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Serpentine belt change procedure/ how to?

19K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  marksbug 
#1 ·
Has any body here changed their own belts on their Solstice? We have a 2007 Solstice GXP with just over 122K miles. There are two belts, but I can't see a way to get my gorilla arms in there to remove or install the belts. Any tips? Easier from under the car? Or should I just take it to the dealer?
Thanks in advance!
-John
 
#2 · (Edited)
There are two belts a smaller thinner one for the power steering I found the best way to get at it is from underneath there is a belt tensioner that applies constant pressure on the belt so you will need a special tool (about 25 bucks ) to loosen the belt by removing the pressure on it . The drive belt has the same set up (it's the larger of the two) and also has a tensioner you can get at this one from the top if you remove the upper radiator hose it makes it a little easer to get at it . Take a picture or draw up a schematic so you know how the belts are run as there is nothing on the car that gives you that info like some other cars .I forgot to mention that my car is an NA without the factory air box set up and I also have a Venom Brace which I removed .Thanks to Dave for the added info .
 
#3 ·
We typically always install the smaller 3 rib power steering belt from under the car. Make sure to have the car up on Jackstands, then place the belt over the crank, then the power steering pump and you can slide the belt up and over the tensioner without using any tools. The tensioner for the power steering pump is not that stiff and you can easily pull it down without that much effort.

The 5 rib belt that goes to the A/C and Alternator has a lot more tension on it. It is easier to remove from the top of the engine, but also can be done from underneath. Either way you will not have a clear shot to it. The tensioner for the 5 rib belt is on the front of the engine and has a square hole that a 3/8" ratchet wrench will go into. Then use that as a lever to release the tension on the belt. You will need to slide the belt from under the tensioner first, then release the pressure on the tensioner with the belt out of the way. From there take the belt off of the alternator and the A/C compressor and then the crank last. It will be a little tight getting the belt out between the crank and the tensioner and you might need to give a little pressure on the tensioner again with the ratchet to get it to come out. The 2.4L cars are easier to get in there to do, the 2.0L turbo cars are tighter to get to. If you have the stock plastic on top of the engine you will definitely need to take it off. Also removing the intake and the upper radiator hose does make it easier to do, however with the problems that some of the 2.0L will have after breaking the cooling system open, we generally will just work around removing the upper radiator hose.

Hope that helps,
Dave
 
#14 ·
tensioner for the 5 rib belt is on the front of the engine and has a square hole that a 3/8" ratchet wrench will go into. Then use that as a lever to release the tension on the belt. You will need to slide the belt from under the tensioner first, then release the pressure on the tensioner with the belt out of the way.
You are stronger than me! I could barely budge the tensioner using the square hole. But, thos gave me the idea to put a large Allen wrench in the hole for the pulley bolt. That provided a lot more leverage and made it fairly easy.
 
#6 ·
I would highly recommend going OEM, these belts are tough..last a very long time..
 
#10 ·
BTW, are you sure they are not made by AC Delco ?

Same belts I compared them when I removed them and the GM belt had "Made by Delco / made in America printed on the belt this is their Poly Rib /Quiet Design # 5050405. .Now this is the better belt 22 bucks and as with anything they always make cheaper parts .Whenever I buy something for my cars I always buy the best available .
 
#11 ·
We usually use the Dayco belts from Advance, but never the Driveright belts, the driveright belts are horrible. The Dayco belts are really good belts though and is the same brand that we ship with our supercharger kits.

Also, not sure if anyone has posted up the way to decode belts before, but here is a quick decoder -

For the main A/C / Alternator belt - 5050405

"50" - is the belt durometer
"5" is the number of ribs
"0405" is the length in inches, with the last number being a fraction of an inch, so this belt is 40.5" long


So for the P/S belt - 5030310

It is a 50 durometer belt, with 3 ribs and is 31" long

You will see some belts listed as a K030310 (mainly gates belts that we have seen), which just takes the durometer off and still works the same way for ribs and length.

Hope that helps,
Dave
 
#12 ·
That is great information to know!
I bought Dayco belts from Advanced Auto for the Solstice. I went to AutoZone to get a belt for my stepdaughter's Malibu, and they had Dayco belts there too.
I got the belts changed in the Solstice, no problems. Thanks for the tips!
 
#13 ·
I went ahead and had my dealer replace both belts yesterday when they replaced the A/C compressor..
 
#16 ·
I was wondering if mine had the rong pwrsteering belt,the tensonioner is so week and the belts are almost touching where the tension-errr is.gladd dave said it was week and a one hand no tool job as I already knew.mine has new belts,(napa) I checked the part# and it was right..so I wassent worried and no noise or shreds so I figured it was ok. gladd to know my figuring is still good....even though my spellen may need some work some tymes ..or pick up some glasses... dang huricane sure has driven a lot more humidstkeyty heat this way than normal...how those guys out thata way are doing on.Ive been through that many many times...and typhoons too!!
Ive never been impressed with oe belts. I do like daygo and good fear belts, but good fear isant what it was so I kinda steer clear from any good fear rubber products these days. these napas look good, I wonder whoo makes them? also Ive never seen a oe over the counter belt that was the same as the oe installed belts. many oe slurpintyme belts in oe installed apps ase a sewen togeather belt....and Ive never seen one of thoese sewn joints go bad...dang good sewing!!! I did get a sewen belt for my wifes old mitchebitchey, from auto zona I think..
 
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