Serpentine belt replacement.

I do all my 2002 Impala maintinance myself plugs,oil,fuel,air filters etc. I have never changed the serpentine belt. I will need to soon. How do I remove it? Any special technique to do it?

It's kind of hard because only the tensioner moves. alternator stays put. so I just cut the old one off. my car is the 3.4 engine but it's the same as 3.8, the tensioner is in a different place. loosen the tensioner with a 15mm socket. becareful because the tensioner has a little piece of metal that sticks out and has to lock in on the engine block. I learned the hard way. here's the hard part. with the tensioner loose and belt on all accessories except the alternator. the belt should be an inch or two away from alternator pulley. with one hand you have to physically pull the tensioner (which will be hard as hell); and the other free hand slip belt over alternator pulley. voila it's done. If it makes noise or something probably the metal piece on tensioner isn't lined up with hole in engine block, you gotta do it again. good luck.

3.4imp
Thank you for your experienced knowledge and time for responding.

you shouldn't have to loosen the tensioner, you should just be able to pull back on it. They're spring-loaded, that's how they keep tension. I'm not sure how it does it on a 3.4 impala, but you should be able to use a wrench or possibly even something as simple as a 3/8 inch drive socket wrench to pull back on it.

you shouldn't have to loosen the tensioner, you should just be able to pull back on it. They're spring-loaded, that's how they keep tension. I'm not sure how it does it on a 3.4 impala, but you should be able to use a wrench or possibly even something as simple as a 3/8 inch drive socket wrench to pull back on it.

dwalmop
I have a 3.8 engine. Where is the tensioner located? When I remove the belt will the spring-loaded tensioner fly everywhere when I remove the belt? Or will it stay in place?

The belt tensioner is mounted directly below the alternator and requires a 15 mm wrench or socket to release the tension No nothing will fly off the vehicle when tension is released. just be careful and pay attention to the way the belt is routed or you may not get it back on

dwalmop
I have a 3.8 engine. Where is the tensioner located? When I remove the belt will the spring-loaded tensioner fly everywhere when I remove the belt? Or will it stay in place?

Thank you.