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.

How does the serpentine belt work on a Pontiac G6?

The serpentine belt on the 2006 Pontiac G6 is held onto the accessory pulleys by an automatic adjustment tensioner. This tensioner keeps the proper amount of tension on the belt as the belt travels around each accessory pulley.

Where are the pulleys on a serpentine belt?

The serpentine belt weaves over and under the various engine devices (power steering pump, water pump, alternator, along with the idler and tensioner pulleys). Many vehicles have belt routing diagrams under the hood or in the owner’s manual. Make sure you find it and verify the routing before removing the old belt.

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.

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).

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.

How do you change the serpentine belt on a Honda Accord?

The tensioner pulley is the one on the left with an arrow pointing toward it. We will release the tension on this pulley, then slide the old belt off. To release the tension on the tensioner pulley, put a 14mm wrench onto the nut-head on the tensioner pulley (A), and pull the wrench toward the front of the car as shown.

How do you release tension on a Honda Accord?

To release the tension on the tensioner pulley, put a 14mm wrench onto the nut-head on the tensioner pulley (A), and pull the wrench toward the front of the car as shown. On the Honda Accord, this is a 14mm hex head on the tensioner pulley.

What kind of wrench do I need to remove belt on Honda Accord?

A serpentine belt wrench is definitely optimal here, but a very long handled 12 mm open ended box wrench will work as well. You may need a second person for this part of the job. Put the wrench on the nut in the center of the pulley, and crank back on it clockwise with a significant amount of force. This will loosen the belt for removal. Figure 2.

What kind of wrench do I need to replace serpentine belt?

The automatic-tension pulley. A serpentine belt wrench is definitely optimal here, but a very long handled 12 mm open ended box wrench will work as well. You may need a second person for this part of the job. Put the wrench on the nut in the center of the pulley, and crank back on it clockwise with a significant amount of force.

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.

How does a serpentine belt tensioner assembly work?

The belt tensioner assembly of your vehicle is designed to allow several engine parts to be operated by one serpentine belt. The belt is tightened or loosened by adjusting the belt tensioner with a tensioner tool or socket wrench. Occasionally, the belt tensioner assembly can wear out, causing the serpentine belt to wear unevenly.

How do you reinstall a serpentine belt on a pulley?

Belt Installation 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.

How do you check the tightness of a serpentine belt?

Check the tension by twisting the belt and measure the twist margin. If the tightness of the belt is right, tighten the screw in place to assert the firmness. Put the cover of the pulley back in place. Turn on the engine and observe the vibrations of bearings and pulleys, plus the spinning of the serpentine belt.

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”.

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.

What are the symptoms of a bad serpentine belt?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Serpentine/ Drive Belt . Common signs include a squealing noise from the front of the vehicle, power steering and AC not working, engine overheating, and cracks on the belt.

How easy is it to change the serpentine belt?

How to Replace Your Serpentine Belt Note the placement of belt. Serpentine belts have that name for a reason. Loosen and unthread the belt. Before removing the belt, you’ll need to release the tensioner, which automatically keeps the belt taut while you’re driving. Check for damage. After removing the belt, inspect it for signs of damage. Install the new belt.

How do I replace the serpentine belt?

How to Change a Serpentine Belt Step 1 – Get Out Your Cars Diagram Step 2 – Turn Off Your Car and Keep It on Idle Step 3 – Pop the Hood Step 4 – Note How the Belt Functions Step 5 – Relieve the Tensioner Pressure Step 6 – Slide the Belt Off the Pulley Step 7 – Remove the Motor Mount Step 8 – Replace the Belt Step 9 – Clean Up

How do you remove a serpentine belt?

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 to do if your belt tensioner is not working?

Use a wrench to move the belt tensioner arm through its range of motion. What you want to see is that there is resistance to the movement that you apply. If you notice that there is no resistance at all, then the problem is in the tensioner spring.

When do you know you have a serpentine belt problem?

This sound is the first warning of a serpentine belt problem to come, especially if it’s present all the time. It’s a weak, sometimes barely noticeable squeaky sound that may even disappear when you start to drive or the engine heats up a bit.

How did the serpentine belt get its name?

The serpentine belt is aptly named for the way it snakes around the pulleys inside the engine bay. This long, winding rubber belt powers many of the important systems of your vehicle by transferring power from the engine’s crankshaft to the accessory pulleys.

How much does it cost to change a Mercedes belt tensioner?

The average price to change the belt tensioner at the dealer ranges between $400-$650. Local repair shops will charge between $280-$450. The DIY cost to change the Mercedes-Benz drive belt tensioner ranges between $50-$120, even if you have to buy the tools needed for this job and a new serpentine belt.

