Yeah I’ll agree with that. Precision trans in Texas somewhere has or had some good videos on disassembly and reassembly. Cautioned about the spring pressure and the have a special fixture just for that.
Yup, me too, along with the line up tool and a few more special tools at around $300 to $500 for them, just to the OD unit only on the A500’s… lol
None of my cars use serpentine belts. Must be something I’m not understanding. A person might think car manufacturer’s would design their cars so replacing a serpentine belt would be something one of their diy’er customers could easily do. Concept seems simple enough, remove whatever stuff is in the way, loosen the tensioner, at that point there should be plenty of extra slop to put the new belt on the pulleys. That’s one of the advantages of placing a tensioner in the belt path. Apparently some of the tensioner designs are not providing enough slop in their released state. Are certain makes/models/years known for this problem?
Then Stretch-fit serpentine belts will probably blow your mind then… lol
They don’t use a tensioner, automatic or mechanical…
Yes, I’ve seen a few posts here about that topic. If a design change like that saves $$$ on the car’s purchase price, and is much more robust, lasts for 150K miles without replacement, seems like a diye’r would say needing to take it to a shop for a replacement would a reasonable compromise.
I really don’t have a big problem with fitting the belt over the alternator but the problem is getting it on the lower pulleys like the balancer and AC. Just hard to see and reach from above. To be honest, the last two belts I just had the shop change for a few dollars. I did have to undo the belt though when I changed out my alternator, butnever took the belt off.
Automotive EPDM belts used during the last 20 years will last 150,000 miles.
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OK, here I am again, showing back up like a bad penny.
I thought that I was done and golden with this '97 Buick LeSabre Custom, w/3.8 L.
As it turns out, I thought wrong.
First, thanks again to all for your kind, very helpful counsel on my a/c, serpentine belt and radiator issues. All that seems fine.
Car cranked fine earlier today and ran smooth and much more quiet throughout an extended radiator flush. Got that drained and new anti-freeze/H2O in radiator.
OK, when I headed out this evening, I immediately noticed car was running a little rough, like a timing issue. Oil pressure fine. Temp fine and stable. Battery new.
Car ran a little rough up to gas station. Cranked back up fine but still ran a little rough on the way up the highway to the store. Rough running seemed to even out if I accelerated beyond certain rpm. But overall, still rough when I accelerated, up to a point then it seemed to smooth out a bit.
Here’s the deal: After I exited store to come home, car would not turnover. Not at all. All interior lights work fine, head lights bright even with car not running. My battery is brand new.
But here’s something new: Though car would not turn over, the full array of warning lights and such over the dash was lit up like a Christmas tree, including a “Security” Light flashing. NEVER seen that before.
In past I might see the “Check Engine” light or even Check oil level light (which goes out immediately.)
I have NEVER seen the “Security” Warning light lit or flashing.
Car is now resting in a local store parking lot, here in the boonies. I know the store staff so it should be fine for the night.
If anyone here bothers to read the following outline of what I’ve done on this car over the past few days, along with my brief description of car symptoms that showed themselves prior to car going dead this evening…I’d be deeply grateful all over again!
Recent repairs:
Finished up the false pulley install and serp belt placement yesterday. All alignment belt/pulleys lined up fine.
Finished up radiator today. Patched small hole in aluminum radiator with JB Weld “SteelStik.” Cured over an hour. Car then cranked fine, with no leaks.
Flushed radiator…ran car over an hour for that. Drained. Ran a rinsing flush, drained. Added new coolant/ water mix. Car cranked fine. No leaks.
I DID NOT add any kind of “Stop Leak” additive at any point.
I’m bamboozled at this point.
All that bright array of warning lights over the dash…especially the Security light. And since car won’t even turn over…makes me wonder if I broke a circuit somewhere…
Thanks in advance for any leads for a next step…
Best regards to all!
.
BTW: I did try to jump start car…still would not turn over.
Also I did unhook BOTH battery wires. Kinda makes me wonder if I interrupted some circuit which screwed up a relay point…I just dunno.
Thanks, George
I’m very busy nowadays . . . in a good way 
. . . and only have a limited time to read and post comments
I’m hoping to be more active on here again when I’m less busy 
Sounds like a Pass-Key security system malfunction.
