[Engine] Concerned about alternator belt snap 1.6HDi

[stuartinlancashire]

Pulled up at a roundabout at lunchtime to join a motorway, as I set off I heard a noise and steering went heavy so I pulled up on hard shoulder and discovered my alternator belt had snapped. I managed to recover the old belt and limped home calling at the local motor factors for a new belt on the way.

Anyway after much swearing and cursing I've got the new belt on, when I looked at the old on it was obviously knackered and some of the groves had perished away. Out of curiosity I then got the service book out to see if had ever been replaced by the previous owner, now according to the service book it was replaced in November last year at 85,000 miles at the same time the cambelt and tensioners where replaced. My van now has 144,000 miles on the clock so if my maths is right that belt has covered 59,000 miles. Does that seem about the right life span for an alternator belt or should I be concerned? If someone has forged the book and the alternator belt wasn't replaced when the book says it was then who is to say that the timing belt was done either :S

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Also I noticed that the alternator/battery light didn't come on which I thought was odd. The last time I had an alternator belt go on an Escort the light came on.

[dumdum]

thats not a bad lifespan for an alternator belt, pretty good to be honest, they perish a fair bit quicker than cambelts and stuff, so youve not done bad imo

and the alternator light didnt come on as the psf1 underbonnet fuse box/bsi (cant remember which without looking) senses the voltage (it excites/turns on the alternator and also seperately controls the light) and it takes a wee while to work out its died, but you pulled over as soon as the steering went heavy, which is immediate hope this helps..

your old escort was clock direct to the alternator light, hence immediate light on

[stuartinlancashire]

Thanks, you put my mind at rest a bit there. I've just check the service schedule and the aux belt should be changed every 60,000 miles. I didn't get any copies of receipts/invoices to back up the service record when I bought the van, so I just have to assume that whats in the book is correct.