Changing Belts
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 223
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From: Virginia Beach Va
Changing Belts
So today I head out in the wonderful 35 degree weather thinking I could change my serpentine and AC belt in about 10 minutes.
Sure enough I got the Serpentine off in about 45 seconds.
But the AC belt tensioner is blocked by 2 AC lines (steel lines)
Anybody have a recommendation for getting to the tensioner nut? I opted to stop and come in and ask before I attempted to "move" the lines out of the way which doesn't seem like the right thing to do since they are pretty firm.
As always thanks in advance for the advice.
Sure enough I got the Serpentine off in about 45 seconds.
But the AC belt tensioner is blocked by 2 AC lines (steel lines)
Anybody have a recommendation for getting to the tensioner nut? I opted to stop and come in and ask before I attempted to "move" the lines out of the way which doesn't seem like the right thing to do since they are pretty firm.
As always thanks in advance for the advice.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 7,035
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From: North Augusta, SC
It's been a while since I changed my belts, but as I remember it I used a socket wrench with a short extension and the properly sized socket without any problems. I'm pretty sure that the car was on ramps and I did it from the bottom.
What exactly is blocked, is it just your access to the nut, or the actual movement of the tensioner?
What exactly is blocked, is it just your access to the nut, or the actual movement of the tensioner?
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I don't recall anything being in the way..changed both Serpentine and A/C belts in under 30 minutes
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
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Originally Posted by pewter99
I don't recall anything being in the way..changed both Serpentine and A/C belts in under 30 minutes
Same here, nothing in the way and no problem. 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 223
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach Va
Nothing is blocking the movement of the tensioner. It's access to the nut. Assuming the the tensioner for the AC belt is the one on the bottom I have 2 steel AC lines running right in front of it. I am going to try it from the bottom today. Maybe that and an open end wrench will work.
I do find it disturbing that nobody else has anything blocking access. If it wasn't for this changing both belts is a snap.
I do find it disturbing that nobody else has anything blocking access. If it wasn't for this changing both belts is a snap.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
I have the two lines on my 98 that look like they might interfere with the lower tensioner, but haven't tried to change out the belts yet. They are laying on the workbench. I'll wait and see how your effort turned out. Besides that its too damn cold to lay on the garage floor today.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 223
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach Va
Well a buddy of mine is going to let me use the lift at his shop later today. So I'll post again right after. I think it might be easier from the bottom.
The Serp belt is a snap.
The Serp belt is a snap.
