How do you install the serpentine belt on a 1998 Ford zx2?

Answer 1

There will be a tensioner pulley, that is a pulley that is connected to an arm that is spring loaded in order to produce tension on your belt. By releasing tension on this pulley, you can remove the belt. The pulley will have a way to do this using hand tools. Most have either a bolt head you can grip with a pry bar and the appropriate size socket, some have a square hole where the socket - drive pry bar will fit directly, but the age old plain pry bar can be used by itself to release the tension. This should be done with two people if possible, one to release the tension while the other removes the belt...

I just installed a belt on a 1998 ZX2 and used the tension release tool from underneath the car (safely jacked up and blocked) You should remove the right front wheel and plastic splash shield from wheel well (10mm socket). Use the tensioner release tool from underneath and rotate it towards the rear of the engine until you meet the lower heater hose. At this point, have another person use a tire iron / long screw driver, etc. to jam the tensioner pulley in place in order to get another "bite" on the tensioner pulley center bolt (use 13MM socket on the tool) You should have the entire belt pre-routed except for the AC pulley. This is the easiest one to install the belt on once tension has been released. Check for any looseness on the other idler pulleys as well as component pulleys.