No room!

[chet1185]

How the h*ll do i get to anything on the front of this engine? I work on my LT1 cars so i know what its like to work in small places but damn. Lol. I need to change the AC belt and depending on what the squeeling is, maybe the WP. I just don't see how i can get to anything.

 

[xxNocturnalxx]

Remove the driver side motor mount to get more play. Remove the front motor mount to get even more, It's only a few bolts and a jack to make life much easier.

 

[Beaubo]

It is easy just take off the driver side motor mount and cross member and lower front motor mount.

Take the driver side wheel off to have easier access to the front of the engine.

Then support the engine under the oil pan with a jack and a piece of wood and an old folded up towel so you don't dent the oil pan. With those two mounts removed you can lower and raise the motor in order to access what you need.

You may want to invest in a Haynes or Chilton book.

 

[chet1185]

I do have a haynes. But i didnt think it would tell you to raise or lower the engine.

 

[WES_393]

If you think a 2g DSM is bad you should try it on a 3000GT....

I would only pull the wheel and splash guard off. No need to remove the motor mounts and there's no cross member in that spot for 2g's. That'll expose the crank pulley and AC compressor enough. Loosen the alternator tensioner and power steering from the top and you can remove the acc belts. It takes some twisting to get the belts in/out, but it's really not that bad. And since you have to take off the alt belt to change the AC belt anyways, you might as well replace all 3.

 

[chet1185]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[boost97gst]

OP: Nothing on a dsm is a breeze to work. Personally i would rather pull the motor to do something like a timing belt. With my back the way it is, , im not 18 anymore. Leaning over to work on stuff and busting knuckles is no fun.
The water pump shouldnt be that bad. Ive had that off in the car before. Very tight but doable. Good luck.

And Wes is right. Look in the bay of a stealth/3000gt turbo. Now that shit is intimidating. I personally couldnt own one just cause its jammed in there so hard. What a gorgeous car though. One of the best looking ever made, IMO.

 

[chet1185]

Well i just removed and installed the trans which was a breeze for me . I just have big hands and its hard for me t6o squeeze them in places. Like i said, i work on my lt1 cars and have done a lot of work where there isn't very much room. I am a newb to dsm and look forward to learning all i can.

 

[chet1185]

If you think a 2g DSM is bad you should try it on a 3000GT....

I would only pull the wheel and splash guard off. No need to remove the motor mounts and there's no cross member in that spot for 2g's. That'll expose the crank pulley and AC compressor enough. Loosen the alternator tensioner and power steering from the top and you can remove the acc belts. It takes some twisting to get the belts in/out, but it's really not that bad. And since you have to take off the alt belt to change the AC belt anyways, you might as well replace all 3.

Will just removing the wheel and guard work?

How does everyone do theirs? Sorry for being a newb to these cars.

 

[Phantom DSM]

Once the wheel and the splash guard come off, you have more wiggle room from the bottom and the side. Loosen the Alternator tensioner bolt and bracket if you have to and this will get the belt off, it runs on alternator to outer water pump pulley and down to crank pulley. The power steering pump has o be unbolted with a few bolts on the bracket to swing it up to remove that belt which wraps around the inner water pump pulley.
If you do have to take off the 10mm bolts taking off the outer water pump pulley, i highly recommend a ratching wrench for that spot, its pretty annoying and tedious because of the frame to the side. Other than that honestly the belts wiggle off, with some twisting you can put em on easy.

 

[chet1185]

Thanks. I'll be doing this as soon as it dries up outside.

 

[GofaST4life]

I personally think these cars are cake to work on. Everything is right there.

 

[chet1185]

I do alot of work on my 2 LT1 Fbody cars and theres alot more room on this car, until i looked where the belts are. Lol

I just don't want to make this job harder than it is, so I ask for help. Everyone here knows these cars and have probably done this job before. Just makes me feel better.

 

[Dsmkauai]

I prefer working on my DSM over almost any car. Except maybe my 71 chevelle tons of room under the hood heck you can take the hood off and sit on the inner fender and work ! It's really not that bad once you get used to it and know what you need and where. And yes a/c belt is super easy to do going thru the wheel well area. The only down side is having to remove the other belts to get the a/c one off.

 

[chet1185]

I will replace them all.

If need be, is it better to lift the engine or lower it to get at them? If at all.

 

[Dsmkauai]

Lower if anything but you shouldn't even need to bro. Honestly they arnt that bad to get on and off. And you only need a few tools mainly 10-12-14mm wrenchs. I'll be honest when I first got my gst like 16 years ago. I was very intimidated with everything going on under the hood. But once I really started working on it I realized it wasn't all that bad, and things are all in pretty accessible places. I love that with a few metric tools you can just about do everything to these cars ! It takes alittle getting used to but once you do you will realize it isn't so bad!

 

[chet1185]

Thank you! I will leave everyone know how it goes.

 

[chet1185]

Pretty sure i found the problem. The ALT belt was all chewed up. I just changed that one, no more squeeking.

 

[jbus]

Gotta love the dsm belt system. i think in the last 3 monts ive thrown 3 belts off my alternator. a new tensioner bolt fixed it

 

[chet1185]

How do i even get to the tensioner for the AC belt?

Changed all the belts and it still squeeks. What now? Take them off 1 by 1 to see what parts bad?

Couldnt figure anything out by taking the belts of then trying. Could the pwr steering pump or alternator bearing be bad?

 

[chet1185]

It only squeaks at startup or when i'm stopped then go. It is so loud i cant tell where its coming from. Is the WP as hard to change as it looks/sounds?