How do you change the bottom left pully in the belt?

**JehalinTA** · 05-25-2006, 08:46 PM

Well apparently I have a bad bearing the the bottom left pully of belt. Its the small pully at the bottom of the passenger side. I was wondering if I could do the installation my self. I just paid 100 to get the belt replaced... you would think they would let me know that there was abad pully but apparently not. So to avoid forking more money out I was tryingto do it myself. The bearing squeeks... is this something that I can taken my sweet time to replace or should I do it soon? thanks guys any install writeups on likewould be helpful as well.

**t/as&dds** · 05-26-2006, 02:49 AM

The lower left one is for your A/C compressor. It's not incredibly hard to replace it's just that you have to remove the bigger belt first. Just to make sure that it's truly that belt, I would cut it off, just so you don't have to take it apart to test it (since you're going to replace it anyways) and drive it for a day or two to make sure that's the noise you're hearing. Just make sure that you don't do it on a day when you need your A/C.

**JehalinTA** · 05-26-2006, 06:15 AM

isnt it just one big belt on our cars? When I was at a shop we had the car on a lift and it seemed the noise was coming from that one..wheres the cheapest place to buy that pully? Thanks

**JehalinTA** · 05-29-2006, 06:40 AM

to my understanding there is only one big belt.. I think thats what the diagram shows in the engine bay and Pepboys told me the same thing... It was 35 for the belt and then roughly 60 for the install.. did I get ripped off? this is the first time I replaced the belt since I bought the car.

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 05-29-2006, 08:01 PM

.....pepgirls, only way i'd go there if it really was called pepgirls and they wore nothing but thongs....i'd only bring my g/f corolla though

**thirdbird** · 05-30-2006, 06:25 PM

Jehalin. you really need to get a repair manual and learn to do basic things yourself. It isn't hard at all.

They took you on the belt install price. Takes maybe 10 minutes to change both belts. It is easy if you can get your car on some ramps and do it from underneath.

I have always justified the price of tools, ramps, etc. by using the money I would have paid someone to do repairs for me, to pay for my tools. Buy good tools, and you will have them for life.

Find a buddy that knows a little about car repair. get him to help and show you how to do things. Start on something easy, and build your confidence.

We all learned this way.

**JehalinTA** · 05-31-2006, 12:25 PM

Where can I get an install maual from? Thanks guys now I know not to go there in the future...

**02z28ls1** · 05-31-2006, 03:59 PM

Not to start an arguement here-but $60 does not buy an hours labor around here-and probably not around there either. The shop I'm at now charges $90 an hour (probably a half hour for a belt)and more for the belt than that. Sure you can do it yourself-if you know how. If you don't -then pay somebody else and be glad for the help. I mean if you can do your own plumbing or electrical or roofing or carpentry or siding or w/e then you can save alot of money. If not-then you call somebody who can and pay them what they need. I have the distinct displeasure of fixing alot of "home" repairs gone bad on cars-and it's a real pain. Some shops will tell you to pound sand if you tried to fix something yourself and fawked it up,it's just not worth their time to try to straighten out something like that. These shops are a business and reality sinks in when they have to pay the bills. Nobodies becoming a millionaire out in the shop-I'm certainly not, and a belt job is just a little bump in the road in a long day in the grease pits to someone like me. Yes it doesn't take someone long to do it that has the experience or the tools. But if you don't have that-then pay the shop and shut up. And don't EVEN yell at me here for giving you a pro's viewpoint on this. If you don't understand the business aspect of this then go away-I do-and I'm just relaying it to you. If I could fix everyone's car for free for them I would. I'll be living in the van down by the river then.........

**02z28ls1** · 06-01-2006, 06:02 PM

In my opinion-there are people that should not try to repair their own cars without constant supervision. In other words, somebody there doing virtually everything for them. Any volunteers? I honestly don't have the time or patience for it after doing car repair all day at work. Maybe somebody else would- I wish them all the success in the world.
If I had a free moment at work I could have double checked the price on replacing that belt, but was busy for 8.5 hours straight today repairing cars for people that are wisely not doing themselves. Rereading the post though-he says "around" $60 for labor, is he lumping in tax and w/e in with that?
JehalinTA honestly-no disrespect here-seems a little confused. Hey he's not an experienced wrench-we all gotta start somewhere. At first glance it does appear that there is only one belt. The diagram under the hood is a little confusing, tonite is the first time I really looked at that and the dotted lines are not all that self-explanatory.
I don't know anything about Pep Boys-we don't have those around here. Sounds like a "discount" chain-not the top of the line repair shop. Qualified help is easy to find-but it won't be at a discount place.
And what i meant was-I would have to live in a van if I didn't get paid a living wage for what I do. We are very busy where I work. And I'm paying the bills with what I get paid. I won't be a millionaire any time soon and I got a lot of respect for the working man (or woman)-so excuse me if I take exception to trash talking the auto repair shop.

**thirdbird** · 06-01-2006, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by 02z28ls1

)-so excuse me if I take exception to trash talking the auto repair shop.

I never trashed talked any auto repair shop. I just believe that most people with some mechanical know-how can do some basic repairs for themselves.

I get asked from time to time why I do things like change my oil, belt changes, coolant and hose replace, etc. I get satisfaction in doing it myself, I know it was done the way I want it done, and it is always quicker to do these things myself than to take the time to take it somewhere.

