How do you reinstall a serpentine belt on an auto tensioner?

Reverse the procedure to reinstall the serpentine belt on the pulley system auto tensioner. Be careful to get the belt on the the other pulleys and aligned properly on all parts of the complicated routing, then apply the tool to allow the belt to be slipped onto the tensioner pulley.

What does the serpentine belt tool kit do?

The serpentine belt tool kit makes it easy to precisely position idler pulleys and get belts set to the perfect tension. We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. Limitations apply.

What happens if your serpentine belt is too tight?

The over tightness may also cause premature failure of the bearings and other connected devices. If the tension in the serpentine belt is not right, it will start producing squeaky noise.

Can you rent a serpentine belt removal tool?

Most auto supply stores will “rent to own” serpentine belt removal tool (the long, flat, thin breaker bar) to you at no cost, when you buy but then return it for a refund within the specified time (48 hours at some stores or a longer time at others).

Where is the belt tensioner located on a car?

Where is the belt tensioner located? The single belt loops around all the different pulleys on your engine, but one pulley has a tensioner arm, which will be the only pulley the has a square, 3/8-inch hole in the center. That hole is for a 3/8-inch ratchet nub, the part that holds the socket.

What happens if you cut the tensioner on a belt?

Serious damage caution. Do “not” cut the belt: Avoid such a “short cut”, as that can cause the tensioner or where it attaches to be damaged when it springs back violently.

What happens if you let the handle of your auto tensioner slip?

Caution against injury: Be careful to neither let the tool slip nor release the tool handle suddenly or it could sling the tool, and damage the auto or possibly cause serious injury.

How to replace the serpentine belt, idler, and idler?

Then, fit the new tensioner into position on the front of the engine and thread in its mounting bolt. Use a 16mm socket and a torque wrench to tighten the idler pulley bolt to 40Nm. After that, use the E14 socket to torque the tensioner’s bolt to 25Nm. Then, because the tensioner’s bolt is aluminum, tighten the bolt another 90°.

What happens when you loosen a serpentine belt?

If your vehicle uses the alternator bracket to apply tension to the belt, loosen the two bolts that pass through the long eyelets on the bracket. As you loosen the bolts, the tension on the belt will likely move the alternator toward the engine and relieve the pressure. Loosen the bolts enough to move the alternator, but don’t remove them.

What kind of pulley does a serpentine belt use?

Determine if there is a belt tensioner pulley. Depending on the application, your serpentine belt will either have tension placed on it using a movable bracket or an auto tensioner pulley. This pulley uses an internal spring to apply consistent pressure to the belt at all times.

When to replace a serpentine belt tensioner?

Repair Topics > Belts Serpentine & Timing > When to replace serpentine… Let’s get this straight from the get-go, a serpentine belt tensioner doesn’t last the life of the vehicle. In fact, most start to show serious wear right around the 100K mile mark. You may think a worn tensioner just means your belt loses tension; you’d be wrong.

How do you remove the serpentine belt from a VW?

To remove the serpentine belt, release tension off of the tensioner. Then grab the serpentine belt between the a/c compressor and alternator just pull it off. You do not need to take it far off

What happens when a belt tensioner goes bad?

When the spring tension is lost in a failed tensioner it will cause squeaking especially under acceleration. A belt tensioner is a normal wear item and should be inspected regularly.

How do you remove tension from a serpentine belt?

Note: It is a very heavy spring tension, and pivoting the tensioner is often not possible with a short handled tool. Hold the tension from the belt, and slip the belt off the auto tensioner pulley to remove the belt and pulley system. Slowly release the tension to avoid damage or injury, and then remove the tool from the belt auto tensioner.

When the spring tension is lost in a failed tensioner it will cause squeaking especially under acceleration. A belt tensioner is a normal wear item and should be inspected regularly.

How can I tell if my serpentine belt is bad?

So, if it’s worn out, it will start slipping over the alternator pulley and the alternator won’t be able to produce enough electric power. This symptom of a serpentine belt problem is notorious for being hard to recognize. In most cases, there will be no sounds or visible symptoms. To make things even harder, even the battery light doesn’t come up.

How often should a serpentine belt be replaced?

