# Help me plzzzzz **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** continental, lincoln\ **Created:** [January 16, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616 "2010-01-16T00:53:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anne\_drives\_a\_Lincol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Anne\_drives\_a\_Lincol](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Anne_drives_a_Lincol)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/1 "2010-01-16T00:53:38Z")
I have to puut on the serpentine belt in my 1996 Lincoln Continental. I know how the diagram looks, but, how do you start it? I am having trouble with the tension pully. What am I doing wrong??? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/2 "2010-01-16T01:02:24Z")
You may need a tool such as this [http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt3414.html](http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt3414.html) Otherwise, look on the tensioner pulley for a 3/8" or a 1/2" square hole. It’s in this hole a 3/8"/1/2" breaker bar is inserted to relieve the tension from the tensioner. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/3 "2010-01-16T01:02:30Z")
Have you removed the old belt or did it break?? The tensioner pulley bracket usually has a 1/2" square hole punched in it so a 1/2" drive breaker bar can be used to position the pulley so the belt can be slipped over it. On some cars, you wrap the belt around the tensioner pulley FIRST, then position it to provide enough slack to slip the belt over the alternator or A/C compressor as the last step… ---
**Author:** ![wizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wizard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wizard)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/4 "2010-01-16T01:05:13Z")
If you are trying to but the belt on the tension pulley last you will have a hard time. Route the entire belt through all the pulleys on the bottom first including the tension pulley. Then, move the tension pulley so that you can slip the belt on the highest or closest pulley to you. Release the tension pulley slowly. Let me know how it worked out. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/5 "2010-01-16T01:08:26Z")
Don’t know this specific car, but on most cars you need a tensioner pulley wrench , ( long straight shallow box wrench ) with perhaps a piece of pipe over it to get enough leverage to move the tensioner pulley far enough to get the belt on. ---
**Author:** ![eraser1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@eraser1998](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eraser1998)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/6 "2010-01-16T01:30:26Z")
It could be that the tensioner arm is frozen - happened to my 1997 Taurus and I had one heck of a time getting the belt off. When I replaced the tensioner, putting the new one on was relatively easy… ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_drives\_a\_Lincol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Anne\_drives\_a\_Lincol](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Anne_drives_a_Lincol)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-me-plzzzzz/42616/7 "2010-01-16T18:19:41Z")
There isnt enough room to put the belt on it seems. The frame is in front of the tension pully and behind is the wall of the motor, which only has approx 1/4 inch to the back side of the tension pully. Just slipping it on is not working. Is there something on the car that I have to take off? Still completely stumped.