C6 serpentine belt replacement
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 53
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From: Houston Texas
C6 serpentine belt replacement
Yesterday the belt that goes around my alternator, water pump and power steering etc. came off. Can someone please give me some pointers before I tackle this task?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,507
Likes: 722
From: Sausalito CA
Wow...not a common failure.
First find why the belt came off.....common: Is your harmonic balancer secure? Also maybe an antifreeze leak destroyed the belt?
The find diagram of the belt routing, should be in an owner's manual as I recall maybe even on a sticker under the hood.
A long breaker bar and the correct size socket is used to relieve pressure/ tension from the tensioner on the upper passenger side (again as I recall) of the engine.
Make sure the pulleys et al are clean before you install the new belt. Wire brushing them a little is OK.
Route the belt and slip over that tensioner last.
Use no lube!
(I also think there is a second belt behind this primary belt...since primary is off you may wish to change the other belt).
Easy job not other parts need to be disassembled to install this main belt.
First find why the belt came off.....common: Is your harmonic balancer secure? Also maybe an antifreeze leak destroyed the belt?
The find diagram of the belt routing, should be in an owner's manual as I recall maybe even on a sticker under the hood.
A long breaker bar and the correct size socket is used to relieve pressure/ tension from the tensioner on the upper passenger side (again as I recall) of the engine.
Make sure the pulleys et al are clean before you install the new belt. Wire brushing them a little is OK.
Route the belt and slip over that tensioner last.
Use no lube!
(I also think there is a second belt behind this primary belt...since primary is off you may wish to change the other belt).
Easy job not other parts need to be disassembled to install this main belt.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Wow...not a common failure.
First find why the belt came off.....common: Is your harmonic balancer secure? Also maybe an antifreeze leak destroyed the belt?
The find diagram of the belt routing, should be in an owner's manual as I recall maybe even on a sticker under the hood.
A long breaker bar and the correct size socket is used to relieve pressure/ tension from the tensioner on the upper passenger side (again as I recall) of the engine.
Make sure the pulleys et al are clean before you install the new belt. Wire brushing them a little is OK.
Route the belt and slip over that tensioner last.
Use no lube!
(I also think there is a second belt behind this primary belt...since primary is off you may wish to change the other belt).
Easy job not other parts need to be disassembled to install this main belt.
First find why the belt came off.....common: Is your harmonic balancer secure? Also maybe an antifreeze leak destroyed the belt?
The find diagram of the belt routing, should be in an owner's manual as I recall maybe even on a sticker under the hood.
A long breaker bar and the correct size socket is used to relieve pressure/ tension from the tensioner on the upper passenger side (again as I recall) of the engine.
Make sure the pulleys et al are clean before you install the new belt. Wire brushing them a little is OK.
Route the belt and slip over that tensioner last.
Use no lube!
(I also think there is a second belt behind this primary belt...since primary is off you may wish to change the other belt).
Easy job not other parts need to be disassembled to install this main belt.
Good answer!
2 belts on your car and since the accessory belt came off, just replace them both because the Accessory belt has to come off to get the AC belt replaced.
Important to figure out why the belt failed.
Elmer
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 107
From: God's Country, ID
When you go to install new belt, what I found easiest; feed belt around all pulley's, tesioners etc except the alternator pulley. Standing on drivers side and reaching across, put 15mm wrench (it doesn't require a cheater bar unless you have really weak hands) on belt tensioner pulling it toward you. Then when you pull the tensioner all the way towards you the belt will slip on the alternator very easy. Follow up and make certain the belt grooves are aligned with the HB pulley grooves etc.
Last edited by DSOMC6; Aug 28, 2011 at 12:42 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Thanks for the posts! I was able to replace the drive belt but couldn't get the replacement ac belt on. I went ahead and re-used the old ac belt due to the fact that it wasn't frayed. I will purchase a different manufacturer for the ac belt. I didn't see any obvious defects that would have caused my belt to come off. The belts have a slight sqeak at lower rpms. Hopefully my problem is fixed. Thanks again.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 340
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Be sure to take a look at the harmonic balancer when idling to see if it is running true. Some harmonic balancers need to be replaced and the #1 symptom is sqeaking or squealing at idle. The harmonic balancer should have very little, if any, visible wobble at idle. If there is noticeable wobble, that may explain why your belt came off. There is a lot of material on the forum about this harmonic balancer problem.
I had to have mine replaced by the dealership...very expensive. There is a lot of labor involved.
Andy
I had to have mine replaced by the dealership...very expensive. There is a lot of labor involved.
Andy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 84
From: Ohio
Is there any info out there on the ft/lb range of the tensioner pulley? Worn/stretched belt is usually the culprit, but if the visual inspection of the tensioner pulley looks good, how do you tell if it's providing the correct tension on the belt to keep it in place?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 7,180
Likes: 1,546
From: Florida
Don't know the actual tension #s, but there is a crude belt tension gauge built into the tensioner. Here is a pic of mine. I just replace the belt so the indicator is high on the top mark. See two marks on the tensioner body and one mark on the pulley arm.
Last edited by BlindSpot; Oct 11, 2017 at 07:15 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 68
Likes: 4
From: Monterey, Ca
The serp belt will last a good long time, but if you replace the belt either due to age, miles, or condition, do your self a favor and replace all the idlers and the tensioner. These parts are not that expensive and are working harder than the belt. Don't be cheap, replace the whole mess at one time and save problems later on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,327
Likes: 44
From: Sacramento CA
The serp belt will last a good long time, but if you replace the belt either due to age, miles, or condition, do your self a favor and replace all the idlers and the tensioner. These parts are not that expensive and are working harder than the belt. Don't be cheap, replace the whole mess at one time and save problems later on.
Great idea.. If your belts are shot, it's worth replacing the idlers too. Best time to do it..
Good luck, 2k
