Help!
 

Right now, my fiancee's car is having some issues. Her car is a 1995 Ford Escort Wagon LX. The other day, we burnt up a belt on her car. We were going down the interstate and smelt something burning. Finally, we pulled over and I looked under the hood, and was able to pull the belt right out as it had snapped. We ended up getting that repaired and the mechanic said that what caused it was probably the alternator. We brought it to a friend who knows a lot about cars, and he doesn't believe it is, but he thinks it's an issue of not having enough lubrication. I don't think it's that either. Yesterday when I started the car, we got a horrible grating noise(might not be grating, maybe more like a bad ball bearing but I dunno my car noises yet) near the alternator and the whole belt and pully assembly there. When I looked at where the belt went, one of the pulleys that comes right off of the engine was kind of wobbling so my first guess would be because of that.

Now what I'm looking for is a diagram of that general area so that if I do bring it to another mechanic, I will know what he's talking about and hopefully not get ripped off as easily...

It could be a dead alternator.

Personally, I would hit an autoparts store and buy a Haynes or Chilton's manual for the car. Even if you are not mechanically inclined, you might be able to save some money by using the info in the book to better understand what the mechanic is saying.

In many cases, auto repair, at least on the everyday level, can be accomplished by anyone of moderate intelligence and with a reasonable amount of hand tools. Alternator replacements are one of those everyday sorts of things. In most cars, it is a job handled easily in under an hour.

Please note: MOST cars. I am well aware that there exists many an auto that has the alternator in an unfortunate location. From what I recall of the car in question, it does not.

Nah, if it's the alternator, which I dunno if it is, it's right on the top of the engine so it'd be easier to replace then some things I suppose.

Yep, sounds like the bearings in the alternator have seized up. That's why your belt broke. They may not be completely seized (hence the grinding noise), but I bet your battery is going to die soon.

See if you can turn the alternator by hand, then check how hard it is to turn a new one at a local autoparts store.

Yup best idea is to turn all belt driven accessories (alternator, water pump, etc) by hand and see which one doesn't spin the greatest and replace it. That will easily burn up a belt if something doesn't spin as freely as it should.

Its Dodge, I worked there for sometime there little bitchs to get at

"When I looked at where the belt went, one of the pulleys that comes right off of the engine was kind of wobbling so my first guess would be because of that."

and you'd be exactly right. whatever that pulley is, if it is wobbly, then the bearing in it are beyond shot. as a result, there will be TONS of friction, which will make it hard for the belt to turn it, which in turn will wear out the belt prematurely.

find out what that pulley is and get it replaced. while you are at it, check every other pulley that the belt that broke touches, just to make sure nothing else is wrong.

I had a belt put a hole in my power steering box.