Speedex750
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- Posts
- 89
- Location
- North East England
Just finished struggling/learning to fit a new serpentine fan belt to my 2001 DHSE. I thought it may help others to describe how I ended up getting it on, a bit of a ‘how to’, cos it isn’t obvious and as usual you can’t see or get your hands in etc etc.
Getting the air con belt off is the first step. Not too bad, drop the plastic tray behind the radiator and turn the wheels to full right lock to give more hands room in amongst the plumbing. The tensioner cover prises off with a screwdriver and the tensioner slackens with a 13mm spanner.
The serpentine belt goes round four main pulley’s and two idler/tensioners. Water pump/fan at top left, crank pulley bottom left, alternator top right and power steering bottom right. There’s a fixed idler pulley between/inside the right hand pulley’s and the tensioning pulley between/inside the left hand pulley’s. You imagine the belt going round the outside and then coming in between the outside pulley’s to the idler/tensioner in a bit of an ‘hour glass’ shape.
Firstly remove the plastic cover over the inlet manifold and injectors, you also need the rubber hose off between the intercooler and inlet manifold to be able to effectively lever the tensioner. To get the old one off detension by inserting a long lever between the two sides of the tension arm and pull down rotating it clockwise as far as you can. I have a pinch bar that fits in nicely and you need about two feet of leverage. Once detensioned slip the belt off the idler below the alternator, the smooth back of the belt runs on the pulley and it should slide off fairly easily. Unravel the belts from the pulley’s and pull it out. Now’s a good time to check the water pump and idler bearings.
To get the new one on first work it over the fan blades and onto the water pump pulley. Thread the belt left to right through the tensioner arms and pull all of it through. Return the bottom run of the belt around the tensioner pulley and over the top and round the crank pulley, it’s a tight fit between the pump and crank pulley’s with the belt’s flat back passing close together. Keeping the belt on the three pulley’s is the tricky bit. Feed the top run over the alternator and the bottom under the power steering pulley holding it tight and curl the bit in the middle towards the tensioner pulley. Lever back the tensioner, clockwise, as far as it’ll go and slide the smooth back of the belt over the pulley. This may take a few goes to get it on, the new belt will ride higher on the grooves and need every bit of movement on the tensioner before it’ll just slip over. Quick look round to make sure they’re all on the right place and you’re done!
Getting the air con belt off is the first step. Not too bad, drop the plastic tray behind the radiator and turn the wheels to full right lock to give more hands room in amongst the plumbing. The tensioner cover prises off with a screwdriver and the tensioner slackens with a 13mm spanner.
The serpentine belt goes round four main pulley’s and two idler/tensioners. Water pump/fan at top left, crank pulley bottom left, alternator top right and power steering bottom right. There’s a fixed idler pulley between/inside the right hand pulley’s and the tensioning pulley between/inside the left hand pulley’s. You imagine the belt going round the outside and then coming in between the outside pulley’s to the idler/tensioner in a bit of an ‘hour glass’ shape.
Firstly remove the plastic cover over the inlet manifold and injectors, you also need the rubber hose off between the intercooler and inlet manifold to be able to effectively lever the tensioner. To get the old one off detension by inserting a long lever between the two sides of the tension arm and pull down rotating it clockwise as far as you can. I have a pinch bar that fits in nicely and you need about two feet of leverage. Once detensioned slip the belt off the idler below the alternator, the smooth back of the belt runs on the pulley and it should slide off fairly easily. Unravel the belts from the pulley’s and pull it out. Now’s a good time to check the water pump and idler bearings.
To get the new one on first work it over the fan blades and onto the water pump pulley. Thread the belt left to right through the tensioner arms and pull all of it through. Return the bottom run of the belt around the tensioner pulley and over the top and round the crank pulley, it’s a tight fit between the pump and crank pulley’s with the belt’s flat back passing close together. Keeping the belt on the three pulley’s is the tricky bit. Feed the top run over the alternator and the bottom under the power steering pulley holding it tight and curl the bit in the middle towards the tensioner pulley. Lever back the tensioner, clockwise, as far as it’ll go and slide the smooth back of the belt over the pulley. This may take a few goes to get it on, the new belt will ride higher on the grooves and need every bit of movement on the tensioner before it’ll just slip over. Quick look round to make sure they’re all on the right place and you’re done!
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