I know it's been covered before but I'm just doing this to make sure I don't screw anything up. I'm at 40,000 miles right now and it's time to change the belt. I can't stand the squeaking anymore for 3 days after it rains! I've bought a gatorback from autozone. All I need to know is how to remove the tension? I've taken a picture of the belt tensioner and need to know some directions on what to do/what not to do.



Once again, thanks for the help in advance.

 

You dont "remove" the tensioner. Take a 3/8" Breaker bar/rachet with out a socket and place it in the square on the front of the tensioner pully, pull back to release the presure on the belt, take the belt off of one pully and let the tensioner out, reverese to install.

 

Easier said that done....a long-handled wrench or cheater bar is VERY nice....It's really not tooo bad..circumstances really screwed my experience up

 

like was said before... a good breaker bar will make it a lot easier... its better if you have two people to do it as well

 

Is this what I need to be turning with a socket? And I didn't use a 3/8, I was using a 5/16 socket. The 3/8 was too big. But I'm probably doing something wrong. I'm also not seeing this "square."

 

That aint the tensioner.. dont be loosening any nuts!! Use a 3/8'th DRIVE with NO socket on it on the TENSIONER, look at the diagram to see which one it is if you dont know.

 

Take a picture of the diagram on the core support and I'll show you which one to do

 

take your hand to the pulleys for these belts and try to shake them. The tensioner should just move al ittle bit. If i remember corect it would be towards the top of the engine, a little to the right of hte center. It pretty much just bends to get rid of slack. Once you find it you'll know what i mean. And uhh squealing doesn't exactly go away. I changed belts and still had squealing, just tells me not to hit puddles hard. Not that I don't :D

Aaron

 

acutally that pic is the tensioner, but if you look on the arm that goes to the pulley on that, youll see a 3/8 square hole, thats what you want go to autozone, get the free loaner serp tool, and one friend to lay underneath. the old one is easy to get off, but the new one is a little more difficult, i found its easier to lay under the truck to get it around the crank pulley

 

also autozones computers arent always right on the size, so check the length before you put the new one on.

 

My bad, I cant see the square hole in the pic he took and not having that motor I couldnt tell.. do what Bob says!

 

Alright, I've got it. There is no square hole on mine. I looked at my step-dad's 1999 4.0L and it has one. But I needed a 15mm socket to attach to the pulley. Pushed down on the pulley and it released the tension. Was the easiest thing I've ever done on my truck. Thanks a ton for the replies in such a fast manner and for the help!

 

make sure you get the right belt number. i got a gatorback and it was for the wrong engine, they had to special order me one. i went somewhere else and they gave me another wrong belt. i ended up getting a dayco belt (870k6)

 

I got the right belt.