How do you loosen a tensioner on an alternator?

To loosen an AI tensioner, such as an alternator, loosen the main mounting bolt, usually on the engine, and the locking bolt, usually on a bracket or arm. If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt.

When do you remove the lock on a tensioner pulley?

Remove the lock only after the tensioner, pulley, or slipper, and timing belt or timing chain are installed and aligned. The next time you work with a drive belt, timing belt, or timing chain, you’ll likely have to loosen a tensioner pulley to remove it.

Why is the bolt not coming out of my tensioner?

If it will not break loose because the tensioner wants to move, keep the tensioner from moving by holding it in place with a pry bar; then you will be able to loosen the bolt in the pulley. Though this particular bolt doesn’t usually seem to have problems, sometimes it can rust or have some other issue, causing the bolt to not come out easily.

How to adjust tension on a serpentine belt in a Chevy?

Isolate the battery cable from the battery terminals while you are working around the belt. Locate the serpentine belt on the front of the engine, place a socket on the center of the tensioner’s idler bolt, then attach a breaker bar to the socket. Rotate the tensioner counter-clockwise, releasing the tension from the belt.

What happens when you unscrew a belt tensioner?

The tensioner will rotate freely before it comes to a stop. When the spring-loaded arm comes to a stop, continue to turn the bolt until the bolt loosens. Once the bolt loosens from the spring-loaded arm of the tensioner, release the belt tensioner until it comes to a stop. Finish unscrewing the bolt with your fingers.

How to replace belt tensioner on Chevy 350 5.7?

(Playback ID: W5CDTuhS29mtAlgV) An error occurred while retrieving sharing information. Please try again later.

How do you remove a belt tensioner bracket?

Remove the other bracket bolts that hold the belt tensioner to the engine block. Use a ratchet and socket and turn the bracket bolts counterclockwise to loosen and remove the bolts from the belt tensioner bracket.

Where is the bracket on an alternator located?

Most often this bracket is located near the alternator. Loosen the bolt with a ratchet and socket until tension is relieved on the belt. Locate the idler pulley and loosen the center retaining bolt using a wrench and turning the bolt counterclockwise.

Where is the belt tensioner located on a car?

Where is the belt tensioner located? The single belt loops around all the different pulleys on your engine, but one pulley has a tensioner arm, which will be the only pulley the has a square, 3/8-inch hole in the center. That hole is for a 3/8-inch ratchet nub, the part that holds the socket.

How do you reinstall a serpentine belt on an auto tensioner?

Reverse the procedure to reinstall the serpentine belt on the pulley system auto tensioner. Be careful to get the belt on the the other pulleys and aligned properly on all parts of the complicated routing, then apply the tool to allow the belt to be slipped onto the tensioner pulley.

When to replace the idler and tensioner pulleys?

Pictures illustrated instructions for replacing the idler and tensioner pulleys in a 1997-2003 GM Pontiac Grand Prix GTP.

Where is the serpentine belt tensioner pulley located?

My car has a very slow leak that requires topping off the fluid every 6 months to prevent the PS from whining. The first pulley I replaced was the serpentine belt tensioner pulley located just below the alternator. To remove the pulley, place the 15mm socket and long handled wrench on the pulley’s bolt.

How to replace idler and tension pulley in Ford F-150?

Pro Tip 1 Insert your 1/2″ drive ratchet or belt removal tool into the hole on the tensioner. 2 Rotate it clockwise towards the driver side to release tension. 3 While holding the tool, unhook the belt from a pulley 4 You can now release the tool and use both hands to remove the rest of the belt

How big of a torque wrench do I need for idler pulley?

If you have a torque wrench the bolt should be tightented to about 50Nm or 37 lb-ft of torque.. Alternatively, you can tighten it snugly and then go another 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn. Once any stubborn or seized pulley has been replaced, you can replace or re-install the belts.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from an alternator?

Move the belt tensioner off the serpentine belt with the belt tensioner tool and then push the belt aside as you slowly move the tensioner back into place. Move the serpentine belt off the alternator pulley by hand. Unbolt the alternator ground wire from the back of the alternator using the socket set.

How to replace the alternator on a 2000 Ford Windstar?