What should the torque be on a Mercedes tensioner?

Torque the tensioner bolts to the recommended manufacturer specifications. Typical torque for the tensioner bolts ranges between 25Nm to 35 Nm. Check with your dealer. Install the drive belt. Make sure it is routed on all the pulleys properly. If the belt does not reach, make sure it is not sitting on top of one of the pulleys.

What’s the hole in an auto tensioner pulley?

That hole is for a 3/8-inch ratchet nub, the part that holds the socket. Place the nub of the ratchet wrench into the square hole of the tensioner pulley and rotate the wrench. Try both directions, which will require you to flip the selector on the wrench to the opposite direction (so you can loosen or tighten).

How do you remove the serpentine belt on a Toyota Camry?

There are two 10mm bolts that need to be removed. Figure 2. Inner fender liner removal. Label and save your bolts so you know where they go during re-installation. Remove the serpentine belt by turning the 19mm bolt on the tensioner clockwise.

How to remove drive belt tensioner 05-08 Honda?

To remove your drive belt, you need to place a 14mm socket with a breaker bar on the auto tensioner to relieve the tension. Take a 14mm socket and a breaker bar, put it down in here. Place it over the auto tensioner. Pull to the rear of the car to relieve the tension on the belt.

Where is the belt tensioner on a car?

The belt tensioner is on the passenger side of the engine in the front. The tensioner has a pulley on it and a square 3/8-inch hole. Take a 3/8-inch ratchet and insert the square head of the ratchet into the square hole on the belt tensioner. Turn the belt tensioner clockwise to relieve the tension in the serpentine belt.

How to loosen a tensioner on a car?

How to Loosen a Tensioner 1 Open the hood and locate the drive belt (s). Either locate the serpentine belt routing diagram in the engine compartment, or refer to the repair manual. 2 Determine the type of tension applied to the belt you’re replacing. 3 Locate the belt tensioner per belt routing diagram.

When do you need to loosen a tensioner pulley?

Sometimes, maintenance or repair will require tightening or loosening a tensioner pulley. Replacing a drive belt or timing belt, for example, would require you to loosen a tensioner pulley to make room for the new belt, as the new belt is smaller than the worn drive belt.

How can I loosen the tension on my alternator?

While holding the tool in place with the tension relieved, slip the belt off the most accessible pulley that you can reach. Loosen the two (or three) bolts on the alternator, on older vehicles that do not have an automatic belt tensioner.

What are the signs of a bad belt tensioner?

The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. If the tensioner is loose the belts may squeak or squeal, especially when the engine is first started.

How do I know if my serpentine belt needs replaced?

Look for signs of damage or wear on the belt. Once you have located the serpentine belt, inspect it visually for signs of damage. If the belt is frayed, coming apart, or has marks that indicate that it has been rubbing on something, it will need to be replaced.

When should you replace the serpentine belt?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Where is the serpentine belt on a car?

If you open up the hood of your car, you’ll see that the serpentine belt is on the front of your engine. It is the long one. The pulley itself is found on the outside of the belt, which is how it adds tension or pressure.

When does a drive belt tensioner need to be replaced?

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.

How to replace a Mercedes Benz belt tensioner?

Turn the tensioner all the way counter-clockwise and insert a retaining pin between the rotating part and the tensioner base. If you do not have a retaining pin you can use a 5mm Allen. With the tensioner locked in the release position (yellow arrow) you can see the two E12 bolts (red arrows) holding the tensioner to the block.

Can a loose serpentine belt cause power steering to fail?

A loose belt may even cause both to work intermittently. A lack of cold air from the air conditioning and and increase in tension in the steering wheel are both signs of these accessories failing. Be sure to check the power steering fluid if you begin to have issues with your power steering. Check the belt’s tension if pulleys begin to fail.

How often should a serpentine belt be checked?

If somehow the tension in the belt is not proper, its operation is going to consume more power. That will definitely halter the overall performance, efficiency, and experience of the vehicle. Therefore, the tension of the belt should be checked frequently – may be in a fortnight or monthly, along with its general condition.

What’s the best tool to replace a serpentine belt?

This tool pays for itself ten times over the first time you use it to replace your serpentine belt. The serpentine belt tool kit makes it easy to precisely position idler pulleys and get belts set to the perfect tension. Fits idler pulleys requiring 15mm or 18mm hex or 3/8 in. or 1/2 in. square drives

How do you check the tension on a serpentine belt?

