Serpentine Belt R & R Assistance Please

[milehigreg]

Uncle!! Don't have my repair manual yet but needed to change the serpentine belt. Simple job, right? I can't seem to find a way to get leverage and or clearance to crank the idler pulley far enough to get the new belt on. What's the trick? I hope it doesn't require a special tool. If I jack it up and remove the panel from under the engine can I get access with a pry bar? I consider myself to be a decent mechanic. Please be gentle. This falls under the heading of stopping and asking directions. I'm very vulnerable right now.:eyerole

 

[Vettelt193]

Uncle!! Don't have my repair manual yet but needed to change the serpentine belt. Simple job, right? I can't seem to find a way to get leverage and or clearance to crank the idler pulley far enough to get the new belt on. What's the trick? I hope it doesn't require a special tool. If I jack it up and remove the panel from under the engine can I get access with a pry bar? I consider myself to be a decent mechanic. Please be gentle. This falls under the heading of stopping and asking directions. I'm very vulnerable right now.:eyerole

On my '87 all I needed was a standard socket wrench (i think it is 1/2" size) to stick into the 'hole' on the tensioner, then push it to loosen the belt.

My '93, and now '96 it is backwards, you need a socket, and it is harder. I wound up buying a serpinetine belt tool for it (a long metal bar basically) from a local auto parts store, for cheap

 

[slapshot]

I just did mine last week. At first, it was a pain, then I figured out the trick to it. I borrowed a breaker bar from my neighbor. First, take the intake tube that runs from the air filter box to the throttle body. Then take your breaker bar and stick it does to the idler pulley from the top, in the center where the intake tube was.

This was the only way I could get the idler pulley to move far enough to get the belt off the pullies.

The only other problem I had was getting the old belt off. The bottom pulley has very little clearance around it. I ended up cutting the old belt instead of messing with it. Putting the new belt on was pretty easy.

 

[WhalePirot]

Ladies, take note!

A GUY, and a Corvette owner with mechanic's hands ASKED DIRECTIONS and exposed some vulnerability!

 

[jnj]

Look for your thinnest 1/2" breaker bar. Luckily I had 2 different ones and the difference was only 3/16" in the thickness where the socket attachment is. The smaller one easily slid into the tensioner.
Good Luck
91Coupe

 

[vetteboy86]

1/2'' ratchet did it for me. I skinned two knuckles but what project on a corvette doesn't require the skinning of the knuckles. :cry


Craig

 

[slapshot]

....... I skinned two knuckles but what project on a corvette doesn't require the skinning of the knuckles. :cry


Craig

Ain't that the truth. Fiberglass edges are a biiiiiiiatch on skin, especially under the hood!!!!

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

Greg
Go to sears and get thier craftsman 1/2" extended length ratchet and you will find it only takes a min. to change the belt.....no blood no sweat no tears or new language...

Mike

 

[WNH]

Greg
Go to sears and get thier craftsman 1/2" extended length ratchet and you will find it only takes a min. to change the belt.....

That's what I did, $20. Go to the Sears tool dept, its hanging right on the shelf.

 

[wannavette]

Um...just yesterday I spent alot of time and effort to get the tensioner bolt loose with no luck!Used a 1/2" breaker bar and was able to get some good leverage but no luck.2 busted knuckles and a very sore back today.I need to change the belt and also the valve cover gaskets was going to start yesterday but the 1st step got in my way any suggestions or tips would greatly be appreciated

 

[G Winter]

Um...just yesterday I spent alot of time and effort to get the tensioner bolt loose with no luck!Used a 1/2" breaker bar and was able to get some good leverage but no luck

You don't need to take a bolt loose on the tensioner to get the belt off.
Pivot the arm to take tension off the belt . If your trying to replace the tensioner pully I think those are left hand treads, I found that out the hard way on another GM car . Turned it with a breaker bar and broke the arm.

 

[vetteboy86]

scav,

You are 100% right. Changing the belt shouldn't take you much longer then 10 minutes, once you get the parts out.

Good luck wannavette, hope you read this before you lose some more time, and bust a few more knuckles.

Craig

 

[slapshot]

Pivot the tensioner down, rotate towards the drivers side with breaker bar. That releases slack in the belt.

 

[milehigreg]

After getting just the right 1/2" drive, not too long, not too short to avoid the frisbee this was a two minute job. Thanks folks!

 

[vetteboy86]

Glad to see we could help

Craig

 

[96CERon]

Made myself a wrench by cutting a double box end wrench in two and welding the 5/8 piece to piece of 1/2" thin wall conduit--can change the belt in 2-3 minutes.

 

[Ken]

The way mine's set up now, I simply push on the tensioner to remove my belt. :L

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

All of those hours that I have spent working out over the last 40 years must be paying off. When the alternator went south I just pushed the tensioner down with my right hand and slipped the belt off. It went back on just as easy.

Ken, is that a total loss cooling system or is the upper radiator hose missing?

 

[G Winter]

Ken, is that a total loss cooling system or is the upper radiator hose missing?

Wow , my eyes aren't as bad as I thought , sure glad you said something.
I now have more faith in what I think I see. Bottom hose is there. I think we need an explanation of how this cooling system works.
Other than a missing hose.. the pic would have made a good wallpaper.
That engine compartment looks awsome .

Merry Christmas

 

[Ken]

Okay wiseasses. I showed the first picture because you could see the tensioner more clearly. Here's a more complete picture of the engine: