Sunday, March 16, 2014
How to Change the Tensioner Pully on a 94 Dodge Caravan
The tensioner pulley on a 1994 Dodge Caravan serpentine belt tensioner assembly allows the transference of tension from the tensioner to the belt. The pulley itself has an internal bearing ring so it can rotate freely at the end of the serpentine belt tensioner arm. If the bearing ring gives out, the pulley will either wobble or seize, neither of which is conducive to continued serpentine drive system operation. Unfortunately, the pulley itself is not serviceable. However, Dodge does offer the entire tensioner assembly. Anyone with good mechanical aptitude can change a Caravan tensioner in about an hour.
Instructions
- 1
Lift the Caravans hood and support it with the prop rod. Examine the belt routing diagram sticker, placed on the fan shroud or underside of the hood, to verify the location of the belt tensioner on your specific Caravan.
2Rotate the Caravans serpentine belt tensioner assembly clockwise to relieve the tension on the belt. Slip the belt off the tensioner with your free hand before rotating the tensioner back to its home position. Remove the tool.
3Extract the two mounting bolts that hold the serpentine belt tensioner assembly to the Caravans front engine cover using your socket set. Depending on your physical size and dexterity, you may find this easier to accomplish through the top of the engine well or through the passenger-side wheel well.
4Pull the old serpentine belt tensioner assembly out of the Caravans engine bay by hand. Place the new serpentine belt tensioner assembly on the Caravans front engine cover and bolt it in using your socket set.
5Rotate the new serpentine belt tensioner assembly clockwise with the serpentine belt tool and then place the belt on the pulley by hand. Rotate the new serpentine belt tensioner assembly back into place. Remove the tool and close the hood.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
How to Change the Tensioner Pulley on a Nissan Xterra

Cars with a serpentine belt are equipped with a tensioner pulley, which puts pressure on the serpentine belt to hold it in place. If the serpentine belt comes loose due to a malfunctioning tensioner pulley, the belt will slip out of place and you could lose power to several systems, including the alternator, air conditioning, and power steering.
Instructions
- 1
Pull the emergency brake and chock the wheels of the car. This is an important safety step, as it prevents the car from rolling or moving while you are working on it.
2Open the hood and determine the location of your serpentine belt and tensioner. This will be on the front of your engine block. If your car does not have a routing diagram for the serpentine belt on the underside of the hood, draw a diagram on a spare sheet of paper.
3Place the head of the 3/8-inch drive ratchet in the hole of the tensioner pulley, and apply pressure counterclockwise to remove pressure from the serpentine belt, then remove the belt from around the tensioner pulley. There is no need to remove the belt from all of the pulleys that it services. Move the belt far enough from the tensioner so that you have ample room to work.
4Determine what socket size you need to remove the tensioner and tensioner pulley. The bolt head that you need to loosen is the one located on the front of the tensioner, as opposed to the one on the tensioner pulley. Using the socket and ratchet, loosen and remove the bolt.
5Remove the tensioner assembly from the engine and place it to the side.
6Install the new assembly and replace and tighten the bolt until it is secure. Make sure that the bolt is tightened well, as engine vibration can cause a loose bolt to work itself loose.
7Replace the serpentine belt around the tensioner pulley and er to the routing diagram to ensure that it remains in its proper position around the other pulleys. Insert the ratchet head into the hole on the front of the pulley and apply pressure in a counterclockwise direction to reapply pressure to the serpentine belt.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
How to Use a Tensioner on an Alternator Belt

A belt tensioner is a spring-loaded device on some engines that holds a specific amount of tension on the serpentine drive belt or accessory belt while the engine is in motion. Too much tension on the belt can stretch it, causing the belt to weaken, while too little tension can cause the belt to squeak and whine. The belt tensioner makes it relatively easy to remove the belt from your vehicle if you need to perform maintenance on any of the components the belt drives, such as the alternator.
Instructions
- 1
Open the hood of your vehicle and locate the alternator and the belt that drives the alternator. Find the belt tensioner for the alternator belt.
2Place the box-end of a wrench around the bolt on the belt tensioner. Choose a wrench that properly fits the bolts so it does not slip.
3Pull the wrench counterclockwise to draw back the belt tensioner (compressing the spring) arm and release tension on the belt. Continue holding the belt tensioner and remove the belt.
4Turn the belt tensioner clockwise slowly to return to its normal position (allowing the spring to relax).
5Pull the belt tensioner arm counterclockwise to reinstall the belt. Route the belt along the pulleys following the belt-routing diagram for your vehicle. Check under your hood for the belt-routing diagram; consult your service manual if you are not able to find it.
6Turn the belt tensioner clockwise slowly, with the belt rerouted along the appropriate path, allowing the tensioner arm to draw the belt taut.