How to Make Aging Serpentine/Engine belts Last forever! For Pennies $$ 

Try to 303 aerospace if you can...any leather products works pretty good also (better than nothing). You can buy it at Walmart or e-bay pretty cheep. Wanted to add this info in text but RU-vid does not to text overlays anymore.

As a professional technician I've been using this method for decades. A good slathering of dielectric grease works too, but the armor-all extreme shine is my favorite to recondition and instantly quiet a dry and glazed belt immediately! I have a 2004 F150 with half a million kilometers on it and the serpentine belt is the factory original.

Thanks Nathan! You sure won't get this information at the parts store when buying a belt,$$$$ To them! Great video😊👍

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and experience with us! Great video.

Around twice a year , I go to the self serve carwash and power wash my engine , I use 1-2 small microfiber towels to put into air intake . Before I spray Zep Orange Cleaner and let it dwell for a few minutes . And washing , rinsing very well and go for a long drive on freeway to dry it off . Next day I liberally spray 303 Protectant all over the engine compartment . I try to do this during spring / summer months , so the heat will allow it to be absorbed the best . Then a month later I wash it off as it attracts a lot of surface dirt , which bothers me , until the next time . And since I have access to the lifts mechanics use when I change my oil . While the oil is draining , I spray 303 Protectant on all rubber parts as well plastic underneath . To resist them from drying out and cracking .

Thanks for the old school tip Nathan. I used to do that just to silence them, I had no idea that I could've gotten those types of results from doing it deliberately. Imagine that. LOL

Nothing beats Old School, Thank for the tip ^^!

I use conditioner products like 303 on my vintage snowmobile tracks or they’d just keep cracking like how they were when I got them

What about slippage? I put Armor All on my Vinyl seats once, got in on the driver's side and slid all the way to the passenger's door!

Thank you so much brother!!

Is that armor all for treating car interiors ? will it not make the rubber hard. we use that on car interiors plastic or leather material

i have question for volkswagen timin belt you can do the same thing to or not pls let me. know thanks 🙏

Wow. Thanks!!!!

I use 303 on all belts, hoses, weather stripping, tires, the dash etc.

I just get Huberd's Shoe Oil and drizzle it right on the belt, while it's on the car. Makes it nice and supple, and it smells good too

Is it safe to spray it onto a belt that’s on the motor, is it gonna cause it to slip?

Spray it till it looks good and leave it? Or I should respray it after some time (10k?)?

Hello and thanks, would this work for a timing belt as well?

😊😊😊. Man,,,,, this takes me back. My grandfather used to take some STP son of a gun but, before he use it he'll use air to clean whatever debris that's on it.

Can you do these on cambelts aswell by spraying on while engine running

Will work for timing belts too.

Can you do it on timing belts??????

I always used a belt dressing. Never knew armor all did the samething

What I like about this guy is not endorsing any product.

Belts are cheap. $15 at Pepboys, Autozone Orielly or advance auto or even NAPA. If your belt snaps you're left stranded in the highway. Tow truck is $1000.00. Save money and headache buy new belt every year.

Can it work on timing belts?

How do you clean a belt with some oil on it from oil change

I own a ford mondeo 1.8 tdci european model, don't know if there is any in USA, and on this car the timing belt is running in oil, inside the engine, to change that you need to take apart 1/3 of the engine just to reach that place, it's a bloody hell of dirty work

Putting it on a new belt or a belt you removed is one thing But don’t EVER use a spray on while it’s inside it’s position. This could cause damage to nearby electronics guys. Always make sure the belt is removed first. And be sure to check the bearing as well if squeeking is heard . Bearings last much longer but fail as well.

I have a question, would it also work for the belt of my scooter?

Are you supposed to do this on a brand new belt before installing it?

I'm not doubting your method. Changing a belt on my car is $20 and 5 minutes. Soaking it and cleaning it or spraying it a few times cost more than $20 timewise. But thanks for video.

what else product we can use instead of 303 AEROSPACE?

..i believe theos pasty pencil necked engineers put that flat idler pulley on engines just to flex those serpentine belts so they would crack and break. the only v-belt i broke was because a sapling came up under the frame and pushed it to the side of the pulley one day when we were cutting firewood. Thanks Nathan, i had forgot about doing this...!!

Aerospace 303 is best.

which one is better choice?

Can u spray the belt while it's mounted on the engine?

Would that work for a motorcycle drive belt?

Can somebody use this on a big rig?

Leather protection contains some kind of wax and stuff... Doesn´t the belt slip with that stuff ? I once had grease on my belt and it slipped which cause the car to overheat because the water pump was not spinning fast engough

I’m pretty sceptical about this I guess the only way to find out is to try it tho

Will it damge the pulley, If you over spray? Thanks

Any idea what might cause serpentine belt to keep throwing off after replacing harmonic balancer and idle pulley on 01 ford explorer..

How's your 2003 Ford Explorer doing? That's the same vehicle I own.

Everyone needs to know it's just common sense. You have to remember rubber products dry out, anything that is made with rubber will dry out eventually your hoses your belts even a rubber roof. You have to treat it with something to make it last a lot longer or twice as long. Leather conditioner rubber conditioner anything that is good for your rubbers or even your plastics treat it with something in the last twice as long. That's why leather seats crack because nobody takes care of them. If they put leather condition on their leather seats in their car it will last twice as long. Rubber dries out from the heat and the Sun, especially in the engine because it's so hot everything will dry out including your rubber coated wires that's connected to your fuel injectors any of your electronic wires will dry out eventually the rubber coating. Get a spray to to condition those wires and just spray conditioner on all the electronic wires but make sure it's safe to use. It's just common sense that's all it is

Is the stuff for protecting belts oil or water based?

