What is the easiest sequence to use when installing a serpentine belt?

Hi Robert:
The make and model might help one of us to google it and find an answer, but if you have the correct belt, replacement is a straightforward matter.
- Vee belts fit in the vee and are tightened by loosening the alternator bolts and moving the alternator.
- Serpentine belts have the inside (ridges) fit into the drive and driven pulleys, and the outside fits against idler pulleys and the tension pulley. The easiest way to install that I have found is to use a 3/8 tortion bar with a "cheater" extension on the handle. (mine is a piece of square aluminum tubing about 2 ft long. The 3/8 square drive fits in a hole in the face of the pulley carrier. Move the tensioner pulley so that it is in the fully slack position, and while holding it there, put the serpentine belt in place. Then let the tensioner release to tighten up the belt.

Video Tutorial:
https://youtu.be/h4qGOJ5PpSw

The easiest way to replace serpentine \ drive V belt on 2007-2012 Nissan Altima 2.5L 4 cylinders engine:
- remove front wheel on passenger side
- remove plastic splash cover
- user 14mm offset wrench to turn belt auto-tensioner in clockwise direction
- block auto-tensioner from moving using locking mechanism right above the auto-tensioner pulley
- slide the belt off the smooth non-grooved water pump pulley first
and then take the belt completely out
- when installing a new serpentine belt, first hook it onto all pulleys except for water pump pulley. Hook it onto the water pump pulley last
- make sure the new belt is hooked up properly onto all of the pulleys
- unlock the auto-tensioner
Original OEM Part #:
Amazon com OEM 11720 JA00B Nissan Altima Serpentine Belt
Follow this diagram to route the new belt on 2.5L engine:

one of the pulleys have spring tension put a wrench on them and tighten the bolt the one that move the arm is the one to move

Application:
With A/C

Kia_Sedona_2002-2006
Accessory Drive Belts

• ACCESSORY BELT ROUTING
• INSPECTION
• REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Print

Accessory Belt Routing

Fig. Accessory serpentine belt routing-3.5L engine

Fig. Accessory serpentine belt routing-3.5L engine

Fig. Accessory serpentine belt (A) routing-3.8L engine

Inspection

Inspect the drive belt for signs of glazing or cracking. A glazed belt will be perfectly smooth from slippage, while a good belt will have a slight texture of fabric visible. Cracks will usually start at the inner edge of the belt and run outward. All worn or damaged drive belts should be replaced immediately.

Removal & Installation

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Rotate the auto tensioner clockwise to release tension, then remove the drive belt.

To install:

1. Install drive belt (A). Route the belt over the components in the following order: Crankshaft pulley - A/C pulley - idler pulley - generator pulley - water pump pulley - P/S pump pulley - tensioner pulley.
2. Rotate auto tensioner arm in the counter-clockwise moving auto tensioner pulley bolt with wrench.
3. After putting belt on auto tensioner pulley, release the auto tensioner pulley slowly.
   
   

   Fig. Accessory serpentine belt routing-3.5L engine
   
   
   

   Fig. Accessory serpentine belt (A) routing-3.8L engine
   

It all depends if you have an tensioner pulley. The easiest to find out is to look at the pulleys. If you find one that has a square divet/hole/notch in it, then that would be your tensioner pulley. If have this then all you simply do is take a ratchet or a breaker bar and insert it into the square hole and rotate it to relief the tension on the belt. Once you have relieved the tension then move the belt out of the path of the pulley. This will provide you with enough slack in the belt to remove it from teh rest of the pulleys. Now if you dont have a tensioner pulley then you will more than likely have to loosen your alternator. Easiest way to tell is to look at the alternator. If there is a bolt that attaches the alternator to a bracket that has slot in which the bolt (once loosen) can move either right or left. If so you will need to loosen teh lower bolt and the upper bolt. Push the alternator towards the engine in order to gain some slack in the belt. Then remove the belt from the rest of the pulleys. I would take a picture of how the serpentine belt belt is routed to refer back to when installing the new belt.

loosen tensioner, take belt off, install new belt except last pulley, loosen tensioner, install belt on pulley, let tensioner tighten belt. If it takes 5 minutes, your doing something wrong.

Which engine?
To replace the drive belt or serpentine belt on a Voyager check the engine size. For 2.4L engines, a serpentine belt runs the air conditioning compressor and alternator. For 3.0L models, the alternator and power steering share a belt with a separate belt for the AC. Dodge recommends checking the belts every 15,000 miles or 12 months for possible replacement. I have gone 3 yrs with one.. it will start squealing when you turn on the heater to defrost..

http://www.automd.com/46/how-to-replace-a-serpentine-belt/

Most replacement belts have a diagram on the package. However, the easiest way is to pay close attention to the belt you are taking off, and replace the new one the same way. The pulleys themselves are usually 'grooved' or 'smooth' which tells you whether the front or back of the belt is against it. The hardest part is figuring out how to release tension on the idler-pulley. If you can get the belt on and the idler/tension pulley (same thing) pulls the belt tight, chances are you got the belt right. If you don't know what I mean, then the mostest best way is to get a Clymer Manual and read up. Its really a simple thing to do yourself.

I used a long heavy duty screw driver to release the tension on a Pontiac Sunbird.. the belt will only fit on one way..

My van is doing the same thing I installed the new bracket and it did it again tonight, thats less the 24 hours...

Try this procedure.



To replace a worn belt, locate the idler or generator pulley.




Loosen the hold-down fastener for the idler or generator pulley.




Pry the idler or generator pulley inward to release the belt tension and remove the belt.




Match the old belt up for size with the new replacement belt.




Observe the belt routing diagram in the engine compartment.




Install the new belt over each of the drive pulleys. Often the manufacturer recommends a sequence for feeding the belt around the pulleys.



Art courtesy of Delmar - Thomson Learning.
Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt.
Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt.




Install the belt squarely in the grooves of each pulley.




Before adjusting belt tension, check for proper pulley alignment. This is especially critical with serpentine belts. Measure the belt deflection in its longest span. If a belt tension gauge is available, use it and compare the tension to specifications.
If a belt is too tight, wear to bearings for the water pump, alternator, and engine crankshaft can result.
Some late-model Chrysler engines require a torque reading to be taken when tension is applied to the generator drive belt. This is especially important on the longer, multiribbed V-belts.




Pry the idler or generator pulley to adjust the belt to specifications.




Tighten the idler or generator pulley fastener.




Start the engine and check the belt for proper operation.

Any more questions please ask. Good luck.

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2 Loosen the hold-down fastener for the idler or generator pulley.
3 Pry the idler or generator pulley inward to release the belt tension and remove the belt.
4 Match the old belt up for size with the new replacement belt.
5 Observe the belt routing diagram in the engine compartment.
6 Install the new belt over each of the drive pulleys. Often the manufacturer recommends a sequence for feeding the belt around the pulleys.
7 Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt.
8 Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt.
9 Install the belt squarely in the grooves of each pulley.
10 Before adjusting belt tension, check for proper pulley alignment. This is especially critical with serpentine belts. Measure the belt deflection in its longest span. If a belt tension gauge is available, use it and compare the tension to specifications.
”If a belt is too tight, wear to bearings for the water pump, alternator, and engine crankshaft can result.”
11 Pry the idler or generator pulley to adjust the belt to specifications.
12 Tighten the idler or generator pulley fastener.
13 Start the engine and check the belt for proper operation.