Belt removal revisited

[malc350]

Has anyone found their tensioner doesn't move under tension?

When I put a wrench on the tensioner bolt (with a long bar for easy leverage) my tensioner doesn't appear to want to move, although I can see it flexing a bit while the engine is running.

Because I felt I might put too much pressure on the bolt I removed my belt the hard way - by loosening off the alternator and carefully removing the pulley on the AIR pump.

Has anyone else had to do this? I get a bit paranoid around the "Callaway only" parts in case I break something and I can't use my car (especially as the sun's out all the time now!)

I've removed the belt on my 84 and 93 and though it's always a bit tricky, they didn't seem to need the amount of leverage I felt I needed to put on my Callaway. I don't suppose the tensioner can seize?

 

[SurfnSun]

I guess it could seize, I have no idea. I can move my tensioner all the way by hand, though it takes a bit force.

 

[*89x2*]

Malc, from what I have seen & heard on this subject over the past few days, this "tensioner" is NOT like a standard tensioner on a regular Vette - there is no squared hole to put a breaker bar into & the bolt you would think would take the tension off, is not for that - Pete, Kevin - your method was indeed the correct one per Wayne @ Callaway :cool

here is his quote... "Hello Chris,
The tensioner may look a lot different that stock, but it works the same.
All you need to do is to push the tensioner down with a bar ( be careful to not mar the aluminum of the pump body). Push near the end of the pump where the oil line comes off the end of it, this will release the belt tension. Then you can remove the belt, I start with the Alternator, then release the tensioner. You may have to loosen the bottom bolt for the Alternator, and the bolt for the top alternator mount where it mounts to the air pump, then remove the top bolt from the alternator to get the alternator to move in toward the air pump if the belt does not come off easily. "

Hope this helps

 

[*89x2*]

The above plan worked Turbo Joe offered an explanation to why mine was so tight - His thoughts were, the new belt (replaced by the previous owner) and the VERY low mileage on the vehicle all would contribute to the tightness on the tensioner.

The 2 bolts on the tensioner were not needed or used for the belt removal - just taking tension off, we could not slip the belt off however, once the belt tension was off, we loosened the alternator bolts, swung it down & popped the belt right off

Hope this helps Malc