Change auxiliary belt

[shnazzle]

Changing the auxiliary belt
Ours cars are getting on now and for many of us we're reaching that point where the auxiliary belt really isn't in a good state anymore.
The result may be a snapped belt, in the worse case, or fraying off of some of the ribs.
An important part to remember is also that when the belt snaps, or even parts of it snap off, the speed at which it can whip through the engine is enormous and can cause damage!

For the sake of 10-15 GBP for a new Gates belt (part 6PK1400 if you have no aircon, 6PK1693 if you have air-con), and 30mins of your time, it really is worth doing as part of a 60-65k service.

So, without further ado, on a car that has cooled down (don't want to burn yourself).
I've added times, but they are quite generous and allow for fidling, belt falling off pulleys all the time, scratching head, etc.
I'm sure if you did this a 2nd time it would take you 10 mins.

WARNING:  THE 'BOLT HEAD' FOR RELEASING THE TENSION IS PART OF AN ALUMINIUM CASTING.  CLEAN ANY 'FUR' OFF BEFORE PUTTING A SOCKET ON.  USE ONLY A SIX-POINT SOCKET, MAKING SURE IT'S FULLY SEATED OR YOU WILL TAKE THE POINTS OFF THE 'BOLT HEAD'.

NO SMOKING OR OPEN FLAMES NEARBY

1. Remove carbon canister 2 mins
This requires no tools.
- Squeeze the clip on the front of the canister and move it down an inch and pull the tube off. *You will hear a hiss and smell fuel, this is normal (see warnig above)
- Pull the left larger tube off.
- On the front right of the canister bracket you will see a little clip sticking up. Push that to the right and lift the canister out. This may take some jiggling/pulling.




2. Draw a picture of how the belt goes 2 mins
In order to put the belt back on how it was, draw a quick diagram of the pulleys and the belt going over the pulleys so you know how to put it back.



3. Remove existing belt (unless it snapped) 3 mins
Requires a 19mm socket on a breaker bar. You can use a torque wrench (set to the highest setting) but you have to put a fair whack on force into it so you're likely to break your wrench
- Place the 19mm socket and breaker bar over the fake nut on the tensioner arm, with the breaker bar as far towards the back of the car as you can
- Reach down and grab the belt above the idler pulley, ready to pull it to the right and off the pulley.
- Push the breaker bar towards the front to release tension on the belt, it may surprise you how much effort you have to put in depending on your strength
- Place a long socket between the right strut tower and the arm of the breaker bar to hold the tension. This allows you to use both hands. Added 23/08 courtesy of Carolyn
- Pull the belt off the idler pulley[strike:1g4711f0]and release pressure on the breaker bar slowly[/strike:1g4711f0]. Don't let it snap back.
- Work the rest of the belt off the other pulleys.




4. Check pulleys for play 2 mins
Especially if your belt has snapped, there might be a cause for this, such as play in a pulley.
- Grab each pulley and check for excessive play. a tiny bit of play is acceptable and expected on the plastic pulleys.
- Check for any nicks, dents, broken ribs on pulleys, debris on the pulleys. If you see anything, you will need to replace that part.
- turn the idler pulley and listen for crackling or excessive "whirring". This means you need to replace that pulley. Check the tensioner pulley in the same way. Toyota only supplies the whole arm, for approx 120 GBP but you can buy just the pulley if you shop around.

5. Replace the belt 10 mins
This is the fiddly part. Requires the 19mm socket on breaker bar again
- Work the new belt, rib side on the inside, over the ribbed alternator (top right)
- Work the belt over the ribbed AC pulley, or the idler pulley that sits there if you have no AC (directly under alternator pulley)
- Work the belt over the front pulley. The belt should now sit as a triangle
- Using a finger pull the belt between the alternator and AC pulley and over the smooth water pump pulley.
- Work the belt over the ribbed crank pulley (largest one at the bottom)
- Use a finger to pull the belt up between the left of the crank pulley and the very front pulley and create and hold a loop to go over the idler pulley.
[strike:1g4711f0]- Push the breaker bar towards the inside of the car again as far as it will go and work the belt over the small idler pulley from the top to the back and bottom.[/strike:1g4711f0]
- Once it's on, hold the breaker bar and remove the long socket lodged between the strut tower and bar, then release tension slowly.


6. Check belt positioning 2 mins
- Check visually and with your fingers that the 6 ribs of the belt are sitting perfectly in the 6 ribs of each pulley that has grooves, and that it sits straight on the smooth pulleys.
- If the belt does not sit flush with all the pulleys, loosen tension a bit by pushing the breaker bar again and move the belt into place.