How hard to install alt. belt?

[Matt300ZXT]

My alt. belt popped last night and I guess the fan wasn't getting any power to spin, so my car started getting a weeee bit warm. Shut it off and let all the steam come out and checked it out. The belt is long gone. Anyways, do I have to remove anything or is it pretty easy to just reach in there and throw a new one on? I guess it wouldn't be any trouble just jacking it up and taking the driver side wheel off and having someoen help feed it up fromt he bottom as well. Just curious if this is a super easy job or tough.

 

[SinaiTSi]

I would say easy if you've never done it before. Super easy if you have done it before. I mean, it took me maybe an hour to replace my alternator alltogether, which is a lot more time consuming than just changing the belt since all you have to do is just loosen the alternator to put that new belt on. Get a Haynes manual if you don't already have one and it'll tell you how to do it, fairly simple. If you run into any problems, let me know. I'll help as much as I can.

 

[oldman]

Belts usually don't snap unless they're really really old, I would also check the crank pulley for signs of separation.

 

[speedy_talon28]

It's pretty easy to put the belt on. before you start put the car on jack stand (easier to get the belt over the bottom pulleys) and make sure you loosen the alternator siwel bolt which is the belt tensioner, and it easier to start the belt over the bottom pulleys first and work up. That's how I did mine,I hope this helps

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

It may very well be a sign that all the belts need to be changed.

 

[Matt300ZXT]

Yea the belts were doing the whole squealing thing. It was pretty old and was meaning to change it, guess I have a reason to now I figured it'd be easy from looking down into the engine bay. Didn't look like there was much in the way, just kinda wanted some reassurance I guess. Thanks guys.

 

[oldman]

Yea the belts were doing the whole squealing thing. It was pretty old and was meaning to change it, guess I have a reason to now I figured it'd be easy from looking down into the engine bay. Didn't look like there was much in the way, just kinda wanted some reassurance I guess. Thanks guys.

The "squealing thing" is very typical of a separated crank pulley which mostly followed by a snapped alternator belt. I know you didn't take my first post seriously but I would.

 

[Siral3x]

Yea the belts were doing the whole squealing thing. It was pretty old and was meaning to change it, guess I have a reason to now I figured it'd be easy from looking down into the engine bay. Didn't look like there was much in the way, just kinda wanted some reassurance I guess. Thanks guys.

Yeah, when you replace the alt belt you'll have to look/chk the crank pulley anyway, since you gotta route the alt belt on the crank anyway.
My buddys 97 Spyder was squealing reallly bad...he quit driving it because he said it's a shame to drive it like that
We changed them 4 days ago on his car. I didn't had a manual or nothing, just common sence will do. All the ACC belts we changed them in close to 2H, but I took my time cheking and double cheking the tension.
the 3 Mitsu oem belts costed him like $105? or something, and the local shop wanted another $100 to install them?
I recomend checking your timing belt too. His was 1 tooth off, so we're goign to change that too very soon.
Oh..the AC belt if you still got the stock one they tend to wear a lottt.
I found it easy to jack up the car on the driver side, take the driver side wheel off and crawl under to route the ALT belt on the crank while your friend routes it on the Alt pulley, and puts a little pressure on it to hold it in place. THAT way you'll be sure it's installed corect. I found helpfull also a crow bar or big long screwdriver to pry on ALT case, PS, or in between the adjusting AC bolt tensioner(the tensioners 'lips', it's an easy trick) to adjust the belts tensions.
It's really not a big deal.

 

[PMWeatherDL]

since im kinda having the same problem... i just out from under my car, and there is a plastic piece right infront of the crank pulley, and its got belt rubber all over it. what is this plastic thing? is it my problem to why i cant keep a belt on?

 

[Siral3x]

if it's got belt rubber yes for sure that's the problem.
You mean ALT belt only right? or AC belt also?? Because you can't really damage both in the same time. The ALT belt is 1st on the crank(close to the splash shield), then the AC belt is 2nd. IF both get damaged chk your crank pulley!! actualy chk it anyway just to be safe...you'll be under there anyway.
You need to crawl under there and see if the bolts that hold the "splash shield" are nice and thight, or you hit something and bent it?
It's plastic..should be an easy fix unless is cracked or somethign , then you need to replace it.

 

[PMWeatherDL]

the other two belts are fine and this plastic piece isnt any part of the inner wheel well or splash shield it looks like is connected to the motor

 

[Siral3x]

timing belt lower cover you mean then?
chk the timing belt cover bolts , and you should be good!
well..I'll look it up in a manual, but most likely is the lower t. belt plastic cover..

 

[oldman]

The 1.8L engine is different from a 4g63. According to the FSM, 1.8L has two different pullies on the crank. Crankshaft pulley, the inner pulley (inner as in closer to the engine)that drives the AC belt, and Damper pulley, the outer pulley that drives the alternator belt, the two are bolted together with an adapter in between. Your outter pulley, the damper pulley is probably separated. Put another alternator belt on, have a friend start the car while you watch for pulley movement.