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itsdave

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Man, I havent even put 100 miles on my "new" lumina, before tragedy stuck.

 

I was cruising along about a couple miles from house when all the sudden my power steering dies, my temp goes up through the roof, and then my car stalls. Torn acc belt, kinda worried about the stalling tho, i was only driving for like 5 mins without the belt. Anyway i called AAA and got it towed. Does anyone know how much i should expect to pay the shop for the belt change? I have a 97 lumina, which i just bought yesterday, talk about a lemon...

 

Anyway thanks in advance guys!

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Not really a lemon, just not doing preventative maintence. It's possible in that 5 minutes with out the alternator putting out any power you killed the battery, and in turn, no power for the computer to run the engine, causing it to stall out.

 

I'd change the belt myself, it's super easy to do. The belt, for a decent one, will probably be $20-25, maybe little more...installation shouldn't take more then 5 minutes, so take that into consideration when thinking about shop rates...but seriously, change it yourself!

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Do it yourself man. It only takes a rachet. Cost of rachet, about 10 bucks, cost of belt, about 20 bucks or less. Its really easy. If you get it towed to zone, they can even help you do it, at least the ones here..

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Do it yourself man. It only takes a rachet. Cost of rachet, about 10 bucks, cost of belt, about 20 bucks or less. Its really easy. If you get it towed to zone, they can even help you do it, at least the ones here..

 

Well its at a shop now, so i guess when im there tommorow ill ask them if I could just do it myself...

 

But if they have a problem with it, it should be more than like 50 right?

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The ECM might have killed the engine due to the high temperature, but that's just a guess. Just do the belt yourself, and in the future, when you notice something is wrong don't keep driving for five minutes.

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The shop I used to work for would charge a minimum of 90 bucks. And this was a fast oil change place. So for a shop to do it, your probly looking at 150 or so. And thats assuming its a trustworthy shop. They could come back and say that you blew the head, or it shredded the alternator pulley. Shops are very devious...

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Do it yourself if you can get it out of there, you will be happier anyways.

 

Even if you are unsure about it, go to Autozone or any autoparts store and pickup a Chiltons or a Haynes manual and look it up. Hell even Autozone has free tech articles on their site, or just google it.

 

You will be happier knowing you fixed it yourself. Chances are a shop will say you have more issues for more cash. It's sad but it happens, a lot.

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Yeah, so that shop is never getting my buisness again...

 

110 for the belt, which i guess isnt terrible... but now theyre telling me my alternator is the reason the belt went and they want $490 total for the job... im going to check the car at 1pm, hopefully theyre full of crap and my alternator is fine, alternately if it is boned hopefully ill be able to make the 60 some od mile drive home to have my mechanic look at it.

 

Im pretty confident I can do it myself, but Im away at college right now, and I dont even have a screw driver with me...

Thanks for info guys.

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wanted: memebr to help this member change his alternator!

where you located?

 

 

The reason the belt failed sounds like the alt froze up and broke the belt. but it might have just been bad.

 

 

 

 

 

the moral of the story. got a problem... stop and inspect! I hope you didn't overheat the engine badly.

 

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wanted: memebr to help this member change his alternator!

where you located?

 

 

Im in stony brook NY, which is like 1/2 into long island.

 

I dont think the engine really had a chance to overheat too bad, i only drove for maybe 1/2 mile with the belt gone. The thing is, while i was waiting for the tow i spun the alternator hub and it was moving smoothly, i think the shop that AAA towed my car too is just shady... I mean who the hell charges $500 for an alternator and a belt? This isnt a benz, a brand new alt costs 130, belt is 30, theyre chargine me 340 for labor... insane.

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Hehe well, im gonna see if the autozone around me will let me borrow whatever i need to do it, apparently they have that service. Anyway I guess i have one less Q, should I cheap out and try to get an Alt from a JY?

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ONE HUNDRED AND TEN DOLLARS TO REPLACE A SERPENTINE BELT !!! unfucking real I need to start a repair garage...

Seriously.

 

 

I changed mine in about 2 minutes. All at the cost of like $30 for the lifetime warrantied one.

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should I cheap out and try to get an Alt from a JY?

Absolutely not!! never do this.

 

honestly, i think your belt just broke. yeah, it happens. just replace the belt and be on your way. if your battery light comes on when you start it, then replace the alt.

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