Most serpentine belts need to be replaced every 40,000 to 70,000 miles. If there are signs of the belt rubbing on something, make sure to identify and repair whatever it was rubbing on to avoid damaging the new belt.

How to troubleshoot a tensioner pulley noise?

Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise just far enough to slip the serpentine belt off the pulley closest to the belt (or pulley easiest for you to reach, depending on what kind of vehicle you’re working on). Rotate the tensioner back into position. Shine the flashlight on the tensioner pulley and examine the pulley face.

Do you have to replace the tensioner on a serpentine belt?

However, many people don’t know the spring-loaded automatic tensioner that keeps a serpentine belt tight is also a wear item. Consequently, the automatic tensioner may also have to be replaced when the time comes to change the belt.

When to replace idler pulley and belt tensioner?

If the automatic belt tensioner has failed (and the engine has a lot of miles on it), it’s probably a good idea to replace the idler pulley (s) at the same time. Why? Because the shaft bearings on all the pulleys will have the same amount of wear.

How long does a drive belt tensioner last?

Drive belts typically last anywhere between 40,000 and 70,000 miles. There aren’t a lot of warning signs that a drive belt tensioner has hit the end of its lifespan, in fact there is really only one. Once you start to hear a grinding or squeaking sound coming from your engine, it’s time to have the drive belt tensioner looked at.

Why does the belt stop working on my Triumph Thunderbird?

If the tension is too loose the belt can stop completely. Owners of the Triumph thunderbird have noticed that the tension of the belt is too tight from the factory. This means that when the bike is new, the belt tension is too tight on the Thunderbird bikes.

What does a drive belt tensioner do?

A drive belt tensioner is a pulley mounted on a spring mechanism or adjustable pivot point that is used to keep tension on the engine belts. Spring tensioners are designed to tension automatically while the pivot design types can be adjusted manually.

Where is the tensioner on an air conditioner belt?

If you have a difficult time finding the tensioner, consult the belt routing diagram. This can typically be found on a decal placed somewhere in the engine compartment or in the vehicle repair manual. Step 2: Rotate the tensioner. Use a socket or wrench to slide the automatic tensioner away from the belt.

How do you remove the serpentine belt on a Ford F-150?

Rotate it clockwise towards the driver side to release tension. You can now release the tool and use both hands to remove the rest of the belt Figure 2. After attaching your ratchet to the tensioner arm, rotate clockwise. While slack, remove serpentine belt from engine. (Related: How to Change your Serpentine Belt – Ford-Trucks.com)

How does a spring tensioner pulley loosen a belt?

Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt. Spring tensioner pulleys, as the name implies, use a spring to hold tension on the belt. Most, if not all, spring tensioner pulleys are NAI tensioners and include a hydraulic damper.

Where do I find the serpentine belt on my car?

To access the serpentine belt, you will need to open the hood of the vehicle. The hood release can usually be found near the door on the driver’s side of the vehicle. With the hood released, you will also need to release the safety latch located at the front of the vehicle.

How are serpentine belts used in modern cars?

Learn more… Today’s modern vehicles use a serpentine belt to drive the air conditioning system, alternator, water pump, smog pump and power steering pump. Previously, these systems used multiple belts on pulley systems with a number of ways to manually tighten the belts.

What was the problem with the 1995 LeBaron?

1995 Lebaron 3.0 V6 Automatic Battery Charging Problem Error Codes 16 & 41 HELP! Water sloshing around rear quarter.

When did the serpentine belt come off my Chrysler?

The 3.3L and 3.8L engines are the ones with the most problems when it comes to the engine belt coming off. The model years are 1996 through 2001, but I’ve seen older and newer ones do the same thing. Automobiles with this engine option installed are some of the most popular ever built.

Why does my Dodge Caravan throw the serpentine belt?

The Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan and Voyager have a tendency to throw the serpentine belt after driving through a puddle. In my opinion this problem is not limited to minivans.

Why does my serpentine belt keep popping off?

Plus, an important tip for removing some pain when doing the job. The Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan and Voyager have a tendency to throw the serpentine belt after driving through a puddle. In my opinion this problem is not limited to minivans. If you have a V6 in a Chrysler product this kit is the solution for the belt popping off.

Is there a enhancement kit for the serpentine belt?

