02 Trailblazer Serpentine belt replacement

[BFS57]

Hello;
As I know that there are several of you that work on newer cars I deceided to post this question.
Fresh out of the hospital from hip replacement surgery, already have done more than I should, The wifey says the guy at Chevy told her the Serpentine belt needs replacement. I open the hood and am quite puzzled to find ( Maybe the lingering effects of the drugs from surgery) that there seems no way to take the old belt off and put in the replacement. I do know that you have to use a breaker bar on the tensioner but after that, the belt doesn't seem like there is any way to take it off wothout removing the front half of the * car!
This is the 4200 Vortec straight six motor.
Thought I could slip it over the fan between the shroud but don't think there is any space.
Anyone got any hints or secrets for this job.

Bruce

[wayne petty]

4.2L Engine

Install 3/8 inch breaker bar on the drive belt tensioner arm and turn the breaker bar clockwise enough to relieve the tension on the drive belt.
Remove the drive belt.
Release the tension on the tensioner arm.


To install:

Route the drive belt over all the pulleys except the drive belt tensioner pulley.
Install the 3/8 inch breaker bar on the drive belt tensioner arm and turn the breaker bar clockwise.
Install the drive belt over the drive belt tensioner pulley.
Slowly release the tension to the drive belt tensioner arm.
Inspect for proper installation of the drive belt on the pulleys.

[BFS57]

Wayne;
I too looked that one up too. I realize that the belt comes off and on with the tensioner and routing. (Piece of cake)
My delima is, there is no fan and shroud on the example drawing. When you ad the fan and shroud the job becomes impossible to remove the old belt and slip on the new belt unless you take the front half of the car off!
I think that there must be some kind of secret to do this job without major is assembly. Thats why the dealer wants over $100.00 labor to do the job.

Bruce

[river1]

i can't help but if you were to PM OILER he can, he's a GM tech in real life.

later jim

[wayne petty]

but... is there room to pull it off ...

it really done not go around the water pump pulley....   it lays over and wraps around other pulleys...  both sides of the belt are on top....

i have not had the pleasure to work on one of these yet....   so how tight it is to the rest of the junk under the hood...


by the way... is the belt coming apart...  are there a lot of cracks in the grooves on the inside of the belt...   it may not be that bad...

techs try to sell a lot of extra parts ....  


when i worked at the sleepers shop...    we had a length of 3/16 welding rod... that had the end bent 90 degrees... it stuck out one inch.. there was  another short piece welded just above that ... looking like a really tall F   that we could wedge the belt into the F and it allowed us to work it into hard to reach area....

sorry no pictures...

[BFS57]

Wayne;
I see what you mean! Getting dark here now but tomorrow am I will check out what you mention.
The belt really isn't that bad but because the tech told the wifey, It's a matter of life and death! You should hear the verbal battles about when to change the Oil! My wife believes at 3K or the * thing will stop running! I have to fight with her to let it go to 5k!
Yes, I'll let you know about that!

Thanks,
Bruce

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I went out and looked at mine in the driveway...looks to me like one should be able to work it in towards the front of the fan and then turn it to go down past the fan and out the bottom. Go buy a belt - around $30 I think and see how hard it is to get it past the fan. If it goes okay just cut the old one and carry on with the installation. That should stop you from having an inop car by trying to get the old one out first.

Easy for me to say, huh?

Charlie

[BFS57]

Hello:
Wayne was right the darn thing looks like it's hard to do but in reality it's a simple job. It only rides over the top of the water pump pulley. The hard part comes when you have to  route the belt under the crank pulley which could be made easier with the tool like Wayne described.
You don't have to route the * thing in front of the fan and I don't think you could as when my fingers did the exam, the Shroud around the fan has a lip that won't allow you to slip a belt between them. But now you don't have to make this big PIA move as I feel like I have learned to saw a lady in half from a master Magician!

Wish Me Luck!
Bruce

[zzford]

The belts are not hard to change, I had to replace the water pump on my Trailblazer. That was a job that turned your hands into mincemeat. I wish the engineers that designed these things had to work on them as well.

[BFS57]

Hello;
Proud to say, "JOB DONE!" It was easy as pie once I was told by Wayne Petty about how the belt routed (Thanks Wayne for jarring my slugish brains).
When I took the belt off, I got it caught between the crank and water pump pulleys. When I put the new belt on, not to get it stuck in that same narrow area, I started by routing under the crank pulley, over the top of the Water Pump pulley, down to the AC compressor up and around the Alternator, then using a metal handle attatched to the 3/8" breaker bar, I released the tension enough to route the belt over the Power Steering Pump, WA-LA!! No more than 20 Minutes!!! (off and on)
And to think that between parts and labor Chevrolet wanted $175.00 and it cost me $34.00! The guy at Chevrolet even told my wife that the job was hard to do! Bet when I take that vehicle in for another oil change, I let them know who is full of it!
Thanks guys for all the wonderful wealth of knowledge here I couldn't have done it without all of you!

Bruce

[zzford]

Hello;
Proud to say, "JOB DONE!" It was easy as pie once I was told by Wayne Petty about how the belt routed (Thanks Wayne for jarring my slugish brains).
When I took the belt off, I got it caught between the crank and water pump pulleys. When I put the new belt on, not to get it stuck in that same narrow area, I started by routing under the crank pulley, over the top of the Water Pump pulley, down to the AC compressor up and around the Alternator, then using a metal handle attatched to the 3/8" breaker bar, I released the tension enough to route the belt over the Power Steering Pump, WA-LA!! No more than 20 Minutes!!! (off and on)
And to think that between parts and labor Chevrolet wanted $175.00 and it cost me $34.00! The guy at Chevrolet even told my wife that the job was hard to do! Bet when I take that vehicle in for another oil change, I let them know who is full of it!
Thanks guys for all the wonderful wealth of knowledge here I couldn't have done it without all of you!

Bruce

Next visit to the dealership, offer to teach the slackers there a course in 20 minute belt changes.

[tomslik]

Hello;
Proud to say, "JOB DONE!" It was easy as pie once I was told by Wayne Petty about how the belt routed (Thanks Wayne for jarring my slugish brains).
When I took the belt off, I got it caught between the crank and water pump pulleys. When I put the new belt on, not to get it stuck in that same narrow area, I started by routing under the crank pulley, over the top of the Water Pump pulley, down to the AC compressor up and around the Alternator, then using a metal handle attatched to the 3/8" breaker bar, I released the tension enough to route the belt over the Power Steering Pump, WA-LA!! No more than 20 Minutes!!! (off and on)
And to think that between parts and labor Chevrolet wanted $175.00 and it cost me $34.00! The guy at Chevrolet even told my wife that the job was hard to do! Bet when I take that vehicle in for another oil change, I let them know who is full of it!
Thanks guys for all the wonderful wealth of knowledge here I couldn't have done it without all of you!

Bruce

Next visit to the dealership, offer to teach the slackers there a course in 20 minute belt changes.

yeah, do that.
then when you need some REAL help, see what THAT got ya....

lemme see, there's front burner, back burner, and fat chance we'll EVER get to it...

[oiler]

Yep what Tom said
I've got a spot for those cars and it's a loooong ways away from the shop door
Jeff