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Serpentine Belt

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Old 12-10-2007, 07:13 PM
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Serpentine Belt

I thought I changed it correctly but now I think it's slipping, every so often I hear a squeal...3 times now it almost stalled out on the highway..all the lights were about to come on. I jumped outside took the wrench used for removing wheel nuts and pressed down on the alternator until it squeeled and grabbed the belt again...LOL
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Anyway, in what order should I tighten, does the botom (o) bolt on the idler pully have to be unscrewed first, or does the top one. Which one of the bolts actually lowers the pulley? What's the point of the one at the bottom? Sorry if it's confusing I've just come back from a 60 mile trip while sweating *****...
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Old 12-10-2007, 07:17 PM
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tighten your belt.
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Old 12-10-2007, 07:33 PM
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I was asking in which order to tighten..top bolt first and then the bottom one..or the other way around?
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Old 12-10-2007, 07:39 PM
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are you saying you didn't bolt in your alternator like you should've?
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Old 12-10-2007, 07:42 PM
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oh, my bad man, i didn't realize you had stuff written below the random line you have on there. I thought it was just you're sig. The top one first then the bottom. The one at the bottom is what actually releases the Idler pully and allows you to remove your belt. If your talking about to top bolt being the belt tensioner, then yes that first.

Last edited by Tmcgradyfann1; 12-10-2007 at 07:45 PM.
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Old 12-11-2007, 04:38 AM
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can I tighten the tensioner pully without loosening the bottom bolt? I don't need to take off the belt, just tighten it.
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Old 12-11-2007, 07:41 AM
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the top bolt is the only one you need.
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Old 12-11-2007, 08:42 AM
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Whole lotta misinformation in here.


Originally Posted by RNMMax
the top bolt is the only one you need.
Exactly.

Tighten your alternator bolt first, then do the tensioner bolt from above. Check belt tension. I assume you know how to do this......
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Old 12-11-2007, 09:25 AM
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Originally Posted by The Wizard
Whole lotta misinformation in here.

I don't even know what two bolts he was talking about, if hes talking about the belt tensioner and the idler pulley then yes i was misinforming, anyway yea your idler pulley should already be tight and the belt tensioner is what you are looking for to tighten your belt
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Old 12-11-2007, 09:53 AM
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Sorry for the confusion, my alternator itself is tight and secure. The only two bolts I'm talking about is the one from the top, and the one that's on the actual little wheel of the tensioner, the one resting on the belt. That one is tight, but the one above it became loose. I didn't want to tighten it without knowing that the lower bolt doesn't have to be undone..
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Old 12-11-2007, 09:53 AM
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I don't have a belt tension checking tool so I'll have to do this by ear!
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Old 12-11-2007, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by eclypsecl
I don't have a belt tension checking tool so I'll have to do this by ear!
No fancy tools required for setting belt tension. Find the longest path of exposed belt (between crank pulley and pulley to the right) and twist the belt with your thumb and index finger. If you can twist it more than 90 degrees with medium force, it's not tight enough. So, tighten the belt until you can't twist the belt more than 90 degrees with your two fingers...simple as that.
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Old 12-11-2007, 10:31 AM
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Have to do BOTTOM bolt first, if you Tight TOP first it will snap it into pieces. Take an open faced 13 MM i believe wrench and then put a pipe on the end of it, make sure its nice and tight on there so you don't strip the nut on the bottom for that nut is on there pretty tight. I always tighten top with one full circle, more if its really loose.
Good Luck
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Old 12-11-2007, 10:45 AM
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Not sure what you want to do.

If you want to adjust the belt tension, you have to loosen the lower bolt first (that the bolt through the idler pulley) then adjust the top bolt until the belt tension is correct. Then you tighten the lower bolt, then tighten the top bolt.

If the belt tension is already correct, but somehow the top bolt is loose. Assuming the lower bolt is already tighten, then all you have to do is tighten the top bolt.
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Old 12-11-2007, 04:57 PM
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alright! thanks that was the answer to my problem. I didn't know how to make sure there was enough tension in the belt.


Alright thanks!
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