Serpentine Belt V6
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Replacing the V6 Serpentine Belt
If the serpentine (accessory or alternator) belt on your V6 engine has more than the recommended 30K miles (50K KM) on it, it should be replaced. With the right tools, it should take you about 15 minutes, including clean up. On a scale of 1 (easy) to 10 (difficult), I'd rate this a 1.
Parts and Tools
- new ribbed accessory belt (see note)
- 10 mm hex (Allen) wrench or driver
- jack handle (optional)
Note: There are two different length belts. If your belt goes from the tensioner to an idler pulley and then to crankshaft pulley, you have the old style system and need a 2260mm belt. If your belt goes from the tensioner directly to the crankshaft pulley, you need the 1905mm belt (21.36x1905mm per the factory; my aftermarket belt was 21x1920mm).
(Images by the Kent McLean.)
Directions
Disclaimer: Work at your own risk -- neither the author of this article nor the owner of this web site accept any responsibilty for damage that may occur to you or your car based on the directions given here.
First, find the tensioner. The large uppermost pulley on the front of the engine is the power steering pulley. Just below that, at about the 7 o'clock position, is the smaller tensioner pulley. The pulley is secured to the tensioner body, which is a metal casting secured to the block by a 10mm hex-head bolt.
Removal
- Loosen the 10mm hex-head bolt on the body of the tensioner. One or 2 turns should do it. You do not need to remove the bolt or the tensioner itself.
- Release tension on the belt. Using a 10 mm hex wrench, place it in the hex socket in the body of the tensioner. Push clockwise to rotate the tensioner, releasing tension on the ribbed belt. Push slowly and evenly to move the tensioner. I used a jack handle as an extension to my L-shaped hex wrench, which let me more easily apply pressure.
- With tension off the belt, you should be able to lift and slide the belt off the various pulleys.
Installation
- Keep pressure on the tensioner to keep the tensioner pulley out of the way.
- Install the new belt over the pulleys, as indicated in the diagram above. Make sure the ribs of the belt fit into the grooves of each pulley. Also take care to align the belt evenly from pulley to pulley.
- Slowly release tension on the belt by backing off on the hex wrench. Confirm that the belt is still aligned and seated on each pulley.
- Tighten the tensioner bolt that secures the tensioner casting to the engine block.
- Test your work. Start the engine and watch the belt. It should run evenly from pulley to pulley.
- Confirm that the alternator is charging, either by the "battery" warning light or by a voltmeter reading.
If it all checks out OK, you are done.
KentMcLean 17:16, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
