I recently bought my dad's 2002 Explorer and was told the serpentine belt needed replacing so I had it done. Drove from Calgary, Alberta and at Salt Lake the engine overheated...block cracked and game over. I was told the belt had been installed improperly but the shop that did it says it's not possible. There are 2 diagrams under the hood, so i'm thinking the mechanic may have used the wrong diagram. Anyone ever had this issue or have any thoughts on how this might have happened? As a woman driver who knows little about serpentine belts (!), I'm really in a tough spot as the new engine cost me $6000!!!

 

It would be hard not to route it around the fan/water pump pulley if not impossible. Ask for a junk yard engine we do them all the time when the customer request them and have no problems.

 

it is possible that they had a rooky do the job and he or she put the belt on the wrong pulleys or the belt didn't fit the engine properly. but usually if the belt doesn't fit the engine the it throws it off within a few mins. or it makes a bunch of noise while running.