What is the procedure in replacing the serpentine belt for a 1988 cutlass ciera?

Answer 1

If it is a 3.8 there will be a tension pulley at the center of the engine. if you are standing on the right side of the car (P/S) That pulley will have a 1/2 ratchet slot in its center. Taking your 1/2 ratchet handle place it in the slot (to make this a bit easier I use some type of extension, be it a bar or a large box end wrench. Lock the ratchet handle so that it will push towards the back of the car. This will take the pressure off of the tension pulley. You will now be able to remove the belt. Note: There should be a diagram of how the belt is to be placed on the or around the radiator. It would not be unheard of to find the diagram in your owners manual. It is worth a shot. Make sure that all the ridges of the belt are in the slots on the pulley's. Release the ratchet tension and there you have it. The information about the 1/2 ratchet is incorrect. The pulley has a nut on it. Get the correct socket size, place it on the nut with a 1/2" ratchet handle and do all the rest.