My fan belt broke at the gas station!!!

[LOGJOCKY]

I was about to head home and i heard something snapp but wasnt sure what it was until i tried to steer and realized i have no powerstearing or alternator power. My belt snapped. My dad is borrowing my haynes and chilton manual so what do i need to change the belt(tools) it is like a 30mins walk from my house and i dont wanna forget anything. It is stuck there till more light comes. BTW it is a 94"X"

 

[Doug]

new belt and 3/8" drive ratchet, that's it.

 

[MazdaGreg]

Maybe a pipe or something to put over the end of the ratchet if your not strong enough to pry it down, Just don't pry too hard. once it stops, that's it. they break really easy, because they are aluminum. then your out a tensioner also.

 

[huskyfan23]

I do it this way. Take a 3/8" ratchet, put it on there, push until you've gotta ratchet back, hold the tensioner with your other arm, ratchet, push, and so on until you've got enough slack to get the new belt on there. You'll also need something to hold the ratchet in place.

 

[section525]

I don't know how the 4.0L OHVs are... but on my GF's SOHC it was easier to get to the tensioner from the top. So take a flat-head screw driver to get the air intake tube off.

 

[LOGJOCKY]

awesome, thanks guys. waking up early on my day off is gonna suck

 

[Lloyd10977]

I don't know how the 4.0L OHVs are... but on my GF's SOHC it was easier to get to the tensioner from the top. So take a flat-head screw driver to get the air intake tube off.

Exactly the same procedure for the V6 OHV. If you are careful, though, you CAN do it without removing the air intake tube. One thing is certain, you need a lot of light.

 

[410Fortune]

the sperpentine belts are easy to route also, just remember flat shiny pulley = back of belt, ribbed or grooved pulley = front of belt.
Also there is a sticker on the firewal that shows the correct routing.
Put the belt on all pulleys but the alternator, even routed overt he tensioner. then move the tensioner to the loose position and slip the belt over the alternator pulley.
Takes about 3 minutes

 

[Lloyd10977]

the sperpentine belts are easy to route also, just remember flat shiny pulley = back of belt, ribbed or grooved pulley = front of belt.
Also there is a sticker on the firewal that shows the correct routing.
Put the belt on all pulleys but the alternator, even routed overt he tensioner. then move the tensioner to the loose position and slip the belt over the alternator pulley.
Takes about 3 minutes

I know that you guys think this is obvious, but this was really an invaluable suggestion. In most cases, the expected plan of attack would be to try to force the belt onto the tensioner. Not at all an easy thing. but mounting it on the alternator LAST makes the job simple and straightforward. (Kinda makes you want to say "DUH!!!")

Thanks, 410Fortune.

 

[Eneurb]

I'd be more interested to know why the belt broke... not just how to change it. Belts don't normally break without a reason.

 

[huskyfan23]

Cracked belt?

 

[Lloyd10977]

I had a V-belt break once on another vehicle because a piece of gravel wedged itself in a pulley. But according to a friend at the local Ford dealer, drive belts will fail from fatigue, and he suggests changing the belt every 30k to 40k miles.

 

[jgilbs]

take a 3/8 drive ratchet, and 3 foot section of 3/4" conduit. use the conduit as a breaker bar. makes the tensioner easier to turn, with the added advantage of you can crank it all the way to the right, and set the hood down, and the tensioner will stay loose(because the hood is exerting enough downward pressure to keep the ratchet in place) while you get under the car and route the belt over the crankshaft. once youre done, get up, open the hood slightly, get a grip on the ratchet, open the hood all the way, and release tension on the pulley. took me under a minute to change mine this way.