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[VR-VS] HOW TO: change a serpentine belt (vs)

VS dream

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The serpentine belt is the main belt on the front of the engine which runs around a set of pulleys.
Its actually very simple to change despite how complicated it can look.
I did this on a vs ecotec not sure if its the exact same with other models (vn, vp vr, vt).


What you need:
- Replacement belt
- Spanner or equivalent
- Pen & paper
- 10 minutes

1. Buy the right belt - you can pick these up from supercheap or autobahn for around 30 - $50. make sure you dont just pick one unless you know exactly which suits your car, speak to someone.

2. Draw yourself a diagram of the way your belt loops around the pulleys.

diagram.jpg


3. Take out a spanner or socket wrench set and locate the tensioner pulley. In order to loosen the belt you have to rotate the tensioner pulley ANTI-clockwise. As the tensioner is pushed down it gives the belt some slack. After taking it off the top left pulley you can remove this is any old fashion.
TENSIONER PULLEY:
tensionerpulley.jpg


tool.jpg


looseningblack1.jpg


looseningblack2.jpg


4. Get out your new belt and diagram and feed/loop the new belt in, making sure the threads and teeth on the belt line up and everything sits nice and smick, leaving the belt off the very top pulley.

prebluetoppulley.jpg


5. Loosen the tension on the tensioner pulley again (rotate the tensioner pulley) and put the belt over the last pulley (top left).

looseningblue1.jpg


looseningblue2.jpg


6. Check back to your diagram and make sure the belt is on correctly at each pulley, to make adjustments just loosen tension.

Finish-1.jpg


9. Start your car and idle just watching the belt to check everythings running nice and smoothly. Then run it through the rev range up to 5k, there shouldnt be any problems but its just a precaution.

If you have any problems feel free to PM me :)

NOTE: any damage or injuries caused are in no way my fault. i take no responsibility, this is just a guide.

Ps. Taking/posting pictures tomorrow its too dark now
 
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FstStig

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Wow you must be a mechanic thinking 30mins... Takes about 5mins and that is with a new belt.... New Belts can be harder to put on because they have not stretched. If people are having trouble getting it over the Alternator Pulley, try and get a little bit of the belt onto the Alternator Pulley, then with another spanner or socket, put it on the Harmonic Balancer and turn the the balancer Clockwise, while still holding down on the tensioner.

Thanks for the Guide either way :)
 

drewVHSS

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HA! Best time i've managed is at 2am at east gosford shops in the pouring rain.
My neighbour at the time Stevo had a VS that kept spitting the belt, problem that night is his bonnet cable snapped.

3 mins 13 seconds using torch light, a pissy shifter and doing it from underneath on wet gravel road after being dragged out of bed with the "help me mate" call with the promise of $50 to get him up and running so he could complete his shift.
Mind you i'd had heaps of practice on his car after having to fit new belts and refit existing belts for 3 weeks cause he wouldn't fork out for a new idler pulley so it kept throwing belts before that night.
 

VS dream

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gee sorry mate, just put 30 because some people might like to draw a really nice picture

EDIT: just got the mechanic joke hahaha
 
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VKCOMMO

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What I like to do is get the belt all around the right way etc.., except for the water pump, and then flex the tensioner and get the belt onto the water pump.. Always used that method and found it the best..
 

djdomohudson

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AWESOME!!! I was struggling there for a minute...

*takes laptop outside to follow steps again and do it in like 2 seconds as I've been scratching my head over this for over an hour now :) *
 

Dropjeslover

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Might want to add somewhere that the tensioner pully bolt is left threaded. To undo the bolt, turn it clockwise!
I didn't and ####ed up the thread in the tensioner arm :doh:
Put the bolt back in with locktite on it, now trying to figure out how to get the tensioner arm to lower...
 

Brett_jjj

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What I like to do is get the belt all around the right way etc.., except for the water pump, and then flex the tensioner and get the belt onto the water pump.. Always used that method and found it the best..

Ive also found that this is by far easiest way to get them back on.
 

VS_Pete

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What I like to do is get the belt all around the right way etc.., except for the water pump, and then flex the tensioner and get the belt onto the water pump.. Always used that method and found it the best..
Me too....................................
 

Dropjeslover

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I've solved my little problem too, thread sealant in the remaining thread, let it cure for 15+ hours. Belt all the way around, except the water pump as it doesn't have an edge on the pully. Use the bolt to get the arm moving the first part, last bit with a crowbar and then slide the belt on the water pump :)
 
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