loose belt

78KingCobra · #1 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 07:35 PM

first, let me say that i put this topic in here because i need some help before tomorrow.

my belt tensioner on my 5.0 mustang engine, doesn't keep tension. would that cause power steering to be lost? because i dont have that since it loosened up on me.

so how do you adjust the tension on a belt tensioner?

4 cam tbird · #2 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 11:55 PM

They are spring loaded, you will need to get a new tensioner. Any parts store would have them. And yeah, it could cause your power steering to not work properly due to belt slippage not turning the pump. It could cause your alternator to not fully charge too. And cause over heating by not turning the water pump enough. And make your A/C not blow cold...

78KingCobra · #3 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 01:00 AM

yeah thats what i figured. i knew we keep you around for more than high score keeper ;) lol j/k. thanks for the help. its really appreciated.

so i called a local junkyard and they said they have the part for 20 dollars. thing was, it was like 4:30, i had just gotten back from colo guard practice. i hopped in my dads car, and left to the sho, and the guy had left early. i was disappointed...they open at nine and i think im gonna skip school and go install the part for 3rd hour, then head to auto mech.

78KingCobra · #4 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 03:19 PM

so i have a belt tensioner.

how do i install it? i think there may be a special tool in order to do this. i did not realize how much tension goes on a belt. is it alright to put a crow bar between the pulley and the spring housing thing and pry it down in order for the notch to enter the correct hole on the bracket?

78KingCobra · #5 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 03:27 PM

oh, and i guess you can move this to the proper forum...sorry for posting it here.

4 cam tbird · #6 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 11:10 PM

there should be a half inch square hole in it that a breaker bar will fit in. So on the old one, you take the breaker bar and take the tension off the belt to take it off one of the pullies. Then unbolt the tensioner, bolt the new one on, get the belt all properly routedand then put the breaker bar in the new tensioner and get the belt over the last pully. I know you are working on a newer engine in ann old car, the car the engine came out of would have had a sticker illustrating the belt routing on the radiator support. So before you do this, draw a picturewith the approximate position of the pullies and tensioner and how the belt runs around them so you know how to get the belt back on

78KingCobra · #7 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 11:22 PM

its all done. i feel liek an idiot for it too. what i was doing was halfway bolting the tensioner in, and using the breaker bar the wrong way and putting more tension on the belt, trying to get the notch thing into the proper hole.

i cant bewlieve it took me about an hour to figure out i could take the belt off, bolt the tensioner in all the way, and lift up on the tensioner and put the belt underneath. it really should have taken me less than 5 minutes. man i feel stupid.