How hard is it?

**clg82** · 08-17-2007, 04:54 PM

How hard is it to change our belt? I have over 100,000 miles on my car and whenever i get in about 5-6,000 rpm's my battery gauge dips all the way in the yellow. Never did this before and I think my belt is slipping off the alternator and then the car is just running on battery. How do I change the belt? Any websites with an explanation or any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks, Chris

**clg82** · 08-20-2007, 11:01 PM

No one knows?

**sirenformula350** · 08-20-2007, 11:59 PM

changing the belt is really easy. All you have to do is loosen the belt tensioner and remove the belt. you might want to replace the ac belt also while you are at it.

**clg82** · 08-21-2007, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by sirenformula350

changing the belt is really easy. All you have to do is loosen the belt tensioner and remove the belt. you might want to replace the ac belt also while you are at it.

any pix available that you know of? where the belt tensioner is and what bolts to loosen? how would i know if the belt is to stiff or loose once i get the new one on?

**sirenformula350** · 08-21-2007, 12:15 AM

trust me you'll know. hopefully i'll be able to get my camera tomorrow and I could take some pics for you. If you do decide to do the ac belt also there is another tensioner for that and you have to get underneath the car. The reason i say to do both at the same time is if your serpentine belt is bad most likely the ac belt is bad too. Its a two belt system so if you want to replace the ac belt you have to take off the serpentine belt to get to it. I'll show you if I could get some pics up. Honestly though I don't know if thats your problem. someone else might know though.

**clg82** · 08-21-2007, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by sirenformula350

trust me you'll know. hopefully i'll be able to get my camera tomorrow and I could take some pics for you. If you do decide to do the ac belt also there is another tensioner for that and you have to get underneath the car. The reason i say to do both at the same time is if your serpentine belt is bad most likely the ac belt is bad too. Its a two belt system so if you want to replace the ac belt you have to take off the serpentine belt to get to it. I'll show you if I could get some pics up. Honestly though I don't know if thats your problem. someone else might know though.

thanks for the help those pix would be especially helpful when you get the chance to post them. i took the car to autozone and they tested it and said that it wasn't the alternator. Any other suggestions would help.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 08-21-2007, 05:49 PM

Takes about 5 minutes to change the belt.

**clg82** · 08-21-2007, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

Takes about 5 minutes to change the belt.

how and any websites with directions?

**thecorrectformula** · 08-21-2007, 06:41 PM

There should be a diagram on the driver side of the car under the hood that shows the sequence in which the belt should lay. I think its a 10mm socket you need for the tensioner. It's on the passenger side of the pulleys at the top and just looks like a metal peice with a pulley on it. just applie pressure with the socket and ratchet in the clockwise rotation and it should loosen enough to remove the belt. Reroute the new belt and leave the tensioner for last. Re apply pressure to the tensioner and slip the belt back over it. Job done. It's not hard at all. Just make sure the belt is fully on all the pulleys.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 08-21-2007, 06:48 PM

In the picture above, the tensioner is the candy apple red piece that bolts to the water pump. Its directly below the head plate in the picture. You need a 15mm socket and ratchet. You are going to use the 15mm socket to pull up on the bolt on the tensioner, up as in towards the throttle body. Once you pull it up, the belt slips right off.

Remove the old belt and route the new one. You should have a diagram on the left fenderwell that shows you how to route the belt. Once you have it routed, you use the 15mm socket/ratchet to pull upward on the tensioner bolt again and slip the belt onto the tensioner. Your are done now

**thecorrectformula** · 08-21-2007, 06:53 PM

Of course Y2K, you have to show off that UNGODLY clean engine bay. You make me feel like crap. lol

**Y2KPewterSS** · 08-21-2007, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by thecorrectformula

Of course Y2K, you have to show off that UNGODLY clean engine bay. You make me feel like crap. lol

Sorry

**SlowBird01** · 08-21-2007, 06:59 PM

Hope this helps.
Belt:

A/C Accessory:

I don't know if it will solve your Problem though.

**clg82** · 08-21-2007, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

In the picture above, the tensioner is the candy apple red piece that bolts to the water pump. Its directly below the head plate in the picture. You need a 15mm socket and ratchet. You are going to use the 15mm socket to pull up on the bolt on the tensioner, up as in towards the throttle body. Once you pull it up, the belt slips right off.

Remove the old belt and route the new one. You should have a diagram on the left fenderwell that shows you how to route the belt. Once you have it routed, you use the 15mm socket/ratchet to pull upward on the tensioner bolt again and slip the belt onto the tensioner. Your are done now

is the belt connected when I buy it? if not how do i connect one end to the other?

**Redphoenix1998** · 08-21-2007, 09:03 PM

15mm socket and a long handle ratchet helps

**SlowBird01** · 08-21-2007, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by clg82

is the belt connected when I buy it? if not how do i connect one end to the other?

All you have to do when installing a new belt is to put it on and route it. No connecting the ends. They are already connected.

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 08-21-2007, 10:40 PM

Get goodyear gator back belts. They really work good. My AC belt was slipping and my serp belt was cracked with about 40K on them. I cleaned the pulley's with snowmobile clutch cleaner while I was messing with them.