Just want to be pro-active because I am getting belt noise for the first 10 minutes when the car is warming up. I don't want the belts letting go when I am away from home....

If you have done this and have any pics that would be awesome!

Thanks all!

MCM

 

Haven't done it myself but one member posted the attached. Wish I'd noted who and I'd give him credit:

"Wait for the engine compartment to cool first. Find the main belt tensioner (top pulley on passenger side), place a socket wrench on the tensioner nut and push it toward the middle of the engine until there is enough slack to remove the belt. Repeat this procedure for the A/C belt, its tensioner is a little harder to reach because it is under the power steering fluid reservoir. Before installing your new belts, some here recommend cleaning out the pulley grooves with a wire brush/emery cloth. Make sure to install the A/C belt before the main belt."

 

I changed mine a few days ago and they are the easiest I have ever seen

 

I threw on a new set of Gatorbacks last week. Wasn't hard at all.

 

I ususally unbuckle them and thread them out of the belt loops of my pants. Reverse the process for the new belt. Good luck.

If you are getting noise, replace them ASAP. The metal in these belts can really tear up your car if they break. Be aware your noise could also be pulleys and/or tensioners. These noises can be hard to track down. Spraying water on the bad belt will usually stop noise for a while, letting you determine which belt is bad. Using a steisscope (sp?) or even a "mechanics steisscope" (a large screwdiver, which you touch to suspected part and put your ear on the end of the handle) works, BUT be careful of getting clothes and fingers in belts and moving parts.

Actually, it is easy to replace the belts. I put this off on my car until near 100,000 miles. When I finally got around to it, it was very easy. Replaced both belts in 15 minutes. Tensioners make it easy.

I used stock GM belts, some people prefer Gatorbacks.

Now some people have problems with tensioners going bad when replacing belts.

 

I have done almost everything on some of my older vettes.... 69 big block and 75 small block.... I thought that new meant more complex with C5 vettes but not really true in some cases. I will do what you suggest here and many thanks for the info!

MCM

 

Please do take note of the comment about changing the tensioners in the post above. They last variable amounts of time. My opinion is that, if you drive in a "spirited" manner a lot of the time, they will probably die earlier.

On my car, at about 73k miles, the main tensioner developed a lean toward the front of the car, throwing the belt alignment off by 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch. I didn't notice it, and the belt threw off while I was driving one rather cool evening. If that happens, it's best not to put the belt back on, so I had to replace a low-mileage belt along with the tensioner. Did the A/C belt and tensioner while they were off.

The tensioners are easy, and only moderately expensive. I bought the NAPA/Gates versions since I do a lot of business with the local NAPA dealer, but I've read that Fred Beans and other forum sponsors sell them even cheaper, and they're genuine GM.

In my case, the tensioners were about $120 for the pair, and the belts were about $30, for a total of about $150 and an hour or so to change. All NAPA/Gates parts. The tensioner bolts were something like 27 lb-ft of torque per the manual, with two bolts on each. There's the vibration factor, so you may want to add a little blue Loctite. Just don't use the red version

Only thing I wish I'd thought of was the idler pulleys. Each belt has one idler, in addition to the tensioner. Another cheap part that could save trouble - I may go get them and install them this weekend. I hate the sound of silence when I'm supposed to be enjoying my car...