Hi All, I am 99.9% certain I need a new fan belt, but want to run this past you guru's.

I get a ton of squealing, but only when very wet, and mostly at higher speeds. Highway driving in a rain storm results in intermittent squealing with a squawk every few minutes that lasts a second or two. I assume that the wet belt is slipping on the pulleys due to wear, and that a new belt is the fix. Car has 120,000 km's (~80,000 miles or so).

So based on this, I have a couple questions:

1.) Am I right, is this most likely just the belt?

2.) Is the belt in the mazda 5 easy for a DIY project? I have replaced them on older cars before ('79 Datsun 280zx, '86 VW Golf, '86 Ford Bronco II) and they were all easy. Is a newer car still easy, or is a shop my best bet.

3.) Is it possible that it could be something else (water pump, alternator, etc?) I assume in this case no, as the issue is triggered when wet, I would assume alternator/pump/pully etc, would happen all the time.

I guess I am just looking for reassurance, even though I am pretty confidant here. Going to look for instructions on how to replace myself. $33 for the belt and $55 for labour - would like to keep the $55 in my pocket, but don't want to get started and screw myself!

 

I've got only 60,000 km on my 2006 Mazda 6 and have already changed the belt. It was squealing, no more. Put on Goodyear Gatorback: Gatorback® Poly-V Serpentine Belts | Goodyear® Engineered Products

 

The gatorback is $40 vs $33. So only $7 more. $7 is rather trivial, but does it really make a difference?

Does it simply last longer, less likely to slip?

 

Don't know if it lasts longer but it did do the trick and came highly recommended from a buddy of mine who owns an aftermarket performance shop and who's been in business fixing cars for years.

When i change something, i like to upgrade if possible.

 

It certainly sounds like a belt issue. Do you still have the OEM engine undertray?

The Gatorback belts are great, another vote for them.

 

Everything on the car is stock/OEM (with the exception of the rear shocks). The car has had no mods or anything.

I am totally certain it's the belt, but thought I'd throw a post up in case somehow I am wrong and all the pro's here know something I don't.

(Plus it helps get my post count up, not that that means anything)

 

UPDATE:

Belt is replaced, problem solved as suspected.

MORE DETAILS:

So I took the car into the shop (Canadian Tire), booked for 1:00. They said it would take 20 to 30 min. Perfect! I went for lunch came back and they had the car up on a hoist, but nobody working on it. Total time a little over an hour and they tell me that to replace the serpentine belt, they have to remove the AC belt first, and that the AC belt is cut off only. (there was an extra $40). When they went to put a new AC belt on, they realized that you need a special tool (that they didn't have!!).

It took them a while, but they eventually contacted the Mazda Dealer, and Mazda lent them the tool (this definitely surprised me that the dealer would do this). All in all, it took over 3 hours start to finish! (Labour was still only for 20 min or whatever - most of the time spent sitting there doing nothing). Total cost for both belts, $150 (cdn).

I am happy its fixed, don't even mind the price that much, but certainly could have got the belts cheaper elsewhere, but I know it was cheaper than had I gone to the dealer that's for sure!

 

^ Good to hear you got everything sorted out.

 

Did you put on Gatorbacks?
2 belts! Special tool!
Well it was time and you're problem is solved and will have piece of mind. Don't want a belt to break while driving!

 

Been there done that......many times, my F250's alternator belt has a LOOOOOOONG gap between the crank and the alt, it flaps around like mad hitting the vacuum pump pulley eventually snapping the belt (takes about 1.5 years) and throwing all the other belts off................yes all 5 other belts........fun fun. Just changed my sister's Exploder's belt, it was chirping/squeaking on startup, had one whole rib missing.