How to replace the serpentine belt on a Windstar?

Answer 1

Easier than you think . . .

Forget the pry bar, the socket, or whatever other tool you might have been told to use. Position the belt on every pulley except for the alternator belt. Pull the belt toward the front of the van (this pulls the tension pulley) and wrap it around the pulley on the alternator. It takes about 5 seconds and does not require a tool at all.

Answer:Notes:

There are a few ways to move / pry the arm inwards, thus releasing the tension on the belt for removing/installing: grab on the pulley bolt (15mm?) with a wrench, or some later models have an opening for a 3/8th socket wrench to attach to directly without a socket.

"Screaming"/whining that goes up and down with engine speed is a key symptom of a bearing wearing out - one of which of course is the tensioner pulley bearing.

The serpentine belt tensioner / idler pulley is preset at the factory. If it is worn out, it will need to be replaced.

NOTES:

• The belt is recommended to be replaced around 60,000 miles
• There is a wear indicator (minimum vs maximum) on the face of the tensioner arm to let you definitively now when it's time to change the belt.

Answer

This is a very simple task. All you need is a pry-bar about 24" long that could reach as far as the idler (towards the passenger wall within the engine compartment). The idler is the one that maintains the tension for the serpentine belt during operation.

Next is to insert it on the back of the idler (note that there is a slot for it to go and lift down towards you. Your serpentine belt would become loose then your can remove the belt.

Note: Please remember how the belt was wound from component to component as this is very important.

Another option is to find a socket wrench mounted to a driver and same principle-apply a clockwise motion and the idler will be loosened.

Very important: DO NOT DO THIS WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, K...

Good luck.

Tips:

• remember the two pulleys that don't have the grooves in them will be against the smooth side of the belt

Answer

The serpentine belt tensioner is spring loaded. It is the pulley located all the way back toward the firewall. Put a 15mm wrench on the bolt head in the middle of the pulley and leverage the tensioner to slack the belt and remove it.

Answer

if you're under the hood, look at all the pulleys. the big one in the back, that is the one you will need to get to. I am not well with the proper terms or even tools, however, when you go to tighten it, it will turn towards the front of the car. at that time, you can get the belt off. Remember the diagram of how it goes on, cause if you don't, none of your things will work. oh, buy a book also. it is faster than this forum.

Answer

You need to obtain a flat serpentine changing wrench. They come in a variety of qualities, but a cheapie will do ~10$. You hook that on the end of the sprung idler pulley and rotate against the spring pressure. the belt will loosen, pop it off, and put the new one on. The whole process will take under 10 minutes once the old belt is off. I considered cutting it off, but didn't need to with the wrench. Without the flat wrench, you will fight this for too long and likely not succeed.

Answer

I couldn't find a flat serpentine wrench (breaker bar) - the local stores used to carry them. What works just as well is a 15 mm box end wrench (the circular type that encloses a bolt), with a set of vise grip pliers for torque. The wrench is offset just enough to be able to place on the 15 mm bolt of the automatic belt tensioner pulley. Rotate the wrench clockwise (toward the front of the car) to release the pressure on the belt.

Answer

A small rope on the end of the 15MM wrench will hold the tensioner or a helper can pull on the rope.

Answer

I labored with this one for quite a while, searched the internet, and then someone at work told me the secret.

To remove the tension, take a box-end wrench and place it on the pulley bolt. Then use the wrench as a lever (like you are tightening the bolt) and pull toward you. The arm of the tensioner will come toward you (it rotates around the bolt which holds the tensioner on the engine). Remove the belt. If you want to remove the tensioner and/or pulley, loosen the pulley bolt while it is still on the engine (it is easier this way than when the tensioner is off the engine), then loosen and remove the tensioner bolt. Now you can replace the tensioner. You can also just replace the pulley if that is the problem and save about $25.

Answer

It took me four hours to replace the belt on my Windstar...

First, take several pictures of the left side of the engine, getting as much of the belt as possible. You'd be surprised how quickly you can forget how the belt is wound around the pulleys and alternator. I'm glad I did, because the guys at the parts house gave me the wrong pattern. I wasted an hour because of their mistake!!!!!

The belt runs around a tensioner arm located near the firewall toward the bottom of the engine (by the pass. side front tire). I'm not an auto mechanic, so I don't know the technical term. This is spring loaded and puts tension on the belt. Spray this arm with a boatload of WD 40 'cause you'll need it to move somewhat freely.

Take the old belt off and put the new belt on, starting at the flywheel and around the tensioner and all the other pulleys except the alternator which is at the top of the engine. Squeeze the belt at the tensioner, pull the belt towards you, creating some slack in the belt and try to wrap the belt around the alternator.

