how it should be. it starts to squeal again. this time i pull over at the gas station and my temp gauge is a wee bit on the high side but not too bad, and then it drops down back to cool, i have no heat and my motor isnt hot. i pop my hood and there is coolant EVERYWHERE! looks to be coming from the radiator cap (also brand new) so i fill it back up with coolant and test drive it. my heat is freezing cold and none of my hoses are pressurized or hot, my radiator isnt hot and motor isnt overheating or anything, and i still have a belt squeal. i was thinking it was my thermostat being stuck open but i just replaced it 4 days ago and it was working just fine. and that wouldnt explain why it happened after my belt slipped. what is going on?!?!?! can anyone please help!!!! THANKS!

 

[F150]

Maybe the wrong alt./pulley? Compare it to the one you changed out.. Sounds like the belt slip could be affecting the water pump.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Since your belt is squealing so badly, I am going to guess it is not letting the water pump turn. Check and make sure all your pullies are intact and spinning freely. One of the components may have seized up, like the water pump, the alternator, or even the idler pulley I've seen a couple plastic idler pulleys completely shred.

Ryan

 

[jakemprater]

i figured it out. the belt they gave me was too long and it walked off the pulleys, i would imagine it was allowing my water pump to not turn regularly. i put a new belt on it. runs like a champ now. no coolant leak or anything. i think with the water pump not turning as it was intended caused it to over heat and when i put the new coolant in it the thermostat was still open so it never got warm. but it looks like i got her all figured out. THANKS

 

[jr32560]

I have learned that one in a thousand new and correct size serpentine belts will come apart and shred for no reason what so ever-learned that the hard way~