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Here is a email and reply to/from Gates:
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 1:42 PM
Subject: Micro-V Kit for Belt Jump Off.
I have gathered from numerous Web forums that a kit should now be
available for the 3.3/3.8L engine... Can you confirm this or tell me
when it will (anxiously waiting) ; plus the Part Number, so I can
immediately order it from my local Gates distributor?
Sent : Monday, January 22, 2007 12:16 PM
Subject : RE: Micro-V Kit for Belt Jump Off.
Matthew;
The kit for the 1996-2000 Caravan/Voyager is due out at the end of the
month.
I can't supply you with the kit number until it is released.
Please contact me again at the end of the month.
Best wishes.
I will keep you all informed!
The 3.3L/3.8L gates fix kit is now available.
http://www.midwayautosupply.com/pc-48526-261-gates-system-solution-micro-v-kit-for-chrysler-33l-and-38l-engines-38379k.aspx.
I recently got into a serious accident because of the belt tensioner in my dodge caravan (1997).
I was going 100 on the highway just yesterday when I completely lost steering. I smashed into the cement divider between eastbound and westbound traffic and then while trying to regain control completely smashed into the opposing cement divider which is 4 lanes across dividing the collector and express lanes. The minivan was totalled and I'm just thankful to be alive. Both airbags came out, but during the crash all the plastic inside the car popped out and was flying everywhere which is a major safety hazard.
This is the second time this belt has popped off, my mom was driving it a while back (about 5 years ago) and the same thing happened to her, but it was in local traffic during a slow turn. This type of fault is fatal and should DEFINITELY be recalled if it hasn't already.
We've had a 2006 Chrysler town and country for about 2 years now and there hasn't been any problems with it. It seems like a safer model...
I have had all the same problems. 97 grand caravan belt slipsoff all the time when it gets wet. I bought the gates system solution MicroV kit for the 3.3L/3.8L engines. I got it through Midway shopping online website. Typed it in at google. Click on automotive then automotive tools them scroll down to professional tools. Look for the 3.3L/3.8L. It's $129.99. It comes with a new tensioner with the groves, microv belt and a replacement idler pully with the grooves. I'm still trying to get the belt on. Will post again later.
Ordered my Gates Tensioner Kit (w/belt) from Midway Auto Supply last week, and it's showing up (UPS) on Monday... I'll let everyone know how it went!
I ordered the update kit from Midway and received it on Friday, I'll post an update when I get it installed. It consists of a new belt that's ribbed on both sides, a new tensioner with a pulley that is grooved and has a lip on both sides and an idler pulley that is grooved with a lip on both sides. After having re-attached the belt 5-6 times it sure looks like to me that this will solve the problem for good. Keeping my fingers crossed...
Well, I pulled off the old tensioner and idler pulley on Sat. Weaved the belt through the components properly. But when I went to pull down the tensioner for slack, it would not go under the idler. It seemed like it was short. Very short. I tried everything I could think of, but nothing worked. I was so mad I about lost it. I think the issue is the grooves are not as deep as the standard belts making some of the needed slack disappear. I had a few friends come over today to help. I pulled back on the tensioner and it took 2 people coordinating together the push the belt under the idler. Several tries got it about half way. To get it the rest, one of my friends applied pressure down and toward the idler while I gave to key a few quick jolts. I didn't try to turn it over, just get the belt to move a little forward and that did the trick. I hope it won't be this difficult for the rest of you, but this is what worked for me. You can email me if you have a question. lethlwipn@yahoo.com. Good luck to all!! James.
I ordered the new kit from Murphy on Monday and got it Friday. My friend and I had trouble getting the lock nut off the back of the old tensioner. We got it with a socket and a extension that could bend some. We too had trouble getting the new belt on over the idler lip. We ended up taking the idler off. With a long pipe and 15 mm wrench holding the tensioner down, we got enough slack to put the bolt for the idler in with the belt already on. This is safer than turnning the car over and forcing the belt over. We were done in about an hour and a half. I hope this is the end of my tensioner trouble with the Caravan.
OK... I finally got around to putting this kit on...whew!... did it myself.. took a few hours in sub zero weather (by myself, nonetheless)... your gonna have a heck of a time getting to the tensioner nut... people said you can get to it from the underside, with a swivel socket (looks possible), but I got to it by removing the alternator and triangular black bracket (on top)... you'll also have trouble getting the belt on the idler pulley... so leave it until last... then get the belt on the pulley then bolt it on, while holding tension on the tensioner... kind of a pain, but the whole set-up looks indestructible now!
I'm another victim of the tensioner/belt problem.
My '97 Grand Voyager 3.3l V6 started making a squealing noise from the belt, but rather than losing the belt when driving through water it would just stop the noise for a few moments.
