Examination
1. Drive belts are located at the front of the power unit and play an important role in the operation of the engine and many other vehicle systems. Belts wear out over time and should be regularly inspected as part of the vehicle's routine maintenance schedule to avoid serious engine failures that can cost the owner a lot of money to fix.
2. The number of drive belts used on a particular car model depends on the vehicle's accessories. The belts are used to drive the alternator, steering and water pumps, and the air conditioning compressor. Depending on the nature of the location of the pulleys, more than one unit can be driven by one belt.
3. Stop the engine, open the hood and look for the drive belts.
4. Lighting yourself with a flashlight, feel the belts along their entire length with your fingers, checking for cracks and delaminations. The presence of abrasions, areas polished to a shine and other obvious defects on the belt is also unacceptable. Inspect the belts on both sides, for which twist them. Defective belts must be replaced without fail. Check the condition of the ribs on the underside of the belts - they should have the same depth with no signs of deformation.
5. Evaluation of the tension force of the belt can be made by pressing it with your thumb in the area in the middle between two adjacent pulleys. The pressure must be firm enough. The parameter characterizing the belt tension force is the value of its deflection when pressed. As a rule, if the pulleys are spaced from each other at a distance of 180 to 280 mm, the deflection should be 6.4 mm, the distance between the pulleys of 305 ÷ 405 mm corresponds to a deflection of 12.5 mm for a V-belt, and 6.4 mm for a ribbed belt.
Adjustment
1. Tensioning the drive belt with excessive force can lead to premature failure of the pulley bearings of the respective units, while, on the other hand, too little tension leads to rapid wear of the belt itself. Regularly check the tension forces of the drive belts of all auxiliary units installed on the vehicle.
2. As a rule, the adjustment of the belt tension (weakening / strengthening) is carried out by shifting the belt-driven mounted auxiliary unit / tensioner assembly in the appropriate direction.
3. Typically, there is one component per drive belt used on an engine, which is secured with an axle/lock bolt and an adjuster bolt. The axial / locking bolt is released, then the adjusting bolt rotates in the corresponding direction.
4. To loosen the belt tension force, the component should be moved towards the engine and vice versa. After completing the adjustment, follow the reliability of tightening the bolts. To move some attachments, you will have to use a lever - be extremely careful, try not to damage the driven device.
Replacement
Models 1.5L, 1.8L, 2.0L and 2.4L
The layout of the auxiliary drive belts on these models is shown in the illustration.
Alternator drive belt
1. Loosen the alternator mounting nut, then loosen the lock bolt.
2. Turning the adjusting bolt counterclockwise, loosen the belt tension force, slip the latter off the pulleys and remove it from the engine compartment.
If the removed belt is to be reused, the direction of its rotation should be marked with chalk - this parameter must be observed during installation.
3. Throw a new belt on the appropriate pulleys and, turning the adjusting bolt clockwise, adjust its tension (see above).
4. After completing the adjustment, securely tighten the lock bolt and fixing nut.
Steering pump drive belt
1. Remove the alternator belt (see above).
2. Loosen steering pump adjusting bolts.
3. Loosen the fixing bolt on the back of the pump assembly support bracket.
4. Press the pump towards the engine and remove the belt.
5. Put the new belt on the appropriate pulleys.
6. Having pressed the pump assembly from the engine, achieve the required belt tension (see above).
7. Firmly tighten the adjusting bolts, then the fixing bolt on the back of the pump support bracket.
8. Reinstall the alternator belt (see above).
Compressor drive belt K/V
1. Loosen the tensioner pulley and remove the A/C compressor drive belt from the engine.
2. Installation is carried out in the reverse order.
3.0L DOHC, Galant 3.0L SOHC and 3.5L models
Belt of a drive of the generator and compressor K/V
1. The layout of the auxiliary drive belts on these models is shown in the illustrations (see above).
2. Jack up the car and put it on stands. If equipped, remove the crankcase protection elements.
3. Loosen the tensioner pulley fixing nut and, by turning the adjusting bolt, loosen the belt tension.
4. Remove the belt from the pulleys and remove it from the engine.
5. Put a new belt on the pulleys of the crankshaft, generator and (with appropriate equipment) compressor K / V and get it under the tension and intermediate rollers.
6. Turn the tensioner adjusting bolt to achieve the required belt tension (see above).
7. Tighten the lock nut firmly.
8. If removed, reinstall the crankcase guards and lower the vehicle to the ground.
Steering pump drive belt
1. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery and wait at least 90 seconds for the airbags to deactivate before proceeding with the procedure.
If the stereo system installed in the car is equipped with a security code, before disconnecting the battery, make sure that you have the correct combination to activate the audio system!
2. Jack up the car and put it on stands. Remove the crankcase protection elements.
3. Remove a belt of a drive of the generator/compressor K/V.
4. Lower vehicle to ground and remove speed control pump tie rod assembly (tempostat).
5. Pass the power steering hose under the oil reservoir.
6. Loosen the tensioner pulley fixing bolts, then remove the steering pump drive belt from the engine.
7. Put the new belt on the appropriate pulleys.
8. Thread the socket drive reinforcement gate (or other suitable tool) into the hole in the end of the tensioner pulley bracket and, having pressed the assembly of the latter, achieve the required belt tension (see above).
9. Tighten the fixing bolts.
10. Jack up the car and put it on stands. Establish into place a belt of a drive of the generator/compressor K/V.
11. Reinstall the crankcase guards and lower the vehicle to the ground.
12. Connect the negative cable to the battery.
Models Diamante 3.0L SOHC
1. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
If the stereo system installed in the car is equipped with a security code, before disconnecting the battery, make sure that you have the correct combination to activate the audio system!
2. Loosen the lock bolt on the A/C drive belt tensioner pulley.
3. Turn the pulley adjusting bolt to loosen the belt tension.
4. Remove the belt from the pulleys and remove it from the engine.
5. Loosen the jam nut on the alternator/steering pump drive belt tensioner pulley.
6. Rotate the adjusting bolt to loosen the belt tension and remove the latter from the engine.
7. Always install the alternator/steering pump drive belt first, and only then the K/V compressor belt.
8. By turning the adjusting bolts, achieve the required tension on both belts (see above). Then tighten the fixing fastener (tighten the alternator/steering pump belt tensioner pulley nut to 50 Nm).
9. Connect the negative cable to the battery.