Serpentine belt and belt tensioner replacement

SOURCE: how to replace serpentine belt for 96 bonnville

This is a fairly straightforward mechanical procedure. If you will allow me to provide a little perspective first, just so we start on the same page.

Since you ask only for the procedure for replacement, I do not want to jump over the diagnostic element of this process. If you are holding a broken belt in your hand you can skip directly past this paragraph. The serpentine belt, referred to as the engine drivebelt does what fan belts did in the "old days". This belt is by the crankshaft and in turn spins the alternator, the water pump and the pump for the power steering and the air conditioner compressor. This belt is a wear item and should be examined once per year. The belt is smooth on one side and has ribs running long ways on the other side. Using a flashlight check for shiny areas, cracks of any kind or fluid on the belt. Any of these, change the belt.

Now we need to get our navigational landmarks in sync. The engine in most front-wheel drive vehicles is mounted transversely (sideways). So front and back of the engine become left (front of engine) and right (rear of engine). The drivebelt is on the front of the engine, so to your left as you raise the hood and peer inside.

There should be a drivebelt routing decal on the upper radiator panel (between the engine and the front of the car). I recommend at this point that you also take a few pictures of the drivebelt with your cell phone or digital camera. Detail its path around all accessory components. I know that this is belt and suspenders but it will help greatly with replacement. Now look for the belt tensioner under the power steering pump. The power steering pump is at 12:00 o'clock on the front of the engine. Read the sticker on the square power steering reservoir at the top front of the engine to ensure you are in the right place. The tensioner is the round pulley that looks like it it isn't attached to anything and therefore has no purpose. Put the appropriate wrench on the nut on the front of the tensioner and turn counterclockwise (push toward the back of the car). A long handled ratchet works best here since you will need to get some leverage to turn the tensioner. This will loosen tension on the belt. While holding the belt tensioner remove the belt from all of the pulleys and pull it out. When you release the belt tensioner, it will swing down out of the way. Now again rotate the belt tensioner and route the new belt onto the engine. This should do it. If you are going to be doing this intermediate level of repair and maintenance I recommend you get a hard-copy repair manual for your vehicle or subscribe to one of the many excellent repair on-line service. Good luck!

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• 246 Answers
• Posted on Sep 08, 2009

SOURCE: how to replace a serpentine belt on a 2004

1. Lift the car so you can work from underneath when needed.
2. Disconnect the battery . Just to be safe.
3. Take the serpentine belt off.
4. Remove the alternator.
5. Remove the A/C compressor. (You can do it without removing, but it's a royal PITA... LOL) Don't unhook the lines, just unbolt and move out of the way.
6. Remove the worn tensioner from t he block. (You need to unbolt the pulley first to get to all the tensioner bolts)

SOURCE: serpentine belt replacement

You will only need to locate the fan belt diagram to replace it on correctly and a 1/2 breaker bar or ratchet to back off the tension er while replacing belts check the tension-er bearing if it feels ruff when you turn it replace it. Check water pump also to see if it turns smooth same with the alt.

SOURCE: replace serpentine belt

i have a 97 sunfire with a 2.2 and a/c my sticker is intact would you like a pic?

SOURCE: 2001 2.2 sunfire engine will start rattling after warming up

Timing CHAIN tensioner you mean? Better have that noise checked ASAP. It may be a problem with the timing chain.