How to change the serpentine belt on a 2000 Jetta VR6?

Answer 1

You need to take the engine shroud off by first removing the spark plug wires and unsrewing the torx screws. The belt tensioner is on the left front of the engine next to the alternator. If you look at the top of it you will see a threaded hole. You need to get a bolt for this and tighten it, what it does is pushes down on the tensioner and loosens the belt. Once the tensioner loosens the belt you will have to remove the shroud on the underside of the engine to make easier to access the belt and pullies for removal of the belt. It also helps to remove the one torx screw on the lower part of the shroud that is between the wheel well and drive belt (serpentine). Prior to removing the belt it helps to draw a picture of how the belt is routed around the pullies, unless you already have a diagram. You should be able to reach up and slip the belt off of each of the lower pullies , then slip off the belt from the upper pullies, and you can pull out from the top of the engine. To do this job you will need the following tools: A tool to grab the loops to remove the spark plugs, T27 torx screwdriver to remove the top engine shroud, a T25 to remove the bottom engine shroud, and the bolt that fits into the tensioner (the bolt I found that fits well has the following numbers on the head: 3F-88, I don't know much about bolt sizes, but hopefully that helps in locating one). Now that I have done it once, I could probably do it again in 15-20 minutes.