Aux Belt ...installation tip.

[12Ounce]

INSTALLATION TIP FOR SERPERTINE BELT ... 1999 3.8L
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Its a bit shameful how/why I discovered the tip I am about to describe. A few years back, I could just use my hands and arms to pull the slack out of the belt tensioner and doing the final fit over the alternator pulley. But today, I discovered my arms are no longer going to do this task for me (perhaps the serpentine belts are shorter now ... that's it, I bet!). And there is little/no wrench room to rotate the tensioner ... so
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TIP: Remove front and right-rear hold-down bolts for the alternator...then loosen the final, left-rear hold down bolt. Rotate the alternator toward the rear. Now you should be able to pull the belt over the alternator pulley. Using a vertical bar behind the alternator (behind the alternator, down low, you will find a location for the bar's end that suspiciously looks like it was designed for this purpose!), pull the alternator forward until you can re-install the two removed bolts. Be sure to tightened all three bolts..
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So simple, its almost embarrassing to remember how many times I have wrestled with this chore. I just hope this tip is indeed "news" ... and not known already by everyone else!

[northern piper]

thanks!

Love to avoid the busted knuckles whenever I can