I am doing the belts on my 2000. The main one is ok but thepower steering is not ok. I first loosened the bolt on the BACK of the power steering pump, per haynes manual, and am now trying to loosen the tensioner. However, the tensioner is extremely stiff and i think I'm on the verge of destroying it as I continue to try and turn it. It did turn a decent number of revolutions but now won't turn and in any case there is ZERO change in the tension on the power steering belt.

Questions:

1) This definitely loosens counter-clockwise, right?
2) With the main belt the idler pulley's center bolt was loosened before I attacked the tensioner. Am I definitely supposed to loosen the bolt at the back of the power steering and not the larger bolt at the center front of it?

Thanks!

All I can think of now is to play around with pb blaster trying to loosen/tighten the stupid tensioner bolt, but like I said even as it plays back and forth it doesn't seem to change the tension in the PS belt at all.

 

I think there's three bolts you have to loosen. The upside-down bolt - loosen is clockwise (opposite of conventional). I'm waiting on our guy pmohr to help us out with a video!

 

damn haynes once again. That drawing is excellent, I was missing the top bolt on the tensionser. thanks so much i will try it now...

 

its about time for me to change my belts too maybe this will motivate me to do it today...

thanks for the pic ridinwitha35 now it dont have to go search through my FSM.

And SkoorbMax, download the FSM from here,
http://forums.maxima.org/general-max...niti-fsms.html it is about 85x better than the haynes manual

 

Thanks, i'll get that now.

This is still a bit of a pain, as the power steering one i had to completely de-tension to get the new one on and that took a while, but otherwise all appears well now.

Thanks again

 

SkoorbMax, what all tools did you use? Did you use any crazy extension/u-joint combinations?

 

I had the car on ramps and took off most of the shield in the way with a phillips screwdriver and size 10 socket.

For the main belt I used only a size 14 wrench and 14 socket. The instead of a socket for the idler pulley because to loosen the bolt on the pulley it's very close to a metal shield or something. Once it was loosened I changed the tensioner with a standard wrench and socket and small extension. It could be done without an extension, though.

For power steering, the bolt on the back of the pump is, I think, a size 13, so that was just a standard socket+wratchet and flashlight and some cursing trying to get it into position. To loosen the bolt at the top of the tensioner, I came at it from the engine bay and the only thing that will get there is a size 12 wrench, then for the actual adjustment of that pulley, from under the engine, a size 12 socket and wratchet. Once the pump's rear bolt and the top of that tensioner bolt are loosened, you want to screw this one *clockwise* to loosen the belt and like I said I had to screw it basically all the way in to get the power steering pump to fall low enough to get the new belt on.

All in all not a terrible job, just kind of a annoying here and there. I recommend some thin nitrile gloves because you will scrape up your hands something awful otherwise.

 

How long are your wrenches? I just have one adjustable wrench...need to invest in a set.

 

They are "standard length" like you get in a catch-all toolbox of sockets and wrenches. I think it's nice to have multiple ones so that you're not switching back and forth and ample sockets. i have two sets and don't regret having both

 

Just did mine @ 100k mi. took about 1hr. 45 min. just patience and leverage.

 

Power Steering...horror stories on how PITA.

 

Mine has to be the worst.... I thought, that like the drive belt adjusting bolt I was not going far enough with the loosening of the bolts - as it was not showing any loosening of the power steering belt... so I gave the three more and more turns (the 14mm on the pump was a booger - I had to spray Blaster on it to even get it going - which was crazy in itself because of the location being so well hidden from the suspension and other houses and an o2 sensor....) so guess hat happened in the process? The lock nut falls out... it is after dark and the mosquitos are eating me alive by the way.... Next came down the adjusting bolt and little brass block attached to it that holds the locking nut.... after so many tries to replace them I gave up.... going out there now that I have some day light. And rain is coming, so God be with me!

 

NECROMANCER!

Using the tensioner is waste of time. Cut the belt and slip the new one on with a screwdriver while turning the crank. But you already ****ed up LOL

 

Dang until this thread notification hit me I had completely forgotten I'd even ever replaced that belt!

 

That's dangerous and that method is for boneheads! just remember to loosen the bolt on the tensioner slot body first and the pivot bolt behind the pump, screw lower tension bolt clockwise to loosen and counter-clockwise to tighten!

 

How about...NO. It's gonna be rusted and is in a ****ty spot. There's nothing dangerous about it and it's less than a 5 min job.