V6 DIESEL ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT NEW DESIGN BELT INFORMATION

Subject: V6 DIESEL ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT

The new serpentine drive belt used on the 4.3L V6 diesel has exhibited excellent durability. However, there are several characteristics of this belt you should be familiar with:

1. Edge fraying - the fibers used to construct this belt are very tough and therefore difficult to cut cleanly. They do not run parallel to the belt surface. Some short lengths of these fibers may be visible at belt edges giving the appearance of a worn belt. This condition does not detract from belt durability. Make sure the belt is not running against the flanges of the belt tensioner pulley. This could cause excessive fraying. Also, the crankshaft pulley has a flange at it's rear edge, which a new belt may contact producing some fraying. Fraying will only progress to a small degree and stop. This flange is not a belt guide as the "V" grooves are.

2. Belt Chirp (Squeak) - belt chirp is actually a slight amount of slippage on the crankshaft pulley during engine starting and stopping. This is a normal condition and not detrimental to belt life.

3. Pulley alignment is critical to good belt life.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.