if it'* the bearings on the alternator... is this something that is fixable? or will i just have to get a new alternator? is this a common problem with the bonny'* too?

i checked the belts streetfreak and they are ok. nothing frayed or loose on any of the belts thankfully.

I'd check the transmission fluid level, but it could be on its way out..........not the most reliable transmissions in these.............$2700 rebuild @ 100,000 klm mark for me

ok so this morning i started my car. car started fine. i backed it out and noticed something lying underneath where my car was parked. got out of the car and just as i suspected.. it was a belt. i popped the hood and there is no longer a belt around my supercharger. good news is... the squeaking noise is gone. bad news is... my belt came off. oh and and the belt hasn't snapped it has just come off. upon closer inspection i looked under the hood and noticed that one of the PLASTIC idler pulley'* is all magled and chewed up :( off the top of my head i can't remember if it is the smooth idler pulley or the grooved tensioner pulley. altho if i remember correctly it'* the grooved idler pulley.

my question to you guys is... is this an easy part to replace? its obvious that i will have to replace this melted/mangled pulley, but i was wondering... is this the reason why the belt came off? is the bearing on this pulley gone? or is the bearing on the smooth idler pulley gone? or is my supercharger kaput? i was driving my car yesterday and the supercharger was was working fine. the boost gauge was registering needle changes whenever i accelerated.

also it'* safe to still drive the car yes? i mean for the next day or so atleast till i get a chance to repair it. the car starts up fine so i reckon there isn't any issue with the main drive pulley yes? appreciate any input or insight from you guys as always

cheers

Yes, it is safe to drive the car.

You can buy the pulley and replace it. I believe the bolt takes a T50 torx socket. I know of several instances where the bolt would not come out to the extent it stripped the torx feature, and the pulley had to be cut off and the bolt removed with vice grips.

The easier, and more expensvie, route is to purchase the idler assembly with the pullies already installed.

When this happened to mine, I replaced the pulley.

thank you for the reply 2KG4U

I will replace the pulley and the belt rather than opt for the more expensive fix which involves buying the entire assembly.

I definitely have to get a new 3.0" inch grooved idler pulley, but i'm thinking I might just replace the 3.5" smooth idler pulley as well. can you recommend quality aftermarket parts? does the idler pulley even come in metal? also any recommendations on a good quality supercharger belt?

thanks again guys

I bought mine at Murray'* Discount Auto (now called O'Reilly) but you could also try rockauto.com. Keep in touch with updates. Let me know if you get stuck and I can walk you through it.

Had same issue a while back, for some reason GM made these pullys out of plastic, so when the bearings seize up, the plastic heats up, warps, and will eventually throw the pully off altogether. I went to the local auto zone and got a new one, made out of metal, and haven't had any problems since.

i forgot to ask one important question.. do any of you guys know why the supercharger belt came off in the first place? as i said in my previous posts i was hearing a wheezing noise coming from the engine prior to the belt coming off. it was very noticeable when the car was idling and when i would start it up first thing in the morning. im going to replace the pulleys and belts this weekend but was wondering if there might be a problem with the supercharger itself? how would i be able to tell if the supercharger is faulty? i'm able to spin the supercharger pulley by hand. it doesn't spin freely like if you spin a roulette wheel and it keeps going and eventually stops. is this normal or is it suppose to spin faster if i give it a few turn with my hand?

thanks guys

The whining was the bearings in the supercharger idler pulley failing. When they failed, the idler pulley seized and the belt came off. This is not a sign of an issue with the supercharger.

X2...the SC is not prone to seizing. You basically have two rotors that are balanced and suspended between bearings on both end. One end is couple to the SC snout via gears and a drive shaft that is connected to the pulley that is spun by the belt. You can actually drive the car without the SC engaged...it will be sluggish and wont have the giddy up and go, but it will get you home.