bauer26

So I blindly thought that replacing the old V-Belt tensioner would be a breeze.... NOT SO!!!

The job needed to be done, but damn I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Only took several hours when I thought it would be an hour tops. Thats what I get for not doing more research on the process that it involved.

mrblister

Why did it take you so long.? Its not a tough install. What went wrong .

chrisvr6

Was it squealing?

bauer26

You're right, It's not a tough install, minus the fact that I was going in blind. Didn't know that it involved pulling the generator and power steering pump when I first started. Add to that the tight spaces involved and my not having an overly massive, extensive tool set so I had to improvise a lot. Only upon putting it all back together did I realize that the deep sockets I had were my best friends. While disassembling everything I was mixing and matching adapters (cause all my extensions were too short or too long, no good middle ground) with various rachets to get the leverage needed.

My biggest headache was stripping a nut on the radiator fan assembly. Never got it off, instead had to seperate the fan and clutch, which was no fun with it still in the engine bay and only 4-5 inches of clearance between the fan shroud and the radiator. Never got the shroud out as the fan clutch was in the way, that 1 stripped nut really screwed me.

Anyways, got it back together and took it out on a test drive. Huge loss of power steering. I never opened the power steering system and only unbolted and moved it out of the way of the generator. I was completely baffeled as to the loss. I routed the belt correctly, I had torqued the power steering mounting bolts to spec. Everything was aligned, but couldn't figure out the loss of PS. After some research, I came up with the PS resovoir screen may have become clogged in the process of my work. Topped it off way above the max line, started the car, took it for another trip around the block. Still had a loss of PS. Finally, parked the car and tried "bleeding" the PS system by turning the wheel back and forth between the lock positions 10-15 times. FINALLY!!! Had my power steering back.

bauer26

Yes, terribly!! First tried replacing just the belt thinking that was it. Made the stupid choice to pick one up at Autozone. Dayco brand, squealing subsided a bit. Every few days, I would have to retighten the tensioner. Looked on RockAuto for another option. Came up with a Gates belt and a Gates auto tensioner. No more squeal.

RCsGX

Why didn't you go w/ an OEM belt?

bauer26

Ease of purchasing the tensioner and belt in one transaction. I've used Gates belts on just about every other car I've ever owned and they have always lasted, just sticking with what I know. The belt that started squealing and that was on the GX when we bought it was some other aftermarket brand.