This is the best I could explain it. It's not that easy. You may be better off getting a new tensioner because the old one might be frozen up too bad.

Good Luck!

Answer

Purchase a serpentine belt wrench. They are a long flat looking wrench from a local auto store. There is a belt tensioner in the rear of the engine. Place the wrench on the tensioner pulley, and pull the wrench toward the front of the engine. This will loosen the belt. Install the belt around the crankshaft, and all other pulleys, excluding the alternator pulley. Hold the last bit of the belt in your hand, and then pull the tensioner toward the front of the engine again, and slip the belt onto the alternator pulley.

Answer

And for a 2002 Windstar (3.8L).

The tensioner pulley was at the back near the bottom. (If you look at a serpentine diagram, it would be at the bottom left.)

To release the tension, you have to get a 13mm wrench around the bolt in the center of the pulley and turn clockwise. Space is very tight (no room for a socket), so I recommend using a serpentine tool with attachable wrench heads. AutoZone loans them out for free (deposit required).

Answer

Actually, the info from the linked question was not correct for a 2002 Windstar (3.8L).

The tensioner pulley was at the back near the bottom. (If you look at a serpentine diagram, it would be at the bottom left.)

To release the tension, you have to get a 13mm wrench around the bolt in the center of the pulley and turn clockwise. Space is very tight (no room for a socket), so I recommend using a serpentine tool with attachable wrench heads. AutoZone loans them out for free (deposit required).

Removing serpentine belt on Windstar

You will need a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar. Look on top front of radiator you will see a winding diagram for replacing the belt also. The tension release pulley, located just below and in front of alternator, has a 1/2 slot in the center of pulley. Insert the 1/2 inch breaker bar in middle of tension pulley and pull up, tension will be released.

Reverse procedure to reinstall.- Darrell

Answer

To install:

Install the drive belt over all the pulleys, other than the drive belt tensioner.

Rotate the drive belt tensioner clockwise, using a 15mm socket or wrench, then install the belt over the drive belt tensioner pulley.

Make sure that all of the V-grooves make proper contact with the pulleys.

Answer

Well it's probably the same as the 1999 Windstar, so if it is: you need a 13mm key. It's better to have 2 people for this job: one underneath the vehicle with the key and one under the hood to remove the belt.

If I remember correctly you torque frontward and the belt will release . Hope it can help!

By the way, my van does not have the serpentine belt diagram sticker, so be sure to take a look if you have one, and if not, take a paper and mark the location of the belt through the different pulleys before removing the old one.

See "Related Questions" below for links to online sources of belt routing diagrams.

Answer

I have successfully changed my serpentine belt on my '96 Windstar. After fighting the tensioner nut my neighbor grabbed a pry bar and put it in the notch on the other side of the nut and belt it very easily moved the pulley down and relieved the tension and slipped the belt off. Leaving the bar in place and letting it pull backwards he rested the pry bar against the car while we put on a new belt. Pulling forward again and slipping the belt back over the alternator for the final touch. Forget the wrenches this was so simple I should sell the answer.

Answer

First, buy the correct belt, then look on the fan shroud which should give the route that the new belt should take. I'm my 95, it didn't, but the only thing I was doing was replacing the alternator, so I still knew how the belt went. Then release the belt tensioner nut, which is 18mm and hard to reach. Release this nut a few turns, then the tensioner will slide toward the side of the car, and the belt should fit on. To re-tension the belt I am considering buying a tensioner tool, which is a long handled lever for $35.00. If you need a diagram, email me.

Answer

First of all, you will need to locate the drive belt tensioner and the drive belt tensioner pulley. There should be a belt routing map under the hood.

If you have a 6 cyl 3.0L engine: the drive belt tensioner is located between the crankshaft pulley and the water pump pulley and the drive belt tensioner pulley is located between the alternator (or generator) and Power Steering pump.

If you have a 6 cyl 3.8L engine, the drive belt tensioner is located at the very back of the engine (if you follow the belt back from the alternator, the first pulley you come to will be the drive best tensioner) and it's very inconvenient to get to. The drive belt tensioner pulley is located between the alternator and the power steering pump pulley.

Per Chilton's manual, use a 15mm wrench on the bolt of the drive belt tensioner and rotate the tensioner clockwise to release the tension. Remove the belt from the drive belt tension pulley. When installing the new belt, make sure that the drive belt is routed correctly and note the position of the indicator mark on the tensioner.

Note: A standard belt tensioner tool will not get the job done. Ford may have a special tensioner tool for the Ford Windstar, but I haven't found one. I used a non-angled 15mm 6pt box end wrench (longest one I could find) and used a section of galvanized pipe to slip over the wrench for leverage and was able to release the tension to change the belt.