Anyone with basic auto-repair skill can replace the alternator on a 2000 Ford Windstar in about an hour. Drive the Windstar’s front wheels onto the ramps, set the parking brake and chock the rear wheels by putting the chocks on the ground directly behind the wheels.

How do you change a pulley on a belt tensioner?

Place the automatic belt tensioner into a bench vise, being careful not to overtighten the clamps. Many tensioners are made of lightweight aluminum and can easily crack. Position the tensioner in the vise so you can access the pulley bolt. Turn the pulley bolt counterclockwise with a ratchet and a socket.

Can you replace an alternator on a 1994 Mustang?

Whether you are replacing your factory 1994-2004 Mustang alternator or upgrading to a 130 amp alternator, LMR’s Mustang alternator install guide will walk you through the necessary steps to complete the install. Using basic hand tools, the alternator on your SN-95 or New Edge can easily be swapped out. Disconnect the negative battery cable.

How do you move belt tensioner off alternator?

Find the belt-routing diagram, applied to the fan shroud, and use it to locate the belt tensioner and alternator. Move the belt tensioner off the serpentine belt with the belt tensioner tool and then push the belt aside as you slowly move the tensioner back into place. Move the serpentine belt off the alternator pulley by hand.

When to replace the alternator on a minivan?

If the internal generator or external voltage regulator should fail on the Windstar, you must replace the alternator assembly in order to continue getting the most out of the minivan. Anyone with basic auto-repair skill can replace the alternator on a 2000 Ford Windstar in about an hour.

What’s the best way to loosen a tensioner?

If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw.

How can I relieve the tension on my belt?

Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley. Let the belt hang down.

Where is the hole in a belt tensioner?

Some belt tensioners have a 3/8-inch square hole in the end of the spring-loaded arm that can also be used to relieve the tension from the belt. Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley.

How do you relieve tension on an alternator belt?

If your vehicle does not have an auto-tensioner, you can still relieve the tension on the belt by loosening the bolts attaching the alternator to the engine. As you loosen the bolts, tilt the alternator forward to create slack in the belt.

How do I loosen the bolts on my alternator?

Loosen the bolts on the alternator if there is no auto-tensioner. In cars without an auto-tensioner pulley, you can relieve the tension on the belt simply by loosening the two bolts that secure the alternator to the engine. These will often require a 14mm or 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) socket, though you may need to try others.

How can I tell if my alternator has an auto tensioner?

You can tell if your vehicle uses an auto-tensioner by looking at the alternator mounting bracket: if the bolts can slide from side to side in the bracket, it does not have an auto-tensioner. You will need to slide the belt off the alternator pulley before you release the auto-tensioner.

What’s the best way to tighten a tensioner pulley?

With the belt around all of the other pulleys, slide it over the tensioner pulley with pressure still on the breaker bar or wrench. Once the belt is in place, slowly reduce the pressure on the wrench, allowing the tensioner pulley to tighten the belt. Do not simply release the auto-tensioner, as that could damage the belt and cause injury.

How do you loosen a belt tensioner bolt?

Turn the bolt head in the center of the spring-loaded arm of the belt tensioner counterclockwise with a ratchet and socket to loosen the bolt. The tensioner will rotate freely before it comes to a stop. When the spring-loaded arm comes to a stop, continue to turn the bolt until the bolt loosens.

When do you need to loosen a tensioner pulley?

Sometimes, maintenance or repair will require tightening or loosening a tensioner pulley. Replacing a drive belt or timing belt, for example, would require you to loosen a tensioner pulley to make room for the new belt, as the new belt is smaller than the worn drive belt.

Where is the belt tensioner on a car?

Locate the belt tensioner on the front of the engine. The belt tensioner will have a spring-loaded arm on one end and a round pulley on the other end. The belt tensioner will also have a bolt head in the center of the pulley. This bolt head is used to relieve the tension from the belt.

How do you loosen a tensioner on a timing belt?

You’ll need to hold some spring tensioners while slipping on a new belt. Others may have a locking mechanism, such as a hole for a locking pin or hex key. Toyota and other timing belt tensioners are loosened by simply removing them from the engine. You must slowly compress them in a bench vice and lock them with a pull-pin before reinstallation.

How do you loosen a tensioner on an alternator?