Change Serpentine Belt HELP

[pnoel]

I have a 97 Cavalier. I need to change the Serpentine belt. It does not seem to have a tensioner. The idel pooly is intoward the center but it seems to not have an adjustment on it.

Please help

[4dr92cavi4cyl]

I have a 92 but maybe I can help, you should be able to tell which pulley is what, like water pump, power steering, A/C, Crank pulley, and alternator. The one that's not hooked up to anything is the tensioner. My tensioner has a nut on it, I just get the right size socket and rachet and turn it away from the belt, the spring inside will push it back towards the belt when you let go. Hope this helps...

[Classicrocjunkie]

This 2200 has the same Serpentine belt route.... here's a photo



If you look where the power steering fluid container is... there should be 1 big pully right next to it in the chain... right below that on the silver/aluminum metal braket there is a pully just helping guide the belt... that is the tensioner.

[girlmechanic]

the tensioner, is in the middle across from the upper motor mount, I think you need a long 13 or 14 wrench, turn a little at the same time push down and whalaaah. If your not sure which pulley it is , its between the alternator and powersteering, or try them all till one moves down to release.

[Classicrocjunkie]

uh... let me stop this girl, no offence hunnie but what i am understanding your telling them to use the idler pully... yes is moves like a tensioner but when used for that = big possible problems... i will even include a picture for the illiterate..and i will color code it all to make things easier...



Brown circle- Power steering
Blue circle- Idler pully
Purple circle- Alternator pully
Green circle- A/C if applicable
Yellow circle- Water Pump pully
Pink circle- Crankshaft Pully

and finally...

Red Arrow is your tensioner.. get a socket wrench w/o socket and place square end into hole or knotch w/e you want to call it and push down to release pressure, and short breaker bar may also be needed to get you more leverage... if you cannot figure out the tensior from this then you have some serious problems...

[girlmechanic]

If he has a 2.2 engine, then there is not tensioner like you have illustrated. The idle pulley is the tensioner. Trust me, I know what Im saying. I have taken of my belt many many times ,and changed the tensioner/idle pulley. You may be correct for another engine, but for the 2.2 cavalier/sunfire, the only tensioner is the idle pulley.

[Classicrocjunkie]

That is the 2.2l LN4 engine in cavalier/sunfire... the model shown is the 2200 LN4. only major changes from the orgianl 2.2 is the location of the throttle body and coil pac and a few other little things... but all the pullys shown above are on the all 2.2L engines from 95-02... i have changed them on a 96 2.2 and there was a tensioner like i have shown above....but w/e

[ctimbreza]

I just changed the alternator on my 1997 cavalier 2.2 engine. There is no tensioner, as illustrated in the diagram provided by Classicrocjunkie. Use a serpentine belt tool or long wrench to on the idler pully, turn the pully toward the front of the car to release the tension on the belt.

[Classicrocjunkie]

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=309192

a little further reaserch would have lead you to this captain obvious... I noted in there about the older 2.2's needed to use the idler pully and an offset wrench works just dandy on that and one doesn't have to waste money on someone who designed somthing so he can call it a "Belt tool"...
good day!