Hi guys and gals, I need help. I need a "How to" class in replacing the fan belt. I have the routing right according to the diagram, but I can't get it on the last pully (alt. pully). Is there an adjustment?? Thanks

you don't loosen the bolt holding the tensioner pulley-- You put a 3/8 or 1/2 inch (forgot which size) socket wrench or breaker bar into the square hole that's IN the ARM of the tensioner, to bend it against it's spring. that will give the slack to work the belt onto the last pulley. > I have tried that, but can't get it to give me the needed amount... > in fact I can barely get it to move. Is it left handed or right > handed threading?

Are you using a serpentine belt tool or just a wrench? If you’re using a wrench, you’ll probably need an extension in order to get enough leverage.

 

Bob

 

I'm wondering how many miles were on the belt you're replacing? That info could be useful to me to predict how long the serpentine belt on my Aerostar and two other vehicles might last. Does anyone know how long serpentine belts last?

On the service schedule for the 95 Windstar is states to replace the serpentine belt every 60,000 miles. The Haines book I have also says to replace the tensioner as well. Rad

Well on my 98 Windstar we replaced the belt @70-75,000. It had some crackle on the outside. On the inside some V grooves had some sections missing. Dealership did it. But this year in a snowstorm trying to work the van out of some snow. Snow got it the pulleys and the belt slipped right off. The belt was damaged by the the crank pulley, rubbed right thru it. So now we have a nice new belt just 20,000 from a previous one. But tensioner on the 98's or the 3.8's is definitely a bugger it is way back there. It was a hell of a time throwing that on.

Yeah, I changed the tensioner on my 95 and that was a load of fun too. Unbolted the coil pack and rolled it up over the engine. Unbolted the coil pack mounting bracket and removed it. Then I had enough room to get a wrench on the pulley to pull it forward. On the newer vans I think the coil pack is somewhere else out of the way. Rad