I changed out an alternator a couple weeks ago. Happened to open the hood to show a friend the engine bay, and I see black fuzzy crap all over the engine. After putting the fan back in, I connected the plug for it, but failed to put the wire back on the clip/hanger. The wire rubbed the belt and ate it up! Funny though, it just wore through one side of the wire covering, and didn't even effect the copper wire. A bit of electrical tape, and a new belt and I'm good to go. One thing I did do though, was not only hang the wire where it should have been, I zip-tied it to one of the fan rails. Just in case it happens to fall off the clip, it will not touch the belt.....

 

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That looks like a lot of damage for just a wire rubbing. I would check to make sure you get the new belt on correctly. This damage looks more like the belt wasn't installed correctly.

 

Once the belt started to split on the edge, the rest was history. As far as getting the belt on correctly, it's either on of it's off. I can attest to the wire rubbing. Just the facts mam....

 

Plus one on that thought, rubbing wire? I think not.
Belt out of alignment on a pulley? Very likely.

 

There's more to it than "It's on or it's off". Since you just installed an alternator, the belt was off and it can be installed and not be aligned correctly, like one groove off, which that damage looks like. That belt is a tough customer and a simple wire rubbing on it did NOT do that damage. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just want to make sure that you don't do it again. We've all made our share of mistakes. Good luck.

 

I respect and appreciate your opinions. Maybe it was coincidental that on the same edge that the wire was rubbing the belt failed. I could have sworn that I checked how the belt was seated, but maybe I missed one of the pulley’s…… I checked the new belt, and seems fine so far. Guess I got it right this time…..

 

Glad to hear that. It;s never a good thing to lose a belt. Personally, I triple check anytime I'm working which requires belt removal and if anyone is around I have them take a look. Keep on keeping on. Take care.