Thread: serpentine belt wtf...

Ok little back story. I have a 99 regal gs. I bought a junkyard alternator off of a 2000 gse. Apparently the belt off of the 99 is too big for some weird reason.

too big? Width or length?

Length. For some reason when I max the tensioner out it will get tight but when the tensioner is in its normal position I can easily pull the belt off.

Originally Posted by BoostedPontiac

Length. For some reason when I max the tensioner out it will get tight but when the tensioner is in its normal position I can easily pull the belt off.

Maybe the belt you got was already stretched to hell. I'd just buy a new one. They're like $20.

Or maybe you are routing it wrong?

When my coolant elbow decided to split and I had to change them in a gas station parking lot I had to look up the belt routing diagram on my phone. I found about 6 different diagrams and had to try each one and had the belt be too long, or too short depending on what I tried until I found the right one. Of course it didn't help it was dark, and getting chilly, and we were working via a flashlight.

When I got home I made my own routing diagram in MS Paint and put it in my glove box for future uses if necessary.

Originally Posted by stealthee

Or maybe you are routing it wrong?

When my coolant elbow decided to split and I had to change them in a gas station parking lot I had to look up the belt routing diagram on my phone. I found about 6 different diagrams and had to try each one and had the belt be too long, or too short depending on what I tried until I found the right one. Of course it didn't help it was dark, and getting chilly, and we were working via a flashlight.

When I got home I made my own routing diagram in MS Paint and put it in my glove box for future uses if necessary.

Dang that blows. Do the 7th generation GP's not have a little routing diagram sticker under the hood? But that was a smart idea painting one yourself.

I followed the routing diagram under the hood with no luck. It looks like I did it right. And the belt is the one off of my car

Originally Posted by SubwayGirl

Dang that blows. Do the 7th generation GP's not have a little routing diagram sticker under the hood? But that was a smart idea painting one yourself.

There might be one on the stock hood, but I don't have a stock hood.

I remember another time my buddy threw the serpentine belt off his 3.8, but his was a Mustang. There was a belt diagram on the plastic piece that went from the front bumper cover to the header panel, but he has been in a small fender bender a few weeks before and it broke that piece so he took it out. He called me to come rescue him and we were trying to figure out how to fix it on the side of the road. We finally jumped in my car and drove a couple miles to a Ford dealership to ask if they could print us out the diagram. The parts guy was like "No I can't do that."

So we asked if we could pop the hood of a V6 Mustang and draw the routing ourselves. "No, we can't let you do that."

Needless to say we were pissed. We looked across the road and there was a little used car lot that happened to have a Mustang sitting there. We went over, told the guy our situation and he grabbed the keys and popped the hood for us.

Anytime anyone talks about going to that Ford dealership now, I tell them they need to go elsewhere because of how they treated us. And that was probably 15 years ago.

Originally Posted by stealthee

There might be one on the stock hood, but I don't have a stock hood.

I remember another time my buddy threw the serpentine belt off his 3.8, but his was a Mustang. There was a belt diagram on the plastic piece that went from the front bumper cover to the header panel, but he has been in a small fender bender a few weeks before and it broke that piece so he took it out. He called me to come rescue him and we were trying to figure out how to fix it on the side of the road. We finally jumped in my car and drove a couple miles to a Ford dealership to ask if they could print us out the diagram. The parts guy was like "No I can't do that."

So we asked if we could pop the hood of a V6 Mustang and draw the routing ourselves. "No, we can't let you do that."

Needless to say we were pissed. We looked across the road and there was a little used car lot that happened to have a Mustang sitting there. We went over, told the guy our situation and he grabbed the keys and popped the hood for us.

Anytime anyone talks about going to that Ford dealership now, I tell them they need to go elsewhere because of how they treated us. And that was probably 15 years ago.

What a bunch of dick bags. It would take 30 seconds to print off a routing picture, but I guess that guy had sand in his vagina that day.

And my routing diagram isn't on the hood, but on the frame part that runs between the head lights and radiator.

Originally Posted by SubwayGirl

And my routing diagram isn't on the hood, but on the frame part that runs between the head lights and radiator.

My underhood

mines on the strut tower, look left and oh, thats right lol

Problem solved and im an idiot lol. The place i got mixed up was the power steering and tensioner part.

See, so I was right after all. Lol

For some reason the 04+ don't seem to have a routing diagram under the hood.

Jeff

I've always told people.. route the belt by common sense w/o considering the tensioner. Then lift the belt off the waterpump and hook it over the tensioner. Poof.. correct routing.