Replacing Serpentine Belt on 1999 SL1

[jasonpopnc]

How to change serpentine belt on a 99SL1.

Equip Needed:
Jack
19mm socket & ratchet (tire removal & installation)
9/16" box wrench
screwdriver - flat head
Replacement belt. Got mine @ AZ for $25.00 w/ 1 yr warranty. Saturn wanted $32.00.

Steps:
1. Jack up the front passenger side of the car. remove the wheel.
2. Remove "splash" shields. There are two (2) splash shields between the strut and engine compartment. Each shield is held in with 2 retaining clips (1 is permanently attached to back of shield - you can't see this one) and other is standard retaining clip.
3. Removing the belt. Put the 9/16" wrench on the tensioner pully and turn the wrench clockwise. This will release the tension. Remove the belt. (The tensioner pulley is located 10 o'clock from the large open arm pully that is visible when "splash" shields are removed.)
4. Install the new belt. Follow the belt diagram located under the hood near the front of the car. Put the 9/16" wrench back on the tensioner pully and turn it clockwise. Put the belt over the pully.
5. Reinstall splash shield.
6. Put tire back on.
7. Lower car.

Time: 20-30 min
Note: you may want to disconnect neg battery cable to prevent accidentaly loosing fingers!!

[spliffsplaff]

I would just like to add that the tensioner bolt is 14 mm, all bolts on Saturns are metric...

[jasonpopnc]

SaturnParts.com lists the belt for $16.90!:D

[SaturnSid]

I changed the Serpentien Belt on my 99 SL1 when I changed the top engine mount. With the top engine mount off, it took only a few minutes to route the new belt into place, however I did have to "create" a tool to push the tensioner pully back far enough. Easy as 1, 2, 3. :yes:

[jettle]

I just went out in the garage. Reached in behind the top motor mount with a 14mm open ended wrench. Had it off in 30 sec... No wheel removal necessary with mine.

[sierrap615]

I just went out in the garage. Reached in behind the top motor mount with a 14mm open ended wrench. Had it off in 30 sec... No wheel removal necessary with mine.
what year/motor is that? i've tryed with no success on my 94 sl2

[jettle]

what year/motor is that? i've tryed with no success on my 94 sl2

Its a 98 Sl2

[Old Crow]

Just changed the serpentine belt and torque axis motor mount on my 2001 SW2 this afternoon - my first time for both. Since I had the motor mount off, I just changed the belt from above. Everyone elses' inputs were invaluable, but let me add my two cent adaptation.

What I did different, since people complained about keeping the belt in place, was use a couple of pieces of duct tape to hold the belt on the pullies. First I lassoed the crank shaft pulley. Then I put the belt on the water pump, using a bit of duct tap across belt on the water pump pully. Then I ran the belt around the tensioner, generator, power steering, and idler pullies. I used another piece of tape to hold the belt on the power steering pully.

Then using a wrench with a heavy string extension, I released the tensioner and put the belt around the AC pully.

Removed the duct tape, installed the new motor mount, and job complete. :usa:

[baymtnman]

Newbie here-does the tensioner lock into place whence you have wrenched it-what holds it? Does it take much force/torque to get to move?


Thanks,

Keith

[Old Crow]

The tensioner does NOT lock into place. You can tie it off to something (Wolfman described doing this). The good thing is it isn't too hard to pull if you have a bit of leverage. If using a loop of heavy string tied to the wrench like I did, I'd recommend not pulling the string with your bare hands as it is enough of a pull to make the fingers go numb for a bit.

If you don't just cut the old belt off, pull and hold the tensioner long enough to get the old belt off, let it go, route the belt around all but one of the other pullies, then pull the tensioner to create enough slack to get the new belt over that last pully. This last pull that is the hardest, at least for me, as it took considerably longer to put the belt on the last pully than it did to remove it.