Wayne Smith

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Translog

Wayne......do you agree with dgjks6 ?

Iceter

I just replaced my serpentine belt last week. You do not need to loosen the tensioner at the mounting bolt. All you need to do is take a 30mm wrench and apply clockwise rotation to the tensioner. That allows sufficient slack in the belt that you can slip it off the pulleys. You will need to do this again when installing the belt.

The tensioner is hydraulic and active, not static, so it moves if you apply force to it. You only need to loosen the mounting bolt if you are replacing the tensioner.

BTW, you need a 30mm WRENCH. A socket will not work because there is not sufficient clearance between the tensioner and the metal bracket next to it. A 6 point box-end wrench is preferred, but an open-end or 12-point will do in a pinch. I had to buy one, and I'll probably never use it again. $25 at Sears.

Also, it is not necessary to remove the bumper cover. There is an access hole under the license plate bracket for removing the spacer retaining bolt. You will need a couple of socket extensions, however. You will also want to use either a magnetized socket or wrap some blue tape over the edge of the socket so the bolt fits snugly in the socket and doesn't drop out when you are pulling the bolt out or reinstalling it. You may also want to use a prybar against the bracket when you remove the spacer. It fits VERY tightly between the engine and bracket.

This is a very easy job.

Translog

Iceter,

Thank you for the clarification. Much appreciated. Will tackle shortly. Hopefully goes well.

Just changed all 6 coil packs, this should be a lot easier.

Best

Pierre

Wayne Smith

I've changed mine once (almost due again) as well as a friend's. In each case there was no need to screw around loosening the tensioner pulley. Just rotate it to allow slack for removing the old belt and installing the new.

Think about it ... The tensioner has to be able to move in order to work ... without loosening anything. If you can't move it, then you've got a problem beyond the belt.

Just read Iceter's post ... spot on.

Translog

Wayne,

That's what I did, thanks again for your input.

Iceter

BTW, as someone mentioned earlier on this or another thread about belt replacement...if your tensioner is extremely difficult to move and it doesn't rebound rather quickly, it may be time to consider replacing it. They do wear out and like most German-designed items, it is overengineered for what it is. A simple spring works for most manufacturers. Porsche has to use a lever arm supported by a mini-shock absorber.

Translog

Thank you Iceter.

yuantrouble

Ideal order of operations if you’re also changing air filters on a 997.2
1. Take the top of the air box off. 8x T25
2. Remove the connector on top, but it helps a lot to flip the top of the air box over as there is a difficult to see U-shaped clip you need to pry up to loosen the connector
3. remove the hose clamp using a 7mm socket or wrench
4. Disconnect the vacuum line and gray connector on the right side as you pull out the box
5. With the air box completely out, change filters held in by a T20 screw
6. Remove license plate and bracket
7. Remove long bolt through hole in bumper
8. Remove spacer
9. Use a wrench and turn tensioner clockwise
10. Take belt off alternator, then loosen the belt on the top pulleys and then off the water pump, and then the crank shaft. Some twisting and yanking may be required.
11. Put belt on crank pulley, then route up to the top pulleys, then the Water pump, lastly, loosen tensioner clockwise and slip belt over the alternator.
12. Install spacer, bolt, license plate.
13. put the entire filter housing back together 8x screws with the new filters of course.
14. Airbox has 2 posts that fit into 2 rubber grommets. You can reach around the box and put your fingers on the posts to guide them into the holes. If you don’t do this, it’s tough to get it aligned
15. Once the air box is in place properly, it’s easy to assemble the flexible seal and tighten the clamp.
16. Put back the connectors and vacuum line. You can also connect the passenger side connectors while off, or before installing the air box back in.

Chris M.

I did this job today without disconnecting the electrical connector on the airbox. I couldn’t get it undone with the airbox in place then realized I could remove the whole airbox with it still attached so I left it attached while I changed the belt. They should have installed that connector with the impossible-to-undo fastening mechanism facing up instead of down. Anyway, you don’t have to remove it to do the belt.

rdarsa

Thanks for your excellent list.
Really looks simple, I am an idiot for paying a garage for a stamp in the book to do what looks like childs play!
Changing oil looks way worse!

gray911

I can’t seem slip the belt on the alternator while turning the tensioner as the new belt was tight. Any tricks?

Wayne Smith

The three times I've changed this belt I had to pull the tensioner pulley over as hard as I could and pull all the slack out of the belt and pull hard to get the belt over the final pulley. It wasn't easy.

Bruce In Philly

You won't get it over any pulley but the tensioner. The tensioner does not have a ridge on it, and it is the last one you pull the belt over.

Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)

gray911

Thanks! This is the trick I need to finish the job.