Questions and Answers
Serpentine Belt - Revisited
Q. 1992 Buick Park Ave, 3.8 liter, V-6 SFI. I previously asked you how to replace the Serpentine Belt. You said "Lift tensioner pulley with an 18 MM box wrench on pulley nut" you also sent me a very nice drawing.
Question is: all of this is under tension. What is going to happen when I loosen the pulley nut (ie. what will give?) Is the pulley just going to fly out when the tension is released? Is everything going to fall apart and break? On the other hand, it looks as if loosening the pulley nut is just going to allow the pulley to slip in and out, which will have no effect on the tension. I am not sure I understand the drawing.
I mean, what is going to give and not give when I loosen that pulley nut? And then how is the pulley going to allow me to put on the new belt? I mean, something will have to stretch. Where and how will the force be applied? Again, it looks as if the pulley nut will just allow the pulley to slip in and out, and not affect the tension at all.
What am I overlooking here? How will all of this respond to loosening the pulley nut, and how will the new belt be tensioned? Please provide detail.
Thanks.
A. The misunderstanding here is that you are not trying to remove any bolts. The pulley nut referred to in the drawing is a means of moving the idler pulley. The pulley is on a pivot and is spring loaded. The bolt is just a way of moving the pulley on the pivot and allow you to remove the belt.
Once the belt is off, if you release the pulley it will go all the way out.
Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA
