AUX belt (The motherf**ker won't go on)

[tekz]

Just spent 4 hours trying to fit the aux belt on until the light ran out.


I tried many angles and methods but here is the jist of it:

Jacked up car and took wheel off, guard etc, had to cut the old belt off as the tensioner was too stiff as I don't think the belt has ever been replaced, once the belt was cut off the tensioner started moving forward properly.

Fed the new belt in, set it up around the pulleys, all the teeth connected, slack resting over the water pump pulley, either went in from the top and pulled on the tensioner with my left arm while fiddling with my right in a sort of hugging the side of the car fashion or went under the car lieing on my back and fiddled from there while pushing the tensioner forward, whatever I did I just could not get the bastard belt to go on the water pump pulley, it just seemed there wasn't enough slack, even though the belt is the same size, motorcraft (bought from ford) and the finis number is correct and the measurements on the cable are an exact match, I am pulling my hair out here and at my wits end, was covered in oil by the end of it, washed my hands and arms ten times and then had a bath and I still have oil on me!

Am going to have another go tomorrow in the morning and I really want to nail this bitch on my own without getting help from a garage.

I am starting to think perhaps I need a new jack that goes higher so I can get more leverage on the belt to push it over the edge of the water pump pulley, although it really does feel like it won't move any more and it's simply not long enough but this can't be true as the old belt is the same size. I did think that perhaps the tensioner is fucked and not moving enough, but then again, it does move quite a bit forward and released about the same amount of slack as I see in youtube how to videos. I have got very close ( maybe an extra half a cm of slack needed to get the f**ker on, but still so far if you know what I mean.

Please someone appease me!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Tekz

I had my aux belt off today, and know what you mean by how tight it can be. I will admit, my butt was nipping a bit as I couldn't get it on!

I put the ring end of a 13mm spanner on the tensioner, and put the ring end of a 19mm on the open end of the 13mm. This gives a nice long lever to move the tensioner with.

To be honest, mine was pretty tight. I did have a job getting it over the water pump pulley. You kind of have to pull the belt too to take off any slack there may be. I got mine on from underneath, as there is more leverage against the road!
Would probably be easier if someone could hold the tensioner while you try and get the belt on, or put a long bar against the brake caliper and the bottom of the engine to hold the spanner on the tensioner.

 

[STEAVIE]

some times you have to wind the belts on some are just tighter than others?! get the belt on all the pullys apart from the crankshaft then use a 13mm for the tensioner and a 19mm on the crankshaft bolt and push the belt on as you rotate anticlockwise its not easy but thats the only way to get them on k:

 

[tekz]

That's exactly what I tried, although I'm not quite sure what you mean by pulling the belt to take off the slack? If I pulled too much it would come off partially somewhere (usually the tensioner pulley). I found going in above to be the most fruitfull, I found that from below there wasn't enough room to get enough pushing power on to the belt to tip it over the water pulley edge? (Although clearly I wasn't very successful from the top either )

Glad yours went well, how long did you spend on it?

I guess there's a technique to it, but I really was scratching my head a lot just bewildered as to how the previous one was on really. Two people would help a lot indeed but I'll have to try it alone tomorrow again.

Wish me luck

 

[tekz]

lol Steve, I very nearly phoned you a few times today, only reason I didn't was cos I didn't want to disturb your Sunday lol, well that and the fact I didn't want to touch my phone

Will try that method, I think I have a tough one, you really could do with 3 hands for this awkward thing!

Just to clarify, what will the crankshaft do when your turn the bolt?

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laser-3526-Spanner-Extra-Long-Ring-13mm-x-15mm-/290578514225?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item43a7d44131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

this is the ideal tool for bringing the tensioner forward.... makes it a doddle! trying to hold it forward enough with a standard length spanner is VERY awkward...

:grin:

Chris

 

[STEAVIE]

it will/should grip the belt enough to pull it on! yer you need long spanner to pull the tensioner! :-D

 

[tekz]

How do you pull both spanners at the same time in different directions while pushing the belt on mate? :O

 

[tekz]

Cheers Chris but I can't wait for it, need my car tomorrow.

 

[ScubaSteve]

get someone to feed it onto the alternator pulley whilst you hold the tensioner

 

[tekz]

Got a mate to help me this morning, took an hour and lots of faffing about and just as we were about to give up, we gave it one last try and the belt snapped on, could hardly believe it.

I think the problem was that the tensioner was partly seized as it hadn't ever been replaced I suspect, the last try where we managed to just get it on I gave it one almighty wrench and it moved a tiny tiny bit more, allowing my mate to just about pull it onto the water pump pulley from above with his fingertips, it actually made a snapping sound I thought we broke it!

Many thanks for the advice on here, got my car back up and running now and very pleased! Can continue to sort out the other issues with it lol.

Will let my bruised and battered hands heal first though.

Big thanks,
Will