It should be on the left-hand side where the belt and pulleys are - there's no grooves in it, it's flat and runs off the back side of the belt. It's spring loaded. Try a breaker bar and appropriate sized socket to help take off tension - the belt should slide right off. Pay attention how it comes off and make sure you get the new belt back on the same way.
Remove serpentine belt. Remove alternator. The bolts that hold the tensioner on are under the alternator.
Note:The drivebelt routing decal on the radiator shroud to help during drivebelt install * To replace the belt rotate the tensioner pulley clockwise to release belt tension * Remove the belt from the auxiliary components and slowly release the tensioner * Route the new belt over the various pulleys again rotating the tensioner to allow the belt to be installed then release the belt tensioner
I have a 3.1L and there is just 1 screw that holds the tensioner in place.
The belt tensioner for a 94 Cavalier is mounted on the front of the engine. The tensioner is spring loaded on an arm to keep the belt tight.
You can change the serpentine belt by loosening the tensioner pulley. When the tensioner pulley is loose and the serpentine belt will become loose. Put the new serpentine belt on and tighten the tensioner pulley.
a 1998 cav, has a chain or mine does.
Begin by loosening the tensioner pulley. Slide the tensioner pulley to the right and the belt will become loose. Remove the old belt and put the new belt on. Tighten the new belt by sliding the tensioner pulley to the left.
usually serpentine belts get their tension(tightness) from the belt tensioner
Remove the serpentine belt and remove the alternator. The belt tensioner bolts are under the alternator.
This diagram is under the hood. Look for it
Note:The drivebelt routing decal on the radiator shroud to help during drivebelt install * To replace the belt rotate the tensioner pulley clockwise to release belt tension * Remove the belt from the auxiliary components and slowly release the tensioner * Route the new belt over the various pulleys again rotating the tensioner to allow the belt to be installed then release the belt tensioner
Note:The drivebelt routing decal on the radiator shroud to help during drivebelt install * To replace the belt rotate the tensioner pulley clockwise to release belt tension * Remove the belt from the auxiliary components and slowly release the tensioner * Route the new belt over the various pulleys again rotating the tensioner to allow the belt to be installed then release the belt tensioner