Replacing Serpentine Belt - 4.6 2001

[hoarec]

Another Job complete.......I have been putting this job off for a little while now, usual nerves about 'don't touch it if it ain't broke.....' well mine had a couple of little chunks missing on the grooved side, which added an annoying little ticking sound when the engine was running, so I thought that I had better replace it before it broke......

The job literally took me about 6 minutes, and most of that time was spent trying to remove the clip that holds the cover on over the fan. ( I found it easier in the end to remove the small 8mm bolt that holds the washer bottle filler in place to gain access to the retaining spring clip).

You definately do not need to remove the fan.

I would suggest to anyone that this is a 'very easy' and worth while job doing yourself.......

The bit that was not clear on 'RAVE' was the tensioning pulley...you do not need to undo or loosen any bolts, you just need a 15mm ring spanner on the nut and pull the pulley towards the passenger side (as if you are trying to tighten the nut...) this removes the tension from the belt so that you can remove it, (careful as the pulley will then spring back towards the battery tray and trap your spanner/fingers. To get over this I put the ring spanner on at about the 2' oclock position, when the tension was released I still had enough room to remove the spanner without it being trapped on the battery tray.


Note :- Make a note of the path of the belt around the pulleys as there are a few of them and it could get a little confusing.....

If it needs replacing give it a go yourself........

 

[KMCE]

Have to agree with the above - especially about the 15mm spanner. Don't try and undo any bolts on the tensioner as the pulley gets rather noisy and needs to be replaced if you do :doh:. Only down side is that it can be a little fiddly to get the belt around all pulleys, particularly between the water pump and crankshaft - but easier than removing the fan!

 

[hoarec]

Have to agree with the above - especially about the 15mm spanner. Don't try and undo any bolts on the tensioner as the pulley gets rather noisy and needs to be replaced if you do :doh:. Only down side is that it can be a little fiddly to get the belt around all pulleys, particularly between the water pump and crankshaft - but easier than removing the fan!

To be honest, I did not find that too bad...the main thing was putting the belt back on the last pulley. The tendancy was to put it around the tension pulley or the alternator last, however after one or two attempts where my spanner kept getting in the way, I switched sides and fed the belt onto all the pulleys except the Power steering pulley( I think it was that one, top right as you look at the engine from the front...).

Anyway, nice easy job.

Chris