# Does a serpentine belt need to be 100% dry? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** bmw, 335\ **Created:** [August 12, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752 "2018-08-12T01:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheMidnightNarwhal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/themidnightnarwhal/32/5375_2.png) [@TheMidnightNarwhal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheMidnightNarwhal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/1 "2018-08-12T01:06:09Z")
Can you drive with a wet belt? I replaced my coolant and oil filter gasket so coolant and oil all fell down over the belt and front of engine. Thinkiong of spraying down degreaser and power washing the front. Now does the belt need to be 100% dry before I start the car and drive or? Don’t want it to come of and shred and get into the main seal. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/2 "2018-08-12T01:08:29Z")
Take brake parts cleaner, spray down the belt, and you’re good to go. Tester ---
**Author:** ![TheMidnightNarwhal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/themidnightnarwhal/32/5375_2.png) [@TheMidnightNarwhal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheMidnightNarwhal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/3 "2018-08-12T01:09:36Z")
Space is to tight to get to all the belt lol. Don’t want to remove the fan just to clean it. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/4 "2018-08-12T01:10:54Z")
What else are you going to do? Tester ---
**Author:** ![TheMidnightNarwhal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/themidnightnarwhal/32/5375_2.png) [@TheMidnightNarwhal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheMidnightNarwhal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/5 "2018-08-12T01:12:41Z")
Spray some simple green everywhere down there, let it sit for a few minutes and spray down with a power washer. Brake clean evaporated to quickly and I can’t hold the can close enough, need to at an angle or else only the propellant comes out and not actual cleaning agents. So the belt, will it need to be dry completely? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/6 "2018-08-12T01:14:41Z")
Water or coolant on the belt won’t do much harm, but oil might cause some problems. What I’d do in that situation is just wash the belt off with warm water and soap, using a sponge. Maybe tie the sponge to the end of a stick if that’s easier. If you can’t access the whole belt at once, crank he engine briefly to get it to rotate to other segments. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/7 "2018-08-12T01:16:37Z")
That’ll work too, if a power washer is handy. Tester ---
**Author:** ![TheMidnightNarwhal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/themidnightnarwhal/32/5375_2.png) [@TheMidnightNarwhal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheMidnightNarwhal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-a-serpentine-belt-need-to-be-100-dry/122752/8 "2018-08-12T01:19:38Z")
Ok I’ll give it a go. Just a bit worried electronic wise. I guess also I’ll keep the splash shield of so water falls to the ground.