trying to replace the belts on my daughters car.2004 chry concourde.theres no room to get to the tensioner or anything,between the engine and the top radiator support.help
This might help:
Room in the engine bay for maintenance has been disappearing for years. Some vehicles are far worse than others. My wife once owned a Pontiac Fiero that needed a magician more or less to change out the water pump. I managed to accomplish the task but never again. A neighbor of mine asked if I would change the drive belts on her 2002 Kia Sedona. I volunteered for the task because I know she is on a fixed income and she makes the best zucchini bread that I’ve ever tasted.
I gave up after about an hour in her driveway and took the Sedona to a friend of mine who has a lift in his garage. We doubled teamed the job and managed to change her oil and oil filter as well. The space is so confined that a 5 year old would have problems getting their hands in where they needed to be. I delivered the Kia back to the neighbor and…surprise…a loaf of freshly baked zucchini bread was waiting for me. I took half of it to my friend for the use of his lift.
thanks i did see that,but it does not say how to access.it,top or bottom?
To me he implies both. Can you see the three bolts to remove the “pulley assembly” that he refers to? That seemed to be the key.
Remove the top radiator support. There are some pins/plastic rivets holding the bumper cover and about eight bolts to remove. Leave the hood latch attached and place the top radiator support on top of the engine (it will be tethered by the hood release cable). It should only take a few minutes to remove.
how do i get to the adjust bolt for the drive belt?
When I had to replace the serpentine belt on an 03 Taurus this tool came in handy in a tight space.
Ed B.
I remember changing a water pump on a friends 85 Fiero V-6…no room anywhere finally got it changed with skinned knuckles and Never again…Had a heck of a time just getting the serpentine belt back on. No room for the smallest hands and I have big hands.
@Flinto; No body seems to be know much about this car…or interested.
Sorry for that.
why not head to your local parts store and get a Chiltons or Hayes manual for this car and it might save you some frustration.
Yosemite
@howie32703, I’ve found work gloves, especially those designed for mechanical work, greatly reduce the odds of skinned knuckles. Every time I injure my hands, it’s because I wasn’t wearing gloves.
I’m with @Yosemite on the Haynes/Chilton manual. Those manuals have fallen steadily in terms of quality, but they’re still reliable for showing what has to be removed to get to the part you’re working on.
yeah, the old Haynes manual for my 75 ford is great and written with great detail.
the one for my Cherokee is horrible. the editing is bad as there are obviously places that the writer began to explain something and then skipped all the steps and went straight the next models steps.
typically they say remove this or that, but removal methods and fasteners are not typical and you will break stuff if you don t know the trick or method.
It would help to know which engine and which belt. The alternator belt tension adjustment bolt is accessed from the left side with a 13 mm socket and 6" extension.
How did this turn out for the op? Was there enough room to route the new belt, but not to access the tensioner or not enough space for both?
I changed the serpentine belt in my Taurus last week. I borrowed the tool from Autozone, but could not fit down in there with the socket attached. The crow’s foot wrench attachment would have fit, but Autozone’s kit did not include the correct size. So I did the “shoprag” trick. Which is you remove the old belt, route the new belt and get it up and over the highest pulley by lifting it with shop rag or an old t-shirt.