Tensioner adj 1.9L

[danmdevries]

95 sexcort 4dr 1.9L lx
I need a new serp belt BADLY!! Mine is cracked down the center of the belt, leaving with two 1/4" strips around all the pulleys. This is the original belt with 60K+ Miles on it. However, various brands, stores, whatever, none of them fit. I have AC and PS, and specified that at the store, and the belts are approx 2/3" too small to fit on the pulleys. Breaker bar on the tensioner doesn't loosen it up enough to get the belt on, and even if I did, it would hold it too tightly and wind up bending spindles on the accesories (Been there on an Olds Delta)

The question is... is there a way of adjusting where the tensioner will sit at "tdc" so to speak. I went to the junkyard to try foolin around and see if I could change it, but it was 35 deg and started to rain, I wasn't about to stay out there. There's that bolt in the center, I'm not going to touch anything until I have more heads working on this one, and as far as I saw, nothing in my haynes manual about it. Ford dealership wants $75 to change the serp belt, but if there's problems, it's 80/hr labor charge min of 1hr. Has anyone else had this problem? I've tried gatorback and kelly/springfield belts, no fit. That's why I'm wondering if the tensioner decided to reset it's positioning on the broken/stretched belt.

[danmdevries]

c'mon, someone's gotta have to know how to change that, i can't send an escort to the dealership! That's like taking q disposable razor in to get the blades sharpened -pointless

[lawton_kid]

I have two just like yours and the only things that I can think of are:

1) those belts go on very tight. Have an assistant help you and roll the belt on over one of the larger pulleys, if possible.

2) why are you afraid to take off the tighten. No big deal. You can always get another at the junkyard if you find yours is messed up. I doubt it is, but anything's possible.

3) find a friend or someone else with a car like your's and check out the tensioner on that car.

4) go back to the junkyard and check it out there again.

5) I doubt that you are getting the incorrect belt. They are a pretty common size.

6) if all else fails, get a good, used belt from the junkyard that may already be slightly stretched out. Anything should be better than the one you have on there now. Mark the rotation on the used one before removing it, as they should be put on so that they rotate in the same direction or they will self-destruct much sooner than normal.

We have done extensive work on my two '95's and my '97 and the only thing that comes to mind is: they are pretty tight when new.

Good luck,
The Kid