How in God's Name do you change the Fan Belt?

[DOCTORBILL]

The Fan Belt for a 1999 Suzuki Esteem with A/C and a 1.8 Liter engine is
Good-Year 4050650 Gatorback (says it is quieter) - a 65 inch / 5 rib Serpentine.

You jack the front end up at the center metal plate under the Radiator, place
Jack Stands on the sides where you jack the car for tire changing, and go
underneath.

You remove the four screws on the front of LEFT side plastic cowling and then
pop the four plastic fasteners out with a knife or wood chisel - the cowl drops off.

Place a 14 mm long handled box wrench on the Belt tensioner pulley and rotate
it CLOCKWISE (as far as it will go ) to loosen the tension on the serpentine belt.

Slip the belt off of the lower front pulley, release the tensioner pulley and remove the old belt.

Put the new one back on.

You will need a long slender ROD to help get the belt to go back where it belongs (see diagram below).



This is the difficult part which takes patience and a few beers to keep you
from cursing the designers all to Hell!

Have the belt on everywhere but the bottom front.

Rotate the Tensioner Pulley clockwise with the LONG HANDLED 14 mm box
wrench - as far clockwise as it will go!

Pull the belt over the lower front pulley, release the wrench.
Check the alignment on all the pulleys - if OK......

Give the starter a kick - don't run the engine - and go back to check if the
belt is running true on ALL of the pulleys. If so - you're done!

Replace the plastic Cowl - you'll need to buy 4 plastic fasteners, also....(~$3)

DoctorBill

[quick69gto]

Good job!
100% correct.
I service about ten '98 thru '01 Esteems in a small fleet of about 50 cars.
I have changed quite a few of the 1.8L belts.

[sickle44]

Doctor Bill,

Sir, I've just gotta say, thank you so incredibly very much for posting this, 'how to'. My alternator calfed a while ago and the parts finally showed up earlier this week. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how the belt was supposed to go on and ordering a manual has even proved difficult. After reading your post, the belt was on and installed in ten minutes. You're a life saver. Thanks again so much

Sickle