Included is the belt diagram and details about the enhancement kit now available. I’m also including information from a technical bulletin showing how the dealers were fixing this issue.

What causes a belt tensioner pulley to squeak?

Tensioner pulley wear will cause your pulley to squeak. A worn out pulley bearing or a worn spring in the tension pulley can also cause squeaking or a chirp. I show you how to use water to identify what type of squeak problem you have and then how to find the problem.

What’s the best way to loosen a pulley belt?

Try both directions, which will require you to flip the selector on the wrench to the opposite direction (so you can loosen or tighten). The tensioner will move only in one direction, and when moved will release its grip on the belt. Make sure you study how the original belt wraps around the various pulleys.

Where can I find a serpentine belt routing diagram?

Select the specific year and make of your vehicle. Take note of the Illustration number and then Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Free Serpentine Belt Routing Diagram. What’s that squeal coming from under the hood?

How much does it cost to replace a serpentine belt?

The most difficult part of performing the belt replacement deals with relieving the pressure and locking the tensioner out of the way. MINI makes a special tool that is available for $90 to pry the tensioner away from the belt and I strongly recommend that you find one of these.

How do you change a serpentine belt on a car?

Step 1 – Remove engine covers, shrouds or plastic guards that may cover the work area. (Needed to access to the front of the engine.) Step 2 – Locate the belt tensioner which is under spring tension to hold pressure on the belt which keeps it secure.

Where do I find the serpentine belt routing diagram?

Find the serpentine belt routing diagram. Many cars come with a sticker in the engine bay that shows exactly how the serpentine belt is supposed to be routed through the various pulleys on the engine. If your vehicle does not have a sticker, you will need to find another way to remember how the belt should be run.

How is the tension set on a serpentine belt?

Depending on the application, your serpentine belt will either have tension placed on it using a movable bracket or an auto tensioner pulley. This pulley uses an internal spring to apply consistent pressure to the belt at all times. If your vehicle does not have a tensioner pulley, the alternator bracket is likely how tension is set on the belt.

What to use to clean serpentine belt pulleys?

Use a wire brush to clean the belt pulley grooves. Always use the right size belt to maintain the proper amount of tension. Do not use “belt dressing” or anti noise sprays. This is a temporary fix and will cause the replacement belt to fail prematurely because of contaminates on the pulley system.

What do you need to know about a belt tensioner?

The belt tensioner’s first job is to maintain the proper tension on the serpentine belt. That’s easy enough, you just build a tensioning device with a strong enough spring to keep the belt at the correct tension. The tensioner also has to compensate for belt wear and stretch.

How does harmonic balancer work on belt tensioner?

So the harmonic balancer actually pulses with each power stroke. That exerts a pull on the belt, causing the tensioner arm to move up or down. Then, between pulses, the belt relaxes slightly and the tensioner returns to its normal position.

What happens when you wear a belt tensioner?

A worn tensioner actually increases tension on the belt and that increased tension can damage the nose bearings on your AC compressor, power steering pump and alternator.

What causes a serpentine belt pulley to squeak?

The serpentine belt in your car powers the accessories such as air conditioning, power steering, the alternator, and waterpump. Tensioner pulley wear will cause your pulley to squeak.

When to replace serpentine belt tensioner — Ricks free?

A good belt tensioner will dampen the power pulses so much that the tensioner pulley arm barely moves. As the dampener wears the pulses cause the belt to flutter and that can be seen on the pulley arm. A belt tensioner pulley arm should not move more than 1/32”.

Do you change the bearings on a serpentine belt?

Yep, do it, the tensioner looses tension and the idler looses grease. If you’re inclined you can repack the bearings with wheel bearing grease as long as they’re not damaged yet. replace all the pullies when the belt is changed. replace all the pullies when the belt is changed.

Is there a difference in length between serpentine belts?

Tensioner was fine when I’d switch back to the old belt, slipped on the new belt. From what I remember there was a 3/4″ difference in length between both belts based on the MFG listed measurements, both belts listed for this application specifically. A new tensioner solved the problem.

Serious damage caution. Do “not” cut the belt: Avoid such a “short cut”, as that can cause the tensioner or where it attaches to be damaged when it springs back violently.

How do you reinstall a serpentine belt on an auto tensioner?