A Daewoo vehicle uses a serpentine belt on the engine to drive the several accessories and pumps. “Serpentine,” named that because of the way it winds and snakes its way around the various pulleys, is an essential park for your Daewoo’s operation. When the serpentine belt fails, the water, oil, power steering and power brake pumps will stop. You can drive without power brakes and power steering but without oil and coolant the engine will seize up almost immediately.
Make sure that the serpentine belt is the correct size. Too long and it will not grip the pulleys securely. Too short and it can bind and seize the pulleys. If the belt is too wide it will overlap the pulleys and this can cause fraying and it could break. If the belt is not wide enough to fill the entire groove on the pulley, there will not be maximum power to operate the device powered by the pulley and the serpentine belt. Be sure to use a belt specified for your Daewoo model.
Fortunately, all Daewoos have a diagram right in the engine bay illustrating the proper path for the serpentine belt. This is important because if the belt goes to the wrong side of a pulley then the shaft will spin in the opposite direction. This can lead to quick failure and engine problems. When installing a serpentine belt make sure it follows the correct path exactly as directed. Assuming you can skip one and make the path a little shorter because you bought the wrong size belt is not a good idea.
A spring-loaded pulley located near the bottom of the engine puts tension on the serpentine belt. This pulley will move with a good-sized lever to allow the belt to slip over it. Using a socket wrench, lock into the center hex head bolt and turn the pulley. This will reduce the length of the path for the serpentine belt and allow it to fit. Once the belt is in place around all the pulleys and the tension pulley, release the center hex head and the spring will tighten the serpentine belt.
A Daewoo’s serpentine belt is made like all “rubber” belts with a combination of rubber, neoprene and cloth fiber reinforcement. A good way to extend the life of a serpentine belt is to occasionally spray it with silicone lubricant. Available at all auto supply and home supply stores, silicone will lubricate and moisten the belt to prevent drying and cracking. Since silicone spray is non-flammable and won’t react with the engine, an easy way to apply it to the length of the belt is spray one location on the belt with the engine running. In just a few seconds the belt will be well coated. This isn’t something to do every week or month, but once or twice a year is adequate. It’s also a good opportunity to inspect any wear to the belt and determine if it’s time to get a replacement.