Pull the one half of the pulley out. With the help of spanner or similar tool, rotate the screws clockwise and anti-clockwise on the pulley to adjust the tension on the belt. Check the tension by twisting the belt and measure the twist margin.

How does the serpentine belt work in a car?

The operation and working of some of the major parts of the engines system like an air pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump depend on the serpentine belt. It connects and drives all these peripheral devices of the auto engine system.

What kind of belt tensioner tool do I Need?

Serpentine Belt Tool Set with Locking Flex Head Ratcheting Wrench – 89000 . . . . . In stock on June 25, 2021. ARES 15033 – Belt Tension Gauge – Use After Belt Replacement, Adjustment or Wheel Service for Accurate Motorcycle Belt Tension Setting – Universal Design – 10 Lb Specification – Compatible with Harley .

Where to replace serpentine belt on Mercury Sable?

To maintain engine performance, replace the serpentine belt in your 2002 Mercury Sable owners when it wears down. Attach a 15 mm wrench to the bolt in the center of the tensioner pulley. The tensioner pulley is located in the middle of the crankshaft and water pump pulleys.

How do you move a tensioner pulley in a car?

Move the tensioner pulley with the 15 mm wrench, slip the belt onto the tensioner pulley and rotate the tensioner pulley back to its original position. Check the location of the belt on each pulley before starting the engine. The belt should rest in the groove of each pulley.

Where is the tensioner on a drive belt?

It is the long one. The pulley itself is found on the outside of the belt, which is how it adds tension or pressure. The problem with the drive belt tensioner is that once it goes, it usually means replacing the pulleys and sometimes the drive belt itself. It’s not usually a one-part replacement job.

How do you remove a belt tensioner bracket?

Remove the other bracket bolts that hold the belt tensioner to the engine block. Use a ratchet and socket and turn the bracket bolts counterclockwise to loosen and remove the bolts from the belt tensioner bracket.

What happens when you unscrew a belt tensioner?

The tensioner will rotate freely before it comes to a stop. When the spring-loaded arm comes to a stop, continue to turn the bolt until the bolt loosens. Once the bolt loosens from the spring-loaded arm of the tensioner, release the belt tensioner until it comes to a stop. Finish unscrewing the bolt with your fingers.

How can I tell if my serpentine belt is slipping?

Once you’ve tested the tension of your serpentine belt, you may need to tighten it. Look for a warning light on your dashboard. Most vehicles come equipped with an ignition or voltage warning light, which can be a sign of a slipping serpentine belt.

How do you adjust the tension on a serpentine belt?

To adjust the tension of the belt in the pulley system, reach out to the tensioner pulley. Take the help of manufacturer manual to guide you through the parts of the engine system. Pull the one half of the pulley out.

What happens if you loosen the serpentine belt?

If ignored, the looseness will cause the belt to dislodge, and extra tension will lead to exertion and excess wear of belt. In both, the situations and performance of the belt and the devices driven by it, is sure to hinder and will lead to cause the vehicle to lose its efficiency eventually.

How do you check a serpentine car belt?

Check the tension of the belt periodically. To do this, grab any area of the belt that is between two pulleys with your fingers. There should be approximately 1/4 inch play in the belt for most vehicles. Do a secondary check of the belt tension. To do this, turn on the vehicle and examine the belt in motion.

What to do if your belt tension is too tight?

Do a secondary check of the belt tension. To do this, turn on the vehicle and examine the belt in motion. Listen specifically for whining coming from the alternator. If you notice any whine or “pulsing” sound from the alternator, your belt tension is too tight and will damage the alternator.

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 tighten the belt on a generator?

For tightening the belt, move the generator away from the engine by a hammer handle or similar tool. Loosen the screws on the pivot section and pull the belt in. Check the tension and if it is right, bolt the screws back to pivot. To loosen the belt, move the generator towards the engine by the hammer handle.

How to remove a VW serpentine belt and tensioner?

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 4

How do you loosen a belt tensioner bolt?

Turn the bolt head in the center of the spring-loaded arm of the belt tensioner counterclockwise with a ratchet and socket to loosen the bolt. The tensioner will rotate freely before it comes to a stop. When the spring-loaded arm comes to a stop, continue to turn the bolt until the bolt loosens.

Locate the belt tensioner on the front of the engine. The belt tensioner will have a spring-loaded arm on one end and a round pulley on the other end. The belt tensioner will also have a bolt head in the center of the pulley. This bolt head is used to relieve the tension from the belt.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from an alternator?

Instructions 1. Remove the engine cover 2. Move the cooling line completely out of the way. To do this, release the plastic retention tab and lift the line up and over. 3. 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. 4. Caution!