Answer

Just replaced alternator on my 2002 Windstar. Found easiest way to loosen belt tension was by jacking up(and installing stands) front of van and having skinny son slide under. Could loosen tensioner for removal and re-installation with a **13mm**combination wrench and some grunting. Also, prior to loosening belt, I taped belt to all pulleys wherever I could reach them. That way the belt stayed in place.

Answer

My brother has a 1998 ford Windstar 6 cyl 3.8 engine. The drive belt tensioner broke. so He got a new replacement. He tried to put the serpentine belt ALL BY HIMSELF with no avail. just before he gave up. he call me. here is what we did: He installed the new drive belt tensioner using a 18 mm wrench without fully tighten the bolt. We routed the belt correctly (following the belt routing map under the hood). only leaving off the alternator pulley. now the only thing left was to put the alternator pulley. this was accomplished by us working simultaneously. while I grabbed the belt close to the tensioner and pulled it with all my strength toward the alternator to relief the tension ; my brother using both hands put the belt around the alternator pulley taking advantage of the loose belt. Once the belt was in place; He tightened the 18mm bolt fully. Mission accomplished.

**New Edit: Added to above - on a 1999 Windstar with 3.8L

I just did a similar method, but I just wrapped a small rag around the old belt and pulled towards me (front of van) until it was loose enough to pull the belt off the alternator. The I removed the belt from the rest which takes a little bit of twisting and using a flashlight to see where it may be hung up on. Then I put in the new belt around all pullies except the alternator at which time I had my wife come over and carefully place the belt while I pulled on it again.

*This ended up being about 20 minutes total time.

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New Edit

For my '98 Windstar 3.8 liter, the first issue is that the picture in the service manual pointed out the idler pulley as the Belt Tensioner; the BT is actually nearer the firewall. I loosened the bolt (18mm) that secures the BT to the engine and the BT pulley bolt(15mm) but was still unable to move the BT in any way.

I then put an ~8" loop of 1" webbing around the BT's arm, slid a crowbar thru it and using the top of the strut housing as a fulcrum, lifted the crowbar. The BT shifted and I was able to reach down with one hand and remove the belt from off the idler pulley.

First, note that there are significant differences between the 2002/3 and previous model years when it comes to the location of the belt tensioner and belt routing.

For 2002 3.8 engines, the belt tensioner is below the power steering pump, below the passenger compartment air intake duct. Unfortunately, this makes it almost impossible to access from above the vehicle. If you can raise the vehicle, you may be able to access the tensioner from below (see final note at bottom of this post).

Here's a procedure I've used:

1) Disconnect the negative battery cable.

2) Draw a diagram of the belt routing--I believe there are as many as 5 belt routings for various Windstar years and models.

3) With heavy gloves on, pull up and forward on the belt from the top of the engine (grasp the belt between the alternator and the power steering pump).

4) With the slack produced from #3, slip the belt off the small alternator pulley, taking care to not pinch your fingers while you're pulling on the belt.

5) Work the old belt off all pulleys and discard.

6) Route the new belt according to your diagram from #2 so that it is properly aligned on all pulleys, and riding in the grooved pulleys EXCEPT the alternator.

7) Now, again pull hard on the belt to compress the tensioner, and slip the belt over the alternator pulley. Again, be careful to not pinch you fingers.

8) Reconnect the negative battery cable.

9) Have an assistant crank the engine while you observe the belt travel. Make sure the belt is running fully engaged on all pulleys. If something amiss, you may have to repeat the proce

Answer

NOTE: The "official" way to release the belt tension is to rotate the tensioner about 110 degrees counter clockwise, and press a flexible metal leaf on its side into a holding slot. Doing this does away with the need to pull hard on the belt. On at least some pre-2002 Windstar models, this was rather easily done with a long screwdriver or pry bar because the tensioner and the front idler pulley were one unit. But on the 2002, Ford decided they should be 2, and moved the tension into an impossible-to-access from above location. On the 2002, you can't even get a socket on the tensioner pulley bolt to rotate it that way, because there's less than 1 inch of clearance between the bolt head and the vehicle frame. You'll have to decide if it's worth getting under the vehicle to save some pulling effort.

Answer

To replace a worn belt, locate the idler or generator pulley.

Loosen the hold-down fastener for the idler or generator pulley.

Pry the idler or generator pulley inward to release the belt tension and remove the belt.

Match the old belt up for size with the new replacement belt.

Observe the belt routing diagram in the engine compartment.

Install the new belt over each of the drive pulleys. Often the manufacturer recommends a sequence for feeding the belt around the pulleys.

Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt.

Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt. Install the belt squarely in the grooves of each pulley.

Before adjusting belt tension, check for proper pulley alignment. This is especially critical with serpentine belts. Measure the belt deflection in its longest span. If a belt tension gauge is available, use it and compare the tension to specifications.

If a belt is too tight, wear to bearings for the water pump, alternator, and engine crankshaft can result.

Some late-model Chrysler engines require a torque reading to be taken when tension is applied to the generator drive belt. This is especially important on the longer, multiribbed V-belts.

Pry the idler or generator pulley to adjust the belt to specifications.

Tighten the idler or generator pulley fastener.

Start the engine and check the belt for proper operation.

Answer

I just replaced the drive belt on my wife's 1998 windstar, Sunday evening(2/19/06), If you looking on the hood after it is raised you will find a diagrahm that shows how it goes on the pulleys. looking towqards the firewall, you will see a pulley on the top of the other pulleys. there is a place that you can put the end of a crowbar into. being careful to make sure that you have a firm hold with the crowbar, pull the crowbar back towards yourself. this will relieve tension on the automatic belt tensioner. make sure that you have the belt on all pulleys and finally, push the belt onto the idler pulley, it will be the small one that is smooth

Answer

Use a pair of medium sized slip joint pliers, upside-down and tilted slightly to the left, to pull back on the tensioner. You will get plenty of slack and keep all of your fingers.

Answer

An answer is found in the linked question

I have a 2002 Windstar, and in it there is a belt tensioner pully (which swings on an eccentric radius) that tightens the belts around the other pulleys on the front of the engine (not front of van due to transverse mount). This is accessed by elevating the vehicle passenger side near the front axle (like you would if removing the front right tire) and above the front axle near the top of the fender wall is this pulley. If looking at the engine under the hood, it would be near the fire wall down by the fender. Once located then use a 13mm wrench (box end preferably) to swing the tensioner pulley toward the front of the van. This will loosen the belt where it can be pulled off the pulley. Make sure you use place the wrench where adequate swing can be achieved. follow the pattern of the existing belt for the replacement of the new one. If the belt has come off, simply find a diagram, or go by the pulley grooves or flat to understand which side the belt goes. Mine was broken, so I had to do that. It was easier for me to start from the top under the hood but leave the alternator pulley as the last one to wrap over (I did this with help, as I had the pulley swung, someone else wrapped the belt over the alternator pully).

I hope this help...Be blessed in Christ ><>

blueletterBible.org

e-Sword.net

Answer

You need to use a socket wrench.

There's a square hole behind the tensioner (You need to get under the car) and get the socket wrench and fit the head into the square hole.

You will also need some hollow steel tubing to place over the wrench handle for use as a breaker. You will need this for leverage to get enough clearance to fit the new belt on.

Answerpully is at the back of the engine,to left of the coil pack,a 15mm wrench fits the bolt,pull it toward you

2000 Ford Windstar - You'll need to put the car on jack stands or secure ramps. Find the tensioner by pointing a flashlight into the engine compartment just to the rear of the alternator pulley. Then slide unde the car next to the passenger side wheel. The bolt on the tensioner is 12mm. You'll need to use a box or open end wrench. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to take the tension off.

To replace a worn belt, locate the idler or generator pulley. Loosen the hold-down fastener for the idler or generator pulley. Pry the idler or generator pulley inward to release the belt tension and remove the belt. Match the old belt up for size with the new replacement belt. Observe the belt routing diagram in the engine compartment. Install the new belt over each of the drive pulleys. Often the manufacturer recommends a sequence for feeding the belt around the pulleys. Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt. Pry out the idler or generator pulley to put tension on the belt. Install the belt squarely in the grooves of each pulley. Before adjusting belt tension, check for proper pulley alignment. This is especially critical with serpentine belts. Measure the belt deflection in its longest span. If a belt tension gauge is available, use it and compare the tension to specifications. If a belt is too tight, wear to bearings for the water pump, alternator, and engine crankshaft can result. Some late-model Chrysler engines require a torque reading to be taken when tension is applied to the generator drive belt. This is especially important on the longer, multiribbed V-belts. Pry the idler or generator pulley to adjust the belt to specifications. Tighten the idler or generator pulley fastener. Start the engine and check the belt for proper operation.

Well it's probably the same as the 1999 Windstar, so if it is: you need a 13mm key. It's better to have 2 people for this job: one underneath the vehicle with the key and one under the hood to remove the belt. If I remember correctly you torque frontward and the belt will release . Hope it can help! By the way, my van does not have the serpentine belt diagram sticker, so be sure to take a look if you have one, and if not, take a paper and mark the location of the belt through the different pullies beforeremoving the old one.