Serpentine Belts

Insert a 1/2 inch pull handle into tensioner and pull toward front of car to release tension. Remove and replace belt. Be sure to route belt correctly.

Draw a diagram of how the belt is routed around the pulleys. There should be two belts. One is a serpentine and loops around all the accessories. The other is a small one that runs the fan. Looking down at the engine from the top front you will notice that there are two pulleys that are smooth (no grooves). The lower pulley that is slightly to the left is the tensioner. Attach the correct size socket to the nut here with a long handled wrench. The handle should be sticking up into the air towards the hood. Now pull the handle to the right turning the socket clockwise. This will move the pulley and release the tension on the belt. Quickly slide the belt off here and slowly release the socket and handle. Remove the rest of the belt from all the pulleys and slide it forward towards and over and around the fan. Using the diagram you drew put in the new belt in the reverse order. The instructions above helped me--took less than 20 minutes. Thanks. However, for a 2003 Chevy Tracker with a 4 cylinder engine, you should know that the Serpentine belt can be replaced without having to deal with the fan belt (which is clever engineering--the fan belt is entirely within the circumventing of the serpentine belt). On my Tracker, the pulleys and belt travel are arranged starting at the top left (facing the engine): steering pump pulley, idler pulley, water pump pulley, A/C pulley,(dual) crankshaft pulleys (with fan belt pulley attached), tensioner pulley, idler pulley (back to steering pulley). To deal with the tensioner, I put a 14mm socket on a rachet (with an old VW tire tool on the ratchet handle as a short extension--you could also use a small but stout pipe) and followed the instructions above. The belt loosened easily. It took some wiggling to get it out from under the upper idler pulley. Notice which way the printing goes on the old belt and put the new one in the same (if you think it is correct). Re: Fan Belt (2003 Chevy Tracker with a 4 cylinder engine)--took about 30 minutes. The fan belt is a small three-ribbed belt that rides the smaller Crankshaft pulley and turns the Fan only. The belt cannot be removed over the plastic fan (poor engineering, as opposed to superior engineering on the serpentine belt). If you look down at the front of the engine where the water pump ordinarily sits, the fan pulley is there instead. The water pump pulley is to the right on our 2003 Chevy Tracker and can be discerned because it has a large radiator hose attached. The fan pulley has no water couplings. It's attachment to the engine is offset to the right with two bolts (14 mm socket; upper and lower) that have adjustment cutouts (I marked their positions with chalk). The third bolt (in the middle, it does not attach to the engine) as best I could tell is to help you adjust the tension of the fan belt by putting a 14 mmm socket on it and pressing to the right. When you loosen the upper and lower bolts (both of which have washers), the fan belt loosens (leave the middle bolt alone). Take out both top and bottom bolts. The fan, it's shaft, and the fan shaft bearing housing ("fan assembly" let's call it) all come off together (don't take anything apart). Then exchange the old belt for the new one (slip over the back of the bearing housing). Notice which way the printing is oriented on the old belt and put the new one in the same way (if you think the old one was on correctly). Let it hang on the fan shaft. Re-install the fan assembly and its two bolts (with washers), align and fit the belt on the Crankshaft and Fan pulleys, and use the middle bolt to tighten the belt (not too much, I have no torques to give you).

I just replaced mine tonight. You have to do it from underneath the vehicle. Take off the rivets to the two plastic covers, and then you will be able to see the tensioner for the belt. Use a 3/4 inch wrench on the tensioner (don't put it on the bolt that holds the tensioner on), and pull it toward the vehicle. The belt will loosen, and you can take it off. I took a few pictures if you would like them, let me know. Stephen

2001 rav 4 has a chain timing belt so it does not need to to be replace. To replace the serpentine belt, all you need is one socket rench. There are six moving parts. between the top belt there is one screw nut, put the socket rench in and pull it clockwise. (you must turn clockwise as hard as you can till the belt moves and slide it off. if you look at the smaller wheel, the nut is there @ 1 o'clock just underneath the top belt. It will take about ten minutes. I just did it on my 2001 rav 4. Good luck, hope this help. Always good to spend less during this bad economy. Have F.A.I.T.H you CAN DO IT. hsssssss don't tell you know who.....

