Easy fix, put rachet or breaker bar on idler pulley centerbolt and pull to the side allowing enough slack to remove old belt. Install new one and release idler to original position careful to not let spring return too fast and skin knuckles! Goodyear gatorback is a good replacement.

 

Place a 13mm box wrench, on Idler Pully/Tensioner center bolt, and SLOWLY turn clockwise, just until you can slide Belt off Power Steering Pump Pully(PSPP).
Carefull, you can damage Tensioner housing, if you turn too far!!!

Route new Belt per diagram on radiator support, leaving belt off PSPP.
Now, SLOWLY turn center bolt clockwise again, just until you can slip belt back on PSPP. You're done, EASY.

 

Originally posted by LarryCigar:
Place a 13mm box wrench, on Idler Pully/Tensioner center bolt, and SLOWLY turn clockwise, just until you can slide Belt off Power Steering Pump Pully(PSPP).
Carefull, you can damage Tensioner housing, if you turn too far!!!

Route new Belt per diagram on radiator support.
Now, SLOWLY turn center bolt clockwise again, just until you can slip belt back on PSPP. You're done, EASY.

Larry don't you mean the alternator

 

No, definitly PSPP!!

 

Maybe Mine is messed up but last time I checked my alternator was the highest accessory on that bracket. Maybe I put mine on different then you do.

 

PSPP is not ribbed, so backside of Belt slides off & on easily.

Take a look

 

Originally posted by LarryCigar:
PSPP is not ribbed, so Belt slides off & on easily.

Agreed.

I've found that if you put the box end on the tensioner bolt with the other end pointing at the balancer horizontally and pull/push down (I do mine from the bottom), that it works best without cutting knuckles on hose clamps and other stuff. So, if you're looking at the tensioner, the wrench will start off pointing at 3 o'clock, and it will be pointing at 6 o'clock when the belt slides off.

 

IIRC, if you get to 6 o'clock[90* sweep], you've broke Tensioner housing
I'd say 5 o'clock, will do.

 

Originally posted by LarryCigar:
PSPP is not ribbed, so backside of Belt slides off & on easily.

Take a look

I will investigate that.

 

Originally posted by LarryCigar:
IIRC, if you get to 6 o'clock[90* sweep], you've broke Tensioner housing
I'd say 5 o'clock, will do.

what happens if you break the tensioner housing? im hoping mine wasnt already broke because there is very little give with mine

 

Originally posted by LarryCigar:
IIRC, if you get to 6 o'clock[90* sweep], you've broke Tensioner housing
I'd say 5 o'clock, will do.

Maybe I should have said "towards 6 o'clock". I don't know that it actually gets that far, but pretty close to pointing down.

 

The Tensioner's cast housing, is fairly fragile.
You can determine if housing is cracked, by crawling under car, and eyeballing both sides of Tensioner[If broken, you'll see the end of Tensioner's spring sticking out side of housing].


So remember: Slowly turn 13mm center bolt, ONLY till Belt slides off {& on} PSPP.

 

thanks for the reply, i think im all set, just wondering if the housing is cracked and the spring is hanging out, would the belt still stay on?

 

sometimes, yes
but effective tension on belt, could be spotty

 

Originally posted by Buffman:
Maybe Mine is messed up but last time I checked my alternator was the highest accessory on that bracket. Maybe I put mine on different then you do.

buff my alt is the highest accessory as well, my car is the b4u towing package with the mech fan belt. also the tensioner used a 9/16 not a 13mm.

 

My belt removal suggestions were assuming you had "Dual Electric Cooling Fans".
Most B/D-Bodys were equipped with this setup.

In the future, please specify you have Mechanical Fan[V08-HD Cooling/Towing Package] setup, if your questions pertain to front engine.
You may want to add this info, in your Sig.

 

thanks larry, i forgot to mention that, went out there to work on the car and put two and two together.

 

Anybody got a part # for the gatoback belt?

Summit sells them by the lenght.

How many inches?

 

go to autozone. they have them there.

 

Thanks!

You should have seen the belts AdvanceAuto specified for our cars! Little skinny thing that was about 24 inches long.

WTF???

 

GM#88986810

 

Originally posted by Bobby Simone:
GM#88986810

Thanx, I needed that.

 

I like the Dayco Polycog design - seems to handle flexing a lot better and provides better belt cooling. Advance carries it, among others.

When I swap the belt, I go under the car, stretch the tensioner, get the belt loose from the pulley or the crank (if the car's got a mechanical fan). Then I go from above and unthread the old belt, put the new belt on, then leave the tensioner or crank loose, pull the tensioner in and install the belt. I then slowly release/apply the tensioner a few times to make sure the belt is properly seated, visually check it, and go.

The electric-fan cars are easy as pie. It doesn't get any easier than an electric-fan B-body!

 

The part # for the Gatorback-Quiet Belt is 4060642,also the # 6PK1630 was on the box.This is for my 95 Impala. This is not the HDC belt. Auto Zone had it Pep boys didn't stock it.

 

One more thing, price was 19.99 plus tax.