my 2007 civic with 170,000 miles has a timing chain and recently developed symptoms of a loose chain. It would run for a few seconds and then quit. The problem started soon after I heard a noise like a belt letting go. My mechanic found the serpentine belt tensioner was bad and replaced the belt and tensioner and says it ready to go. From everything I know (which admittingly isn't much) is the engine should be able to run without the belt but I wouldn't have a water pump, alternator or power steering. My question is can the serpentine belt cause the engine timing to be off? The only way I can see that happening is the belt somehow keeps a loose timing belt tensioned, right? I'm going to pick it up today and don't want to get half way home and be stranded along the side of the road.

thanks

The belt never came off. The mechanic said the tensioner bolt had worked itself loose and was rubbing on the water pump.

I picked the car up because my mechanic said that after replacing the bolt, tensioner and belt the car was running fine. I have to say it is. I drove it home (about 30 miles) and it is running normal. I just thought it was strange the car would quit and the start right up for a couple secs and then quit again. I guess that's why I'm a backyard mechanic and pay the real mechanic to diagnose and fix the actual problem ��