What is the Supercharger Belt all about?
Many conventional cars operate with superchargers. It is an air pump that increases airflow in an internal combustion engine. By forcing more air into the engine during each intake cycle, it burns more fuel and does more work. In order to pull in that extra air, superchargers rely on a belt that attaches to the supercharger drive pulley to your vehicle’s crankshaft. When the engine is running, there is a direct correlation between the amount of air being pumped into the engine and the RPM’s. At higher revolutions per minute, more air is forced into the engine. If the supercharger belt breaks or is damaged, it will not produce the proper amount of air for the engine to run efficiently. The engine light may come on and the fuel consumption will dramatically increase.
Keep in mind:
- Most cars don’t need a supercharger to run, so a dysfunctional belt does not pose any immediate danger.
- If the supercharger belt breaks, there may be another faulty part such as a seized supercharger pulley.
How it's done:
- The battery is disconnected and the belt routing is noted
- The defective supercharger belt is removed
- The new supercharger belt is installed
- The battery is reconnected
- The vehicle is started and checked for functionality of the supercharger belt and system operation
Our recommendation:
The supercharger belt should be inspected at every service interval as part of a comprehensive inspection. If the belt is in poor condition or is missing, have one of our expert mechanics replace it.
What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Supercharger Belt?
- Sudden loss of power
- Flapping noise under the hood from a shredded or broken belt
- Check Engine light is on
- Fuel efficiency suddenly drops
How important is this service?
The supercharger belt helps produce extra power for your engine. Although your power production will be significantly reduced if it is missing or damaged, it is not critical to have it replaced immediately.