How do I adjust tension on my serpentine belt?

Locate the adjuster bolt on the belt tensioner used to secure the serpentine belt, and adjust the tension by loosening or tightening the adjuster bolt with a racthet and socket while you simultaneously move the belt back and forth gently to find the proper tension.

How do you know if your serpentine belt is too tight?

If you notice any whine or “pulsing” sound from the alternator, your belt tension is too tight and will damage the alternator. In this case, turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise to loosen the belt and recheck the tension. Do a final check. You can also check for continuous power from all your accessories.

Where is the serpentine belt tensioner on a Ford Explorer?

Open the hood on your Ford Explorer and insert the serpentine belt tensioner tool into the slot on the serpentine belt tensioner. Locate the tensioner by consulting the belt routing diagram located on a sticker adhered to your radiator shroud or the underside of the hood.

How do you replace a belt on a car?

Pry the serpentine belt tensioner back out of the belt path once more and loop the replacement belt over the belt tensioner pulley with your other hand. Carefully allow the tensioner to return to its natural placement while holding the belt in place with your other hand. Remove the belt tensioner tool when done and start the engine.

When do you know you need to replace your belt tensioner?

If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.

How do you change the belt tensioner on a Ford Ranger?

Put the belt tensioner tool into the tensioner and lever it back to release the pressure from the serpentine belt. Slide the belt off the tensioner pulley with your free hand. Remove the tensioner tool and set it aside. Use the socket set to remove the bolt or bolts holding the tensioner body to the front of the engine.

How do you remove the serpentine belt on a Ford F-250?

While holding the tool in place to release tension, unhook the serpentine belt from the tensioner pulley. Once you have it off one pulley, you can release the tool to be able to use both hands to remove it from the rest of the pulleys. F-250s and Super Duties with gas engines will have the same belt routing diagrams as their F-150 counterparts.

Where is the belt tensioner on a Ford F-150?

Locate the belt tensioner, it’ll look like a pulley with an arm coming off of it. Figure 1. You don’t have to remove the radiator shroud to access the tensioner. It’ll be in the gap between the engine block and the fan. Insert either your 1/2” drive ratchet or your belt remover tool into the tensioner. Rotate clockwise towards driver side.

What do you need to check serpentine belt?

Get the belt looped onto all but one pulley. You’ll need your ratchet to turn the belt tensioner enough to get the belt around the last pulley. Once the belt is in place, check it at each pulley to make sure it’s properly seated to avoid abnormal wear. Now you can remove your ratchet.

How does the belt tensioner on a Ford Ranger work?

The serpentine belt tensioner presses its pulley against the serpentine belt, which provides the tension to hold the belt on the various pulleys in the system. The tensioner has an internal spring that provides this tension.

How do you tighten or loosen a serpentine belt?

The belt is tightened or loosened by adjusting the belt tensioner with a tensioner tool or socket wrench. Occasionally, the belt tensioner assembly can wear out, causing the serpentine belt to wear unevenly. You can save yourself time and money by removing the belt tensioner assembly on your own.

How to Loosen a Belt Tensioner

Park the vehicle on level ground and open the hood.
Locate the belt tensioner on the front of the engine.
Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet.

What are the signs of a timing belt going?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Timing Belt

You Hear A Ticking Noise Coming From The Engine.
Your Car’s Engine Won’t Turn Over.
You Notice An Oil Leak Near The Motor.
You Experience Exhaust Issues.
Your Revs Start Acting Up.

How do you tighten a belt on an air conditioner?

Turn the adjusting bolt counterclockwise to create slack in the belt. Slip the belt from the air conditioning compressor pulley, idler pulley and crankshaft pulley. Route the new belt over the crankshaft pulley, idler puller and air conditioning compressor pulley. Tighten the adjusting bolt until the belt is tensioned with a socket wrench.

Where does the belt go on a Camry with no air conditioning?

Route the belt around the front and under the air conditioning compressor, to the bottom side of the crank pulley — from the bottom the the crank pulley the belt will return to the alternator. If the Camry that you are working on does no have air conditioning, simply route the belt around the alternator, then around the crank pulley.

How do you change the drive belt on a Tercel?

Open the hood of the Tercel and locate the drive belt and the tension pulley. If the engine is hot, allow the engine to cool before you proceed with replacing the drive belt. Grab the nut in the center of the tension pulley using the wrench. Turn the nut counterclockwise to loosen the pulley and the drive belt.

How do you loosen the drive belt on a car?

Turn the nut counterclockwise to loosen the pulley and the drive belt. Once the drive belt is loose, pull the belt off all the engine pulleys.

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