How do you replace the serpentine belt on a 1998 buick regal LS?

Answer 1

First, you must have to have some idea of how the belt works... You don't want to put this belt on wrong or you may hurt the car...

BEFORE you get started (i recommend this for ease and convenience, it will also prevent messing up), DRAW A PICTURE of the pulley set up and exactly how the belt goes around these pulleys... Make sure to include which side of the belt is up/down when it goes across the pulley... Now you're ready to get started on the work...

Loosen the tensioning pulley, should be located near the bottom and towards the firewall... The engine is GM's 3800 Series II engine (arguably their best engine for passenger cars)...

If you are messing around turning nuts and bolts trying to figure out which one is the tensioning pulley, STOP, if you can't seem to figure out which one is the tensioning pulley look it up!!! *DO NOT turn nuts and bolts if you do not know what you're doing* If you're having troubles after looking up the schematic of the pulley layout or can't figure it out, STOP! Before you mess up the car and can't drive it, and need to put more money into it to fix something you messed up...

After figuring out the tensioning pulley and getting this loose (Be careful, the tension pulley nut/bolt may not turn "lefty loosey, righty tighty" WRITE down which way the this nut/bolt turned for ease of reassembly...

Take off the old belt.

Put on the new belt EXACTLY how it was on before...

- You may need to loosen the tensioning pulley some more to get the belt on, since the belt is new and tighter...

Tighten up everything, LEAVING the tensioning pulley loose still...

Make sure the belt is on the pulleys and centered correctly

- i.e. not hanging off either side of the pulley, as this may cause the belt to wear improper or fall off while driving.... neither of which is good...

Now while MAINTAINING the belt in the correct position SNUG only SNUG up the tensioning pulley and nut/bolt...

Once again check the belt and pulleys to make sure that it is installed properly...

REVIEW your drawing of the belt/pulley system prior to taking off the old belt...

MAKE SURE they match EXACTLY and that they are both CORRECT!

Now TIGHTEN up EVERYTHING in the serpentine belt system...

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN!!!! as this may cause more resistance on the pulleys and belt and cause wear on both the mechanical parts of the engine and the belt/pulley system....

When CONFIDENT with the work you have done... Start the car... And check to make sure the belt is operating properly...

SHUT OFF the car....

INSPECT the belt and make sure everything is where it should be and that everything is still tight

MAKE SURE the car is OFF... you may lose a finger or more if you don't

When everything seems good and you are confident in your work take her for a spin and make sure it works good...