This is all fine and well, kudos for the effort. This old timer has a tip for those willing to listen: all one really has to do is go to their local dollar store and purchase a small tub of petroleum jelly. Coat the inside of the belt as far as possible. Easier, faster, cheaper and alot less messy than spray.

Check sweet project car video, he was using it on tires tread and last like 4eva.

Can i use VS1 spray?

Can you apply this on to Timing Belt?

Thanks for tip will do this.

I have never seen a rusty brake booster.. did you poor acid over it ?

I'll just "treat" a brand new belt, and that's the only time I'll add product to it. Rubber hoses I'll spray down say...every 20k miles.

I thought it would slip

considering the Hassle to change the belts , my belts are going to b soaking now.

How often do you have to do this.

So it should work with the timing belt too?

great post....... my camry has 85000 miles on it and the belt has hardly any wear ..............will replace at 100000.... only to play it safe.............thanks

Toothbrush them if used first with dish soap. I even soak mine like dishes and then treat them.

Can you do this to lawn mower deck belts also ?

Im using carb cleaner

do this to your wiperblades

Can you do the same with o- rings and gaskets

Everytime i tried this it made my belts squeel terrible.you are better off buying a new belt every 5 years.they dont cost much and are easy to put on

Hi Nathan penniless single mom here who has to start taking care of her own vehicle now! I am getting a skreeching noise from time to time and I think it’s my belt do u think it has to be replaced or could I maybe salvage it?

I have a 2001 expedition with 159xxx very reliable truck.

can you do this without taking off

"....thousands, and thousands, and thousands of dollars...."

I prefer to remove the belt every 6 months or so and spray it and the pulleys with Simple Green, scrub with an old toothbrush then rinse and dry thoroughly. This way you get more grip on the accessory pulleys (water pump, A/C, etc.) and maximum efficiency.

I’ve had belts look that good at well over 100k miles without any kind of treatment. Maybe it’s a “lost art” because it’s not true anymore on this side of 1973.

You said : "The point is never let the belts get dried out" so, this means to repeat the treatment periodically ! What interval do you find a good practice ? Every year ? 2-3-4 times a year ?

Sweet project cars posted a similar video 3 days before you did showing the same trick. He was usuing aerospace 303 protectant. The stuff isn't cheap, I hope it works I have a gallon of it now (trying to save tires). ArmorAll is the devil. I've had it crack a dash before. Won't buy any of their products. Mcguiers products are a bunch of hype, a competitor always seems to do better for less money.

303 is the best. Check out "sweet project rides" channel for great info.😎

A good quality belt will last 100,000 miles or more. I had the factory honda serpentine belt on my odyssey and i never did nothing to it and last 120,000 mile before i replaced it . The new that i s continental from autozone and it say to inspect it a 60,000 and replace at 90,000. I think with a good quality belt you do not have to do anything to it to last years and years.

I wonder if this would be effective with timing belts… 🤔

Wow I just paid 138 $ and 73 cents for this. I will keep my belts and rubber hoses sprayed

I was thinking that maybe an Engine /Trans Gasket Restore product, like "AT205" or "Bars", might actually penetrate and extend the life of belts.

One question: How come *some* manufacturers don't do this treatment to their belts *before* the final products leave their factories? At least one or two manufacturers would want to do it and advertise their products as better than the average. So this is the reason why I'm still a bit sceptical relating this matter... It would make all the sense in this world if manufacturers would do it in the factory...

just remember, flat earthers exist, people can convince themselves that the earth is a large flat dish and the poles are the edge of the dish. So when some guy tells you that he can make you waterproof rubber belt last forever after soaking it in UV protection for 10 minutes, take it with a pinch of salt.

You are kind of confusing ! Is it a one time shot ? or you have to periodically retreat the belt every month or so ?

Or just forget it and replace it every 10 years which is what I do, $30 belt and 1 hour labor

Please show some brand name on product

how about Timing belt?

Barnum was right.

Armor all contains petroleum products. Not good for certain materials...

I have over 100,000 miles on my serpentine belts that came from the factory and they look like new. I don’t believe this will work.

Today's belts are not made from rubber. They don't brake Down an most with have no problem with 200,000. Miles with out any fake treatment

Not one of the belt manufacturers recommend using anything on the belts. It will cause a deterioration and possible delamination. Older belts before neoprene were ok to treat.

Belts stretch, and stretched belts cause slower battery recharging from the alternator after start-up, and lower amperage output to the car's whole electrical system. Also, if soaking the belt, this could cause belt slippage.Due to different driving conditions, all of what I just wrote wouldn't be a negative consequence to many, but would be negative to others.

If you aren't buying crappy cheap belts they ought to go for at least 100,000 miles on their own without some snake oil treatment. My 2012 GM vehicle's maintenance schedule suggests the first serpentine belt change at 150,000. And usually manufacturers are conservative in their estimates to cover their rear ends. The only time I've had to replace belts sooner was on tow vehicles where there might be extra heat and stress on the belt.

you must be a freakin politician, it takes you 9 minutes to say what you could and should have said in 1 minute.

Just pure bs. And the time used make this way more expensive than a new belt.

Come on, Fords don't last 160k miles

Dude.... why didn't you answer the question on everybody's mind???!? HOW DOES THIS STACK UP WITH AUTO STORE BELT DRESSING SPRAYS ? don't you think that's the first thing people were going to wonder? come on man! Brandon.

At 00:41 you say it will "cost you just a fortune to replace" the belt, and yet not a few seconds later at 00:46 you say "it'll cost you a few dollars to change it"... No soup for you. NEXT!!!

This myth has been busted. Belts break from internal not external. New belts last longer than the ones from 30 years ago.

You literally copied SPC channels video 3 days after... Lol...

I call bs

just replace the dam belt 20 dollar every 100k miles.

You ramble too much!