Serpentine Belt

[kpaske]

Can someone explain to me how to change my serpentine belt?

Also, on the advice of the salesperson at AutoZone, I bought the (most expensive) Goodyear Gatorback belt ($35). He claimed that it grips better, which would keep the engine cooler, among other things, as well as possibly improve my gas mileage. I'm not sure I bought his whole sales pitch, but I have heard that the Gatorbacks are really good belts, so I went for it. Is there any major difference between that belt and the Valuecraft ($8) economy version?

[morgan-tec]

Just tak the correct size socket and put it on a decent length ratchet handle. Then put it on the bolt head on the tesioner and push down. This will release the tension on the belt. Before you remoe the orignal one take note s to the orientation and the way it goes around all the pulleys. Then just reinstall the new one the same way you took the old one off.

[Navigator]

...Just grab the belt and lift it straight up off the pullys to remove it, then install it the same way. Very simple

[kpaske]

OK, I'm finally getting around to installing my new serpentine belt, and it is definitely NOT a "no tools required" job. Especially considering that I am replacing the tensioner also, but even if I was using the old one, here is the problem I am running into. I was able to remove the old belt without much of a problem - I pulled it up off one of the top pulleys, then the rest came off easily. I removed and replaced the tensioner. With the tensioner bolted down, it is just too darn tight to get the belt up and onto the last pulley. If I loosen the tensioner bolts and remove the center bolt, the entire tensioner drops down about a half inch or so, giving me just enough extra play to get the belt on, but it's too tight to pull the tensioner back into place and get it bolted down. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get this darn thing back on?

[wekilled]

Took your advice and bought the gatorback. I got creative. I took a rubber coated bracket I had lying around for hanging bikes off the ceiling and screwed it into a block of wood for a handle and with that I easily had enough pull to get it right on no prob.

I'll be around tommorrow morning and can dig the bracket out, but am going on block leave after that for a week. Call if you are still screwed. (253) 964-8564

[kpaske]

Well, I finally got it back on after quite a struggle and many lacerations of the forearms from that daggum fan shroud... The trick was to start the bolts on the tensioner, but to leave them loose to give it just a tiny bit of play. Then I was able to just barely pull the belt over the last pulley. This was definitely not as easy for me as it was for others!!

[Ldub]

Sorry to post this too late...but this is what Morgan-tec was referring to in his post:

Also, I don't know if the "Gatorback" will last 3 times as long as the economy belt, but nothing is too good for our VX's!
Good to hear that you got it on without losing a limb or something.

Ldub

[Moncha]

The Gator Back is the best belt and quietest out there but, always make sure to change it in the intervals as required save you alot of headaches.

You don't have to remove anything to get the belt on or off. The tensioner as depicted by #3 in the above photo "gives" enough to allow the removal/replacement of the belt. The trick is to have a long enough "Cheater" bar (Mine is a 12"). Put the socket on the tensioner pulley's bolt and instead of turning left, as to loosen, turn right and the tensioner will "flex" downward, allowing the belt to slide off. Do the same when replacing the belt.

[kpaske]

Yeah, after reading Morgan-Tec's post, I tried something like that, but my best "cheater" bar was a 1/2" drive and I didn't have a 14mm socket or convertor to fit it, so that method wasn't working for me. Even if I had it though, I'm not sure if it would have worked... When I would pull up on the belt with both hands, the tensioner would flex all the way to the bump stop and I still couldn't get the belt to stretch quite far enough. It wasn't until I loosened up the bolts on the tensioner that there was enough play for me to get the belt on. Either way, next time I have to change the belt (probably when I do my timing belt in another couple of weeks), I'll try that method and let you guys know if it works out better.

[Moncha]

Depending on your height, standing higher up may help you create more leverage to push down.