Serpentine Belt

I know, I have already read the "How to" about the belt. I tried to do it myself but it seems like there is no room to work and the bolt would not budge for the love of god. So I take it to 3 deffrent mechanic shops..

Shop 1.They want to charge me $90.00
Shop 2.These people want $89.00for the belt and they told me they have to remove the mounts for something inorder to ever reach the belt which is an extra $120.(Oh my god)
Shop 3.They won't do it, ONLY GM can remove it.

Now my question is..can I do this without removing these so called mounts?? Because Now I am thinking I have to remove these inorder to get to the belt.
And the bolt that won't budge,do I just keep working on it till it lets loose?

I don't mean to ask these questions and I know a thread was made for this subject but everytime I come to a problem I take it to diffrent shops to get opinions. And it always seems like they can NEVER give me a straight answer and they tell me "this has to be removed or this needs to be taken out to get to it" so I don't know If I should listen to them because well that's there job. Or Listen to you guys because you own cavaliers and so you are familiar with under the hood.

So please don't get mad at me. I want to try and do this myself w/o paying someone.Any hints or tips would be helpful.

I own a 97 cavalier 2.2L.

Thanks alot

If shop # 1 includes the belt in that price, i would say thats normal.

Shop # 2 can go fuck them selves are ripping you off. Nothing needs to be removed.


If you have the tensioner you just need the 3/8 ratchet end and a steel tube the handle of the ratchet fits into, needs to be about 1-1.5' long. Put the handle of the ratchet at like 11 o'clock, pull it towards you and then put the pry bar onto the ratchet handle and that will give you the leverage needed.

http://www.rdfabs.com/galleries/images/custom_exhaust_work/1999_chevy_cavalier/dscf0687.JPG

See my prybar? I didn't have to remove anything to do that and get the belt off. Only reason alternator is gone is because of the header install.

Thanks Classicrocjunkie! I really appreciate this... :-) That's why I like asking you guys because you know what your talking about.

Thanks again,
Christina