I am at a position financially where I can afford to have things like this done , I still would rather do it myself.
Wasnt always the case, thats when I had to do those things for myself.

I will be quiet now.

**DaddySS** · 06-02-2006, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by JehalinTA

to my understanding there is only one big belt.. I think thats what the diagram shows in the engine bay and Pepboys told me the same thing... It was 35 for the belt and then roughly 60 for the install.. did I get ripped off? this is the first time I replaced the belt since I bought the car.

Yes, $25 belt and 10 minutes work - at most you should have paid half that.

**02z28ls1** · 06-02-2006, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by thirdbird

I never trashed talked any auto repair shop. I just believe that most people with some mechanical know-how can do some basic repairs for themselves.

I get asked from time to time why I do things like change my oil, belt changes, coolant and hose replace, etc. I get satisfaction in doing it myself, I know it was done the way I want it done, and it is always quicker to do these things myself than to take the time to take it somewhere.

I am at a position financially where I can afford to have things like this done , I still would rather do it myself.
Wasnt always the case, thats when I had to do those things for myself.

I will be quiet now.

This may be a shock to some people here but I agree 100 percent also. (!) People with mechanical aptitude should repair and maintain their cars themselves. I'm praying for more people to change their own oil for example.If you reread what I wrote I never said anything to the contrary.
Please do not stop commenting-it's not a forum otherwise. Some people don't seem to be getting that either.

**sunsetorangess** · 06-03-2006, 08:00 PM

There are some people out there that shouldnt check there own oil but for someone that wants too learn its way too easy and with the resourses out there such as "manuals" ls1.com etc.etc...
I'v been doing it for about 8 years now and the thing i'v learned is just relax and think about it and you will figure it out.
If you think its your belt i dont reccomend using it as a fix but as a tool try some "belt dressing" comes in a can like wd-40 and if the noise goes away its just a belt. If not try listening to where the noise is coming from and post or take a picture on where you think its coming from
There are infact two belts on your ls1 on lt1 there was one serp.
The smaller belt runs your ac and the larger serp. belt runs everything else.
If your thinkin pepboys ripped you off call them up and talk to a manager if he/she doesnt help call corporate and go from there
J

**02z28ls1** · 06-03-2006, 09:55 PM

Good point-if you went in to get the noise fixed-and it didn't get fixed-they owe you at least an explanation. Maybe more,it's worth a shot to at least talk to them.

**JehalinTA** · 06-05-2006, 09:06 AM

Well another auto shop showed where the sound was coming from when we had it on a lift with the car on... He said it wasthe pully at the bottom left and the noise doesnt seem like its the belt... Is it possible to take the pully off to see if its gone bad? Is a haynes manual a good repair guide? Thanks guys

**02z28ls1** · 06-05-2006, 04:06 PM

If you take a section of heater hose or something similar size hose,use it as a stethascope and listen to the noise (one end up to your ear,and one end to the pulley) when the engine is running. You should be able to pinpoint it easier this way. Taking it off and looking at it doesn't always work-it's better to try to listen for it. And congrats on not getting discouraged-you may make a good mechanic yet. It takes someone with patience.

**tomf301** · 06-05-2006, 06:09 PM

Do what the others have said, spend your money on tools, learn from books, make friends with someone at a cruise-in that would be willing to watch while you do simple tasks like this. The best way to get that "great GM feeling" is not to share it with "Mr. Goodwrench".

**tomf301** · 06-05-2006, 06:14 PM

Those idlers suck!

**02z28ls1** · 06-06-2006, 06:45 AM

I think someone works at a "GM dealership service department ". After complaining that he paid too much at Pepboys-you believe he will pay less at a "GM dealership service department"? Not likely. Get serious or get lost.

**pjanak** · 06-12-2006, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by kage 62005

Dude u have 2 belts 1 drives A/C compressor it's the small belt. The other is surpentine it drives everything else it's the big belt. U do have LS1 ? And yes you did get slammed in A$$hole with no vaseline. It takes 3min. to replace surpentine. All u had to do is torque the surpentine belt tensioner pully to the right side (Driver side). I think it takes 15mm wrench .... They charged you for an 1hr. of labor work.... Dude don't ever take ur car to pepgirls. There are just a bunch of rejects & loosers working there. Take it to GM dealer service dept. Or better yet if you can do it ur self that's the only way u are going to lern.....And yes you can do the job ur self on the A/C tensioner pully u were asking about, the one on the passenger side. Replace the small belt while u are at it. Noise can be caused by 1 or the other or both, why take a chance... Small belt shouldn't be that much. Hope this helps

Was the car type ever confirmed? I'll say this. If he has a base model Camaro. It's got only ONE belt. I don't know about any of the other versions. RS or LS1. But the base has one belt. Yeah, I've replaced it myself. And yeah. My A/C was working. Not now. As its time to replace the compressor(spewing on the adjacent hose and splattered on the inside of my right tire).
Don't be so quick to pounce on the person. I only have a base model. Yet I am here because my car over all is vastly similar to the upper models. Sites like these offer one who wishes to do self maintanance where possible. Ther's no base model camaro fan site with a message forum as far as I know. So I come to advance Camaro sites to garner info when I need it.
Pete