There are two small wires connected to the ignition lock cylinder to detect the resistor in the key, one of the wires might be broken.
Hi. Thank you! Good lead.
I don’t know why that would cause the skipping in the engine. I wonder if I could have broken that circuit somewhere else…maybe jerked a wire loose while extricating that a/c compressor and leads…maybe broke a circuit somewhere by disturbing wires that were routed right in front of my radiator drain plug…I just kinda shoved them over…I’m guessing now…
Is there a way gor a DYI guy (me, a noob) to restore that broken “pass key” circuit other than at the key switch…even just to get the car home? Maybe I should try to get into the steering column to see if I broke a circuit there?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I also wonder if perhaps when on my first failed effort to get the new serp belt on…I had loosened the alternator…
I thought I got it back nice and tight…but the way the car acted today makes me wonder…
It’s a new battery…maybe the car would run fine during my lengthy radiator flush…it was not under any real load…maybe alternator working well enough to keep car from running rough then…
But car started running a little rough when I cranked it up, turned on the lights, etc., and headed out up the road…
And it did seem to run a little bit rougher the farther I went, under full running load.
Seems like I had that happen once before, years ago…a car running off the battery only, or mostly, runs rough, then rougher, then finally crashed out completely…
I’m guessing now…way over my pay grade…
As well, if it was a charging deficit issue, I don’t see that triggering the security “safe key” light and shut down…
I dunno…
Maybe someone that knows will chime in again, but I’m afraid we are at a crossroads. There are some videos on the security system. One that was impossible to follow,by passed the system. Others required replacing the lock and key at the dealer for over $500. It something to be done in a parking lot.
But then there are two issues, the no starter and the rough running. How could they be related or separate issues again? You can’t do anything without getting it started, then there is always the weird transmission issue.
Just as a Hail Mary, I’d disconnect and check the battery, try a different key. Check an pull all the fuses. Then maybe give up for the free towing to a junk yard. There comes a time when it is time.
Sorry. Been there.
Thank you, Bing.
Very helpful. And timely too.
Fate smiled this morning when I got back to the car.
First two tries, nothing.
Third time it fired right up. Would seem that a connection was made somewhere.
Took quite a few tries to get it in gear. Have yet to try the Berryman 0712
Transmission and Power
Steering Sealer recommended as at least worth a try by old-mopar-guy. First things first:
I got the car home! Load off mind and wallet. Car still runs rough, more so under load than just when idling.
No backfires. No bucking and jerking…just obviously not quite right.
The fact that the car will either not turnover at all ( with all accessories working and “Security” light flashing) or will MAYBE crank right up does seem to me to indicate a pass key problem, or some similar kind of ignition issue.
I’m researching as to whether I as a noob can DIY a replacement for that security system pass key unit, or the cylinder lock part. I do understand that it can be dangerous to work around the air bag.
If it looks like a go and the part is not too expensive, I’ll going for it.
For me, a trip to the dealer just ain’t likely to happen. If I can narrow down the part and basic cost of DIY, I’ll get after it. Otherwise, I’ll let the Buick “rest” while I move on to my 85 Toyota 4WD PU. (Triage!)
If the problem is in the pass key security system, I still don’t see how that would affect the timing…i.e., how it runs.
Maybe I did something somewhere to cause a connection to be Iffy, or maybe somehow affected an ignition coil…I just don’t know.
Any further counsel or suggestions VERY much appreciated!
Thanks all!
There is an army ww2 mechanic training video that I actually thought was pretty good. Went through diagnosing fuel,ignition,timing, etc. using basic vac gauge. Can’t link it with my iPad right now. I’m sure mechanics would laugh at it but it was a good refresher even if you don’t have a deuce and a half.
OK, here it is.
Awesome. Thank you, Sir.
Please shoot me a link or video title if or when you might have time.
Be well!
see above ten characters
Have you tried shifting the transmission into neutral to see if it will start?
Tester
Hi. Thanks. I did try shifting into N to start. It seems no difference from P.
Again, car fires right up, when it turns over at all.
Ignition then is immediate.
Thanks much for your suggestion!