Pontiac Repair: car repair, car repair question, pontiac grand prix

Question
QUESTION: Hi Todd, I have a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, 6 cylinder, 3.8 engine car. I actually have 2 questions, I have had this car for 3 years now, it has 112,000 miles on it, does this car require a tune up? My next question is there is a noise coming from the engine, when I opened the hood to idendify where the noise was coming from, it was on the left side. There are 2 belts there. I noticed one of the belts has a lot of small cracks on the inside of it, that seems to be where the noise is coming from. I'm hoping that it just needs a new belt on, I'm pretty confident in myself that I should be able to change the belt myself. Even with the extended warrenty I purchased when I bought the car, I have had to put a considerable amount of money into this car since I got it, I really can't afford to do much more to keep it on the road. I make sure the oil changes are done regularly. I checked the owners manual, I can't find a section on the belts, I'm sorry I can't give you the name of the belt or what the belt is for, I'm hoping you might be able to assist me with it.
Thanks
Rhea

ANSWER: Hi Rhea:

Yes at 100,000 miles it should have had a "tune up" spark plugs,spark plug wires,pcv valve, air and fuel filters. As for the noise the belts could be the noise. Cracks in thje belts should not make them make any noise but if they are cracked they need to replaced. The noise could be any one of the components the belts drives one of the pulleys or tensioners for the belt. That engine was pretty noted for tensioner and idler pulleys going bad. The 1 belt is for the super charger and the other belt drives everything else on the engine. Hope that helps. Good luck :}


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Todd, hope you had a nice vacation. The belt I was talking to you about is the super charge belt. I can get the belt back on, however it keeps slipping off. I was told that I was missing a pulley for it, however, I can see all 5 pulleys. I went to an auto store, they showed me a new belt, it is smaller than the one that keeps falling off, is it possible that a belt can stretch out like that? I do not see anywhere that a pulley could of come of. Thanks so much, you are awesome by the way!!1

Answer
The belts do not streach out all that much. If there is a big difference in the size from what you took off to the one they sold you they sold you the wrong one ! If you follow the "road map" on the sticker under the hood it wil lshow you exactly the wyat he belt is to be routed. If not try Auto zone's web site they have detailed pictures and illistrations of how the belts are to be put on. I looked up a picture a while back for another person that needed to know the belt routing. It was a pretty handy web site. I would never go there to buy any parts to make my car run but they have a good web site none the less.