Prizm AC Belt

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi. I’m trying to remove the AC belt off a '96 Geo Prizm. I’ve loosened the idler pulley adjusting bolt, per my Chilton’s manual, but it doesn’t loosen the belt. It’s as if the pulley is stuck in the bracket. Even if I completely removed the adjusting bolt the pulley wouldn’t budge. How can I unstick this thing without damaging the pulley?

Thanks

Curt

2

Behind the pulley bracket should be a vertical bolt, this is the actual adjustment. You loosen the bolt that goes through the pulley’s bushing, then turn the other bolt to run the pulley up and down to tighten or loosen the belt.

3

Thanks for the reply Keith. What is “the bolt that goes through the pulley’s bushing”? I only see the vertical adjustment bolt. Do you mean the bolt that goes through the center of the pulley?

4

Does it look like this?
http://cdn.2carpros.com/automotive_pictures/261618_Noname_383.jpg

5

The Geo Prism is a re-badged Toyota Corolla. Toyota usually has a fixed A/C mount and an adjustable idler pulley to tighten the belt. The pulley generally has a bolt (jack screw) that is used to set the belt tension, that you obviously loosened and a lock nut on the bearing, just like Keith mentioned, that locks the pulley and tension together. Looks like this:

6

Yes

7

Yep, you guys nailed it. Once I loosened the lock nut the pulley slid down and allowed removal of the belt. Now for the remaining 85 steps to replace the timing belt!