Yes, if you use the crank and water pump double 6 rib pulleys and all of the accessories and brackets from a 88-97 EFI 460 truck.

that depends on the car. older models tend ot have more than one belt, each powering one or a few accessories, but not all. later models have a serpentine belt, which powers all of the car's accessories, including the alternator.

If the squeaking sound is heard only when the ac is on, the ac pulley may need a little bit of WD-40 sprayed on it.

You don't. It employs a spring loaded automatic belt tensioner pulley located usually on the passenger side of the engine. If your serpentine belt is too loose, either the tensioner pulley has failed (possible, but unlikely) or the belt has stretched beyond the limits of the tensioner pulley and needs to be replaced (more likely).

You don't have to. What you can do is take one bolt off the mount, slide the belt in the space. Then take the other bolt off and slide the belt the rest of the way. Remember to put he last bolt back on.

On my 97 Cavalier I can use a 15mm box end wrench on the spring tension idler pulley. The idler pulley is in the middle of all the pulleys on the belt. It is right under the engine mount and above the crankshaft pulley. It is difficult to get to, but I can put the wrench on the bolt in the center of the pulley and apply clockwise force (looking at the engine from the passenger side fender) to rotate the idler down. This will loosen the belt. You will need to do the same to re-install the belt. Be careful, the pulley will try to spring up when you remove the belt. Make sure you memorize or draw the belt path before you remove it. If you forget, Advance Auto Parts can print a diagram.

It was the same for our 2004 Cavalier. I took the right wheel off and lining behind it.... much much easier! (pulley and belt right there)

The belt tensioner is right in front of your alternator. You will see a big long screw going down in front of the alternator and to the left and underneath the screw you will see a bolt. Loosen the bolt and then loosen the screw and the belt should come off when you loosen it enough. Just did it not long ago on mine, very simple process.

This is fairly easy. If you look at the top pully you will see a long screw, this is how you tighten the belt. First you must losten the bolt on the side of the bracket that holds the long screw, after doing so then you may tighten the belt. remember to re tighten the tension bolt or it will become loose again. It is the same for the other belt also.

Below is postscript to answer listed above by other donor:

Actually, you are half right. First you loosen the pivot bolt that goes through the base of the alternator. This bolt is accessible from under the passenger side wheel well. Then you loosen the bolt aiming horizontally through the alternator bracket, this bolt is up top. You then tighten the long bolt that is aiming diagonally to the ground. At this point, the bolt pushes away from the engine, tightening the belt. Next, tighten the horizontal bolt, then the pivot bolt from under the wheel well. I just love when people try to help, then give wrong answers like dude above did. Lesson, if you do not know, don't answer.

Find a 1997 Taurus for sale, belonging to a friend or parked next to you in a parking lot. Nicely ask the owner of the car if you can look under their hood for the diagram. Open hood, look up and wallah, a diagram! Draw or take a picture.

ok so you don't have aneighbor or a friend, does anyone out there have an actual diagram that they can email me?

:

I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OF THE DIAGRAMS GIVEN TO YOU BY AUTO PARTS DEALERS ARE ***WRONG***. I CALLED THE PARTS DEPT. OF A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE GUY TO E-MAIL ME A COPY OF THE **CORRECT** DIAGRAM AND IT WORKED.... SO GIVE THEM A CALL.

STEVE PHX AZ

In order to put a serpentine belt on, you have to relieve the tension pulley.You can do it yourself if you have a breaker bar to loosen tension pulley. don't just put it by hand because the belts need to be tighten in order to work. if it was just the acessory belt(alternator,power steering) you could drive to a mechanic with out it.this may be a little hard to do without power steering if you driving a heavy vehicle. if you could get it on by hand , and in the proper routing , all you need to do is tighten it (belt tensioner) and you'll be alright. but on ''SOME''older vehicles (1985 BMW for ex) when the power steering pump goes out so does your brake booster, youR brake pedal willbe impossible to press.

