Thread: How do I change a Serpentine belt?

Which one (if yours has two). The fan belt only needs a 15mm ring spanner onto the centre bolt of the automatic tensioner pulley and then you lever it away from the belt. If I recall correctly, that's levering it as if you were trying to tighten the nut.

Don't unbolt the tensioner at all.

On the 300 tdi there is no need to loosen any bolts just use a 1/4"(i think) or 3/8 breaker bar inside the tensioner and lever the tensioner away from the belt

This is taken from the LR workshop manual. My notes are in italics. Note that the tensioner pulley is on an arm. It's this arm that you have to move to remove the tension on the belt. You don't need to touch the pulley bolt.

Remove belt
1.Remove fan cowl. LR recommend this but it’s usually just possible to fiddle the belt past it.
2.Apply a ring spanner to the tensioner pulley retaining bolt. There’s a lot of tension on this, so take care if you want to retain the skin on your knuckles. You do need a decent spanner of the right size. Don’t use an adjustable spanner. If you have difficulty moving the tensioner, extend the spanner length by sliding a bit of metal tubing over it.
3.Turn spanner to release pulley tension from belt.
4.Detach the belt from pulley.
5.Release the tensioner. Slowly!
6.Complete removal of belt. Mark direction on belt if refitting.

Refit
1.Using ring spanner, release pulley tensioner and fit new drive belt.
2.Remove ring spanner, drive belt will automatically tension.
3.Fit fan cowl

Originally Posted by Vin Rouge

This is taken from the LR workshop manual. My notes are in italics. Note that the tensioner pulley is on an arm. It's this arm that you have to move to remove the tension on the belt. You don't need to touch the pulley bolt.

Remove belt
1.Remove fan cowl. LR recommend this but it’s usually just possible to fiddle the belt past it.
2.Apply a ring spanner to the tensioner pulley retaining bolt. There’s a lot of tension on this, so take care if you want to retain the skin on your knuckles. You do need a decent spanner of the right size. Don’t use an adjustable spanner. If you have difficulty moving the tensioner, extend the spanner length by sliding a bit of metal tubing over it.
3.Turn spanner to release pulley tension from belt.
4.Detach the belt from pulley.
5.Release the tensioner. Slowly!
6.Complete removal of belt. Mark direction on belt if refitting.

Refit
1.Using ring spanner, release pulley tensioner and fit new drive belt.
2.Remove ring spanner, drive belt will automatically tension.
3.Fit fan cowl

Yes a ring spanner now i remember

Ok. thanks for the help.

I did loosen the 15mm nuts that holds the tensioner arm to the front of the motor. The nut was quite easy to undo. The tensioner arm did not move when I undid the nut.

Do I move the tensioner arm downwards to relieve the tension?

I think I was trying to move it upwards.

Cheers
Andrew

Originally Posted by 86mud

Do I move the tensioner arm downwards to relieve the tension?


Cheers
Andrew

clockwise from memory

Originally Posted by 86mud

Ok. thanks for the help.

I did loosen the 15mm nuts that holds the tensioner arm to the front of the motor. The nut was quite easy to undo. The tensioner arm did not move when I undid the nut.

Tighten them back up then leave 'em alone

Originally Posted by 86mud

Do I move the tensioner arm downwards to relieve the tension?

Move it away from the belt. I don't have a 300Tdi to check the direction but probably clockwise.

As mentioned, re-tighten the bolt that holds the tensioner onto the engine.

Make sure you note the path of the belt before you remove it.

Then put a 15mm ring spanner onto the nut that holds the actual pulley onto the tensioner arm (the one in the middle of the round pulley).

You will probably need a breaker bar or some type of tube over the spanner to give enough leverage to move the tensioner, it holds alot of tension.

Then move the spanner (or breaker bar, tube) ANTI-clockwise to lift the tensioner up and away from the belt.

While holding the tensioner away from the belt, slip the belt off and slowly release the tensioner.

Belt off.