300M - serpentine belt (& sway bar update, why no aftermarket servicemanual, etc)

Before I get into the belt, - an update: after replacing only the
driver's side sway bar link (and noticing no difference) and then the
other link AND the two bushings (red in color - polyurethane?) the
knocking is now gone. Was surprised that the end links weren't a
taper-fit into the holes (instead - a good 1/16" play).

About the belt - was told during an oil change that it probably needs
replacing. It's the original belt (6 years, 62k miles). Oil change
guy sez either $40/$60 or $60/$40 (labor/parts). What's the expected
lifespan for this thing? How easy to replace? Aftermarket options?

Slight tangent: Has Chrysler released any tech info to
Chiltons/Haynes that would allow them to publish a 1999 - 2004
Chrysler LH body service manual? There appears to be no such $20
manual on the market (at least not by Haynes).

More of a tangent: Car still has original battery, plugs/coils, rad
coolant. What's the typical life of those components? Still haven't
replaced a single light-bulb, headlight, etc.

 

It is very easy to change while you are having the timing belt
changed. 60K seems like an average life for the serpentine belt and
is the recommended replacement interval for the timing belt.

The factory service manuals are available for sale to anyone who
wishes to buy them. Why one earth would you want crap from Chilton or
Haynes when you could have the real thing?

I would replace the antifreeze every two years. Battery is getting a
little long in the tooth. If I was driving it I would run it until it
quit but if a family member was driving it I would go ahead and
replace it. Not sure what the interval is on your plugs.

Steve B.

 

Umm - no - both my '99 FSM Maintenance Schedule B and the Gates Timing
Belt Guide show 100k miles for timing belt interval (actually Gates
guide shows 100k, 102k, or 105k depending on year).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Yep - so make sure you torque it to spec. I have to wonder if some of
the reports of noise from end links is from a nut loosening and that play.

Since you say the bushings are red, I'm guessing they are the
aftermarket bushings shown in my initial post in this thread on the 300M
Club forums: http://300mclub.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8081&start=0
They are good bushings.

The serpentine belts (2) are usually replaced based on certain criteria
(cracks, missing ribs, etc.). FSM Schedule B says to tighten belts
every 15k miles (hardly anyone does until they give trouble, i.e., make
noise), inspect at 60k miles and replace if necessary. Generally, to
replace, the radiator top cross member should be removed to give access
to area between front of engine and radiator. Nothing major, but not
insignificant either when you're paying someone by the hour to do it.

You should have the tensioner pulleys replaced too. The pulley bearings
do go bad - should be considered preventative maintenance to replace
those when replacing the belts. (mo' money - mo' money)

I do not like any aftermarket manuals, so I'll stay quiet on that question.

Battery - that's a judgement call, but you're probably due. Do
pre-emtively, or wait for it to fail - your call. If you can afford
$100-110, consider an Optima or Deka battery primarily due to battery
being buried in fender well and a slight PITA to get to - you'd like to
replace it and forget it for the remaining life of the car..

Plugs - FSM Schedule B says 100k miles - BUT, judging from my personal
experience with my Concorde and that of many on the 300M Club forums,
you're definitely better off replacing plugs at 65 to 70k miles. Your
fuel mileage and idle and running quality start going down beyond that.
Waiting until 100k miles is penny wise and pound foolish IMO.

Coils - No reason to replace those pre-emptively. They don't generally
gradually deteriorate - they suddenly fail or get intermittent, and you
can't predict which ones will. Wait for them to go bad - not unheard of
for them to fail, but I'm at 165k miles on original coils - no reason to
replace until/unless they fail.

Rad coolant - FSM says 100k miles. Might ought to consider maybe at 75
or 80k miles. USE **ONLY** G05 TYPE COOLANT. Replace thermostat at
same time.

Thermostat is hard to get to (way down low on driver's side of engine),
so are headlight bulbs (fascia/bumper must be at least partially removed).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I just tightened it to the point where I wasn't breaking the 3/16"
socket that kept the bolt from turning.

You would think that at least they'd put some knurling or ridges on
the back-face of the nut.

Yes, same exact bushings.

I take it that there is nothing to keep aligned when taking
off/putting on the new belt(s) ? (unlike, say, a timing belt or
chain).

What - do they squeal? Or seize? Are they a common after-market
item?

Not that I want to start a long thread about manuals, but when I
bought the 300 I was dead set on buying the FSM. First time I went to
the parts dept (to buy the bra, wind deflectors, trunk liner, mud
flaps, etc) when I said I wanted the FSM they handed me a pamphlet
with a phone number and said to call them. Well, unless it's
something I really really need, I'm not going to dick around with a
telephone order (I like the instant gratification of actually
physically receiving something when I make a decision to buy a
discretionary item).

That was 6.5 years ago, and if I had the FSM I can say that I probably
wouldn't have cracked it open. And at this point I'm not going to
spend $100 for a picture of where the serpentine belt goes.

Regarding battery and coolant (and maybe even the belts) - is it more
useful perhaps to consider age (rather than milage)?

 

That doesn't sound right - whenever I've replaced mine, the clamping
friction has eliminated any turning of the stud while the nut was being
tightened. FYI the torque for those nuts is 70 ft-lbs - slightly under
what you'd use for the wheel lug nuts. If you don't think you hit that,
you might want to re-tighten.

Also, if it's the TRW (OEM) type end links (vs. the Moog type), I could
have sworn it was a 5/16" (8mm) hex on the stud end).

That would cost too much.

That is correct.

Both - more often just noise, but they definitely do occasionally lock
up. The belts can make noises that you wouldn't think they would too.
Seen a lot of posts on Chrysler/LH forums where replacing belts and
idlers fixed peculiar engine noise problems.

Are they a common after-market

Yes - but pay attention as you install - one of the aftermarket pulleys
I tried to put on my Concorde had slightly fatter outside dimensions and
would have scraped and jammed up against the bracket if I had not been
paying attention. A little grinding took care of that.

That's your decision - you have the consequences.

If you have a one-time or medium-term need for info. right out of the
FSM, you could spring for a 1 year subscrioption from www.alldata.com.
That will give your immediate gratification - don't even have to get in
your car or pick up the phone.

That's a judgement call on the battery depending on whatever philosophy
works for you, one of which might be wait 'til it fails or starts
showing signs of getting ready too. On the LH cars, one early warning
sign on the battery is that instrument cluster warning indicators start
acting flaky. On coolant, be conservative in your decision to replace -
when in doubt, replace - again - using G05 only.

Watch for engine cooling fan failure around 80 to 110k miles depending
on your climate and driving conditions. They are designed to wear out
(bearings, make rattling noise at spin up and spin down, lock up, blow
fuses).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Another sign of aging battery is the power seats start getting extra slow
and noisy moving forward and back with my fat rear end on it.

 

To check your battery, clean the terminals and cable clamps, then make sure
it is fully charged and then park the car. Then run the lights for about 10
min; perhaps a bit longer if it is hot out. If it still starts you have
enough reserve capacity to keep it for a bit longer. If it is hard to start
or just won't turn over then you lack reasonable reserve capacity and need a
new battery before you get stuck. NAPA, Wal-Mart and Sams Club sell good
sealed batteries at reasonable prices. Those real expensive batteries you
might see with spiral designs, offer no real advantage for the average car
owner, in my opinion.

Richard.

 

By the way, in the 300M if you are not going to install the battery yourself
you might just get one from the dealer so it is installed properly. I've
seen Sears mess up easy installations. I would not let them try on the
300M.