Your 97 Saturn SC1's belt is so loose that you can pull it off by hand How does this happen and how do you tighten it?

Answer 1

Saturns are notorious for serpentine belt tensioner failures. Buy a replacement tensioner and belt from your local parts store(about $70.00). Jack up the right front of the vehicle (passenger side), remove the right front tire. Remove the two plastic splash guards from the inner fender well. With the splash guards removed, you will see the serpentine belt tensioner. Using a 14 mm wrench, turn the center bolt of the tensioner clockwise. The pulley wheel will move away from the belt. With slack now in the belt, remove the belt from all the accessories (water pump, alternator, air conditioner pump, etc). Using a 10 mm socket and wrench, remove the two bolts securing the belt tensioner to the engine block. Remove the belt tensioner and replace with new unit (Make sure you install it in the same position as the old one--you can install it upside down). Using a torque wrench,tighten the two bolts to 20-22 foot pounds of torque. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN! The engine block is aluminum and you will strip the threads (a major repair). Now thread the new belt in the manner shown on the small diagram on the radiator cover. Turn the belt tensioner bolt clockwise and slip the new belt over the pulley. The repair is complete. the belt will not slip or become loose.

If it a Serpentine belt, the tension is held tight by and idler wheel. If is is not a Serpentine belt, then there is an adjustment to tighten the belt. All belts stretch over time. A belt that has stretched to the point that the idler can no longer keep it tight, needs replacing. Also if the belt has cracks or frayed cords it needs replacing. A non serpentine belt is adjusted by loosing the bolts holding the accessory in place that the belt drives. For instance the alternator. After loosing these bolts, you slide the alternator to remove slack in the belt. Then re-tighten the bolts when the proper tension is placed on the belt.