97 Escort, Re-install of Belt Tensioner Asselmbly

[boogie76]

Hey All!

Just replaced my alternator. In the process, decided to also do the belt tensioner assembly (accessory not timing). I finally got the assembly off - it was difficult because the bolt that holds it in is too long and butt up against the sideframe of the car, but with enough force it finally propped up and out...the bolt is fine and not bent...but how do I get the new tensioner assembly and bolt back in?!?!?!?!

With the bolt in the assembly and everything in place the bolt bent as much as I can through the assembly is still to far from the hole in the engine... any ideas with raising engine?

Thanks!

[denisond3]

Cant you unbolt the motor mount on that side, and lift the engine a few inches with a jack under the pan. Use a load spreader under the pan of course. I was in a junkyard taking parts from an Escort that looked perfect, but someone had punch a hole in the oil pan.
If you do this, make sure you are not stretching/bencing the a.c or power steering hoses when the engine is raised.
You may be able to raise the engine slightly farther if you unbolt the motor mounts on the lower part of the transaxle, where they attached to the subframe.

[boogie76]

Thanks for your fast reply...I just need more details so I can go do this as this isn't my primary car and I never do much work on it, I am not familiar with it's parts at all....

This is the best pic I got of where to jack it, now where are the bolts I need to remove? http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...7/000_0562.jpg

I downloaded the service manual from fordcds.com but I can't seem to find the right place with a picture...

So, put jack under oil pan with wood to spread weight, remove 4 motor mount bolts for the most lift, try to raise engine (all i need is 3/4" to make this job do-able)? Is that howeasy it should be?

I just want to make sure I unbolt the right bolts and nothingwill fall onme once I unbolt...

-d

[denisond3]

Its probably even easier than what you are thinking...
The picture you linked to is good. On the right side of that picture you can see the metal subframe running from the front of the car back under the tranny. There are 2 'nuts' for the front tranny mount, and toward the back of this brace, 2 more for the rear tranny mount. Those are the nuts you can loosen if you need to raise the engine further. Dont undo the large bolts, one of which is visible at the extreme top right of the photo - they hold that brace up to the car body. But if you only need to raise the engine 3/4" you wont need to undo the nuts at all. There is enough flex in the rubber mounts. Besides, the nuts are a chore to undo, being made to be stiff.
After you raise the engine a little to take the weight off of the passenger side motor mount, the big horizontal bolt should be able to be slid out sideways. But if you only need 3/4", you might not need to remove that bolt either. There might be 3/4 of 'give' in the passenger side motor mount. On my 92 the bolt for the tensioner would clear the frame rail, but hits the pipe for the power steering return line - so I jack up the motor, without the need to undo the motor mount.
You were wise to replace the belt tensioner when you replaced the alternator. Now you can forget about it for ten more years. Mine also has an idler pulley for the accesory belt. I replaced it at the same time I replaced the tensioner (at 170,000 miles) - so I could forget about it for a dozen years. Car now has 198,000 miles on it.