How many people has this happened to?

[ritmusic2k]

So I start my car yesterday evening, and notice a mild squeaking sound coming from the engine bay. It disappears after about 5 seconds.

My relief was interrupted, however, by the smoke that began pouring out from under the hood.

What I know is this: the upper tenioner pulley on the A/C serpentine belt seized, and the belt rubbing sourced the smoke.

What I don't know is: what the **** was spinning around the pulley before it seized, that took a chunk out of the bottom corner of my battery.

There was a curved gouge that was deep enough to cause a pinhole acid leak, and apparently, the heat generated by the belt rubbing on the tensioner pulley was enough to melt the battery housing and dangle neat little plastic filaments down from the point of the gouge.

I couldn't find damage anywhere else, but I'm confused as anything right now.

Incidentally, anybody have a tensioner lying around that they'd be willing to part with? (I am about to post in WTB section, but I thought I'd mention it here too)

 

[EMB2580]

I feel ya, my power steering belt snapped and got all shredded up today, cause: seized rear tensioner pulley.

 

[FoeSho]

I have had this happen on other cars before, not on the SHO though. Its not a big deal to change the tensioner though, and for under $100 you will be back on the road again.

 

[ritmusic2k]

Indeed. I posted this around midnight last night, and by 10:30 this morning, I have a new pulley on the way. Wal-Mart will hook me up with a new battery and I'll be good as new. I can't believe how easy it was to find someone to get me the part. Thanks SHOforum!

 

[Kean_SHO]

Where did you get the pully from? I need to replace mine as well.

 

[NJSHO]

On my 91, the belt that is listed for the car in most car parts stores moves the tensioner way to close to the battery. Ive had the pinhole acid thing happen on 2 batteries before I figured out what was going on.

 

[Paul]

The batt needs to be mounted secure. A pulley failure would never come close enough to damage the batt. Its more likely the loose batt.
caused the pulley failure.

 

[Howdy_Doody]

You are the victim of a catalog error on the 1994-94 SHO with manual transmission. Every belt manufacturer is cataloging the wrong belt for this application. The belt they catalog can be installed (barely) but the tensioner can easily rub the battery, with the resulting mess you have. Here's a link to a good discussion of this problem, you're the second person that's posted this week with the same issue...

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=35104

 

[ritmusic2k]

Remarkable. I'll be sure to get the longer belt. I'm expecting my new pulley to come in by the middle of this week, so your reply was quite timely. Thanks again, Howdy.

Kean, I'll send you a PM with the names of the people who responded to my WTB.

 

[wingtip80]

Yes I was the other person it happened to. Mine was also a green 94. Maybe it's a green thing? I thought I fixed it with a new tensioner. Glad I bought a dry cell battery. Still need to put on the new belt though.