Serpentine/V-belt replacement help

RaDz

Hi all,

I noticed today while doing some maintenance that my V-belt has a vertical rip of about 5cm. So I went out a bought a new Bosch belt but had a hard time removing the existing belt, and in the end just gave up.

Here is a pic of the rip..............

Can anybody possibly give me some tips on how to do this? I know I have to loosen something so the belt has no tension for me to remove it...............but I could be wrong.

Here are a few pics to help..................

The car in question is 2003 Astra SRi 2.2

Cheers,
Alex

nate

did you take the pressure off the tensioner? you need a either a 1/4 inch or 3/8th extension bar , there is a square hole in the tensioner, locate the square bit in the hole and turn the extension bar anti clockwise, this takes the pressure off the belt, this is what i did on my 2.2 hope this helps!

vectra2k9

take off the intake pipes and airbox and youll have enough space to get to the tensioner and loosen it wit a 15mm spanner

RaDz

nate said:
did you take the pressure off the tensioner? you need a either a 1/4 inch or 3/8th extension bar , there is a square hole in the tensioner, locate the square bit in the hole and turn the extension bar anti clockwise, this takes the pressure off the belt, this is what i did on my 2.2 hope this helps!

Before I started to remove it that’s what I knew I had to do. There are only 2 bolts that can be moved. The first one is on the pulley and they second one is just above it. When I tried to play with the bolts above the pulley it really didn’t do anything. Clock-wise turns loosened the bolt but that’s about it. Anti clock-wise just tightened the bolt. notsure.gif

vectra2k9 said:
take off the intake pipes and airbox and youll have enough space to get to the tensioner and loosen it wit a 15mm spanner

Definitely did that. Even removed the wheel arch 😃

Im at work at the moment so I don’t have access to the above images but could anybody be kind enough to show me on the above images which bolt to turn?

nate

i had to access the tensioner from underneath, not enough room from above, to take the slack off the tensioner you dont have to touch the nut, the square hole you want is half way between the nut that holds on the tensioner and the wheel that the belt rides on

nate

cant see from the your pics, i have attached a pic of the tensioner that is on a 2.2, looking at the pic, it shows the back of the tensioner that bolts onto your engine, the blue line marks where it is bolted on, the red square show the approximate location of the hole where you extension bar or rachet goes into, i will try and find a better pic

RaDz

nate said:
cant see from the your pics, i have attached a pic of the tensioner that is on a 2.2, looking at the pic, it shows the back of the tensioner that bolts onto your engine, the blue line marks where it is bolted on, the red square show the approximate location of the hole where you extension bar or rachet goes into, i will try and find a better pic

Nice one nate. :thumbup:

I was actually turning the black bolt but it did nothing :oops:

So what you're saying is that i put my spanner into the 'red' area and turn it anti clock-wise?? Do i do anything or place anything in the 'blue' area??

Would still appreciate a better pic if you have one nate.

nate

this pic shows the tensioner in place, arrowed is the square hole that you attach your rachet to, then turn it anti clockwise

nate

you only have to touch the bolt if you want to take it off, but as you are only changing the belt you can leave the tensioner on the block btw you cant do it with a spanner

nate

the square bit goes directly into the hole

nate

just noticed where you are from, if you want me to, just pay for a return plane ticket and provide a couple of weeks accomadation and i will be happy to change the belt for you! it that a deal or what! lol

RaDz

😃

Believe me, if i wanted to blow the money i had on bringing you blokes down under I'd first invite Vocky so he could pimp the $hit out of the engine. Then i'd invite Daz to work on my chains.

And Nate, because you helped me out with the belt, i'd invite you down to replace it :thumbup:

But seriously, any of you fellas ever make the long and frustrating journey down under, be more than happy to show you around, mind you, while getting pi$$ed at the same time.

nate

lol have you managed to change the belt?

RaDz

nah not yet, dont have time during the week. I'll have to do it first thing Saturday morning, before i go to Albert Park for the F1 😃