I had a spare belt, so threw it on - it was LOOSE!!! This is a genuine, unused MOPAR belt, so it seems the comment somebody made earlier about wrong part numbers is correct. This (wrong size) belt stopped the noise, so I went for a run. Yep, it jumped off.
I bought a new tensioner from my nearest Chrysler dealership (32 miles away!) and now have the headache of trying to fit it. My GV has an LPG conversion which I will need to move out of the way to get at the tensioner mounting bolt.
I'll refit the original belt which never had a problem with jumping off, not the OVER-SIZED one I was sold by a different Chrysler dealer last year.
If Chrysler/Mopar are supplying the wrong parts, this is bound to have an effect on this problem - and it certainly won't help to fix it !
After removing and refitting my belt a few times, I'm now pretty quick at it - takes longer getting the car jacked up than changing the belt. I do it from underneath, thread the belt over all pulleys except the water pump, pull down on the tensioner with a long 15mm wrench and then slip the belt over the water pump pulley. The water pump pulley doesn't have a lip on it, so it's easier that way.
I have a 1996 Chrysler minivan which has repeatedly thrown its serpentine belt--sometimes it would break, sometimes it would shred, and sometimes it would just slip off, but was still intact and seemed perfect when we examined it, probably 10 times over the past year. I completely stopped driving (my only vehicle) on wet pavement or in rainy/snowy weather unless it was an emergency, because I knew the belt would come off (immediately leaving me with no power steering on a van that was so hard to drive without it that one tow driver who came to get me said after moving the van, "Lady, that van is harder to turn without power than my tow truck is!"). I am still, months later, having problems with my left shoulder, which I apparently wrenched while turning the steering wheel as hard as I could trying to get off the highway after the power steering went out (three different times in a period of a couple of days), due to the belt slipping off.
I started reading this forum and other sites last year and have been waiting for the fix kit for the 3.3 engine. My wonderful, mechanically gifted brother ordered it from a local auto parts dealer (who he had on the alert for when it came out) and yesterday he put it on for me. Yesterday was a dismal, drizzly day, and today there were snow flurries with some puddles--both would have kept me off the road in the past. I drove and, thank God, so far, so good. I feel like popping wheelies in mud puddles to celebrate--um, guess not that, but I'm really, really happy. Appreciate everyone's posts on this subject.
I, too, have had this problem over the last 6 months. I have a 1999 Chrysler T&C 3.3L. I replaced the belt last week after the 5th occurrence. I felt this might resolve the issue, since every previous occurrence was in wet weather. Today, the belt started making a loud chirping noise before the belt fell off for no reason. I have read many of the responses here, and feel that Chrysler may need some prodding here. I filed a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
Perhaps, if the feds receive enough complaints, they will push for a resolution. I urge everyone on the site to file the NHTSA complaint.
Great site-- Thank You All
I loved the way you responsible people participated and contributed to this site. Me too have 2000 Grand Caravan 3.3L recently with exact same belt problem—
I get real irritated and angry just imagining that last month I was driving 65 mph under snow and rain in the mountain (at night) with my family (my wife and little boy) sitting in the car trusting DODGE Company.
However, I gathered every single one of YOUR POSTS and sent it to the following CORRUPTED government organization that is receiving our complaints for last decades and doing NOTHIG about it. They suppose to help us (the consumers and public) not the car makers: Yap-Right.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
Believe me these car makers spend enough money on politicians and have enough confidence that your government will protect THEM rather than YOU…
Well-- Send letters to your local officials and see what happens... and Frankly Good Luck.
Alan From San Jose, California.
"I get real irritated and angry just imagining that last month I was driving 65 mph under snow and rain in the mountain (at night) with my family (my wife and little boy) sitting in the car trusting DODGE Company."
Don't you think it was a little irresponsible to be speeding under such adverse conditions with your wife and little boy in the car? If you had skidded off the road around an icy corner, would you also blame Dodge for not forcing you to slow down to a safe speed?
Just ordered the Gates upgrade today... will install next week and write back. I laugh when I read all the comments on belts falling off and I thought I was the only one! Last straw was wife backed van out of normal parking spot (outside) after snow storm. Snow kicked the belt off and she didn't realize it. She let the van idle in the driveway for a 1/2 hour... as most of you know, when the belt isn't on there, the motor gets no water circulation! She called me at work to tell me van had stalled and wouldn't start. I asked her to check the belt... it was off. I assumed the motor had burned up, but fortunately the battery died from running the fuel injection and blower before the engine got hot enough to seize up. Our van isn't the best vehicle, but if $150 saves this from ever happening again it's worth it. (not the mention the safety of my 3 kids and wife on rainy days!) Like someone else mentioned... I can't believe D/C won't take care of this problem (or pay a customer for this GATES upgrade) Take care and good luck!