I have a 1996 Buick Park Avenue Ultra Supercharged. The manuel has a diagram of the engine accessory belt (L36). The 3800(L36) engine belt runs A.-Power steering, B.- Alternator, C.- Air Conditioning , D.- Crank, E.- Coolant Pump, F.- Tensioner. Diagram is on page 6-67. I will try to describe it from the book-- It runs under A., then over thetop of B., then down and around the front of C. and under runninr staight back to D. and under D. the up and around the front of E. then over the top of E. and straight back over the top of F. and then down under A. where you should have started! Hope this helps I have had to had mine changed several times. I will also let you know how the supercharger belt runs, and it is on the next page 6-68. You can also drive your vehicle without a supercharger belt on it, I did for a long time, because my supercharger bearings are rattling, but there is a oil plug on top that you can access to put 30 weight oil in to help keep it running. Used super chargers are expensive to replace from what I hear. Of course, I am a female so some men think I don't know anything about cars. Used to help my Dad all the time, and would rather do what I can before taking it to the shop. Well, The Super charger belt runs only on the crank, the supercharger at the very top and the 3 small pulleys which are located towards the front of the vehicle between the supercharger and the crank which is at the very bottom. the belt runs over the top of the supercharger then down towards the very front pulley over the top then down over it and down under the crank then up and around the top of the crank then come under the front of the lowest small pulley then straight up and behind the 3rd small pulley and up over then top which will then bring you up underneath the supercharger and right back over the top where you started!

around the pulleys! There should be a routing diagram under the hood on a sticker on the air filter housing

I have a 98 Bonni and I found the only way to do it is to remove the R/F engine mount spacer..((between the AC compressor and the crankshaft pully))(you must turn your wheels to the right exposing a plastic weathersheild,behind the right wheel. By removing this shield you will see a shrouded 18mm nut. Remove the nut, then with a 8mm socket remove the bolt. There is a metal spacer between the motor mount and the engine block Tap[from the top) and the spacer will come off.)the belt will slide out thourgh that space. Put the new belt on accourding to the diagram given to you at the auto store. Then put everything back in reverse order. I hope this helps out..

In the 2002, there is an idler beneath the alternator. When it's loosened, the belt relaxes and can be removed. I don't know if it's different in an '04. I had the radiator, air conditioner condensor, and oil cooler out to replace the alternator. I don't know if you can reach the idler without removing these things. I also do not know how easy/difficult it is to rethread the belt since it doesn't just run the alternator.

1999 Chevy cavaler diagram of sepitine belt

the tensioner assembly is bolted to the side of the engine block. the spring is contained within the assembly. View my BIO for access to my Saturn help site. there is a picture of the assembly under the Serpentine belt folder

how do you change 2004 kia sorento alternator belt

This vehicle probably isn't old enough to need a new belt, but I suggest you get a manual for it.

Use a breaker bar to loosen the tensor wich is directly below the Alternator on the 3.0 V6. While the breaker bar holds the tensor down (loose) slide on the new belt via the diagram in the compartment.

Tensioner pulley is worn. Squeal disappears as belt warms up & stretches a little. Jack up front & support on stands, remove right front wheel, remove drive belt, remove tensioner arm bolts (there are 2). Either replace entire arm or just the pulley, the squeal comes from the worn bearings. It's cheaper to replace just the worn bearing.

First, check that everything is turning properly. If you have a water pump, alternator, idler pulley... whatever, that's not turning freely, it should be repaired or replaced.

Next, check the tensioner. One of the idler pulleys will be "spring loaded", meaning that it will hold tension against the belt. If the tensioner spring goes soft you'll need to replace it. Push on a tight section of the belt. It should be quite firm and difficult to deflect.

Replacing a tensioner isn't that difficult, just pay attention to the belt routing BEFORE you take it apart. It's easy to get confused later.