mikeh
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- August 2, 2001
- Messages
- 262
- Reaction score
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- City, State
- St. Louis, MO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 98 XLT SOHC V6
Just thought I'd pass along a quick note to people about serpentine belt replacement. My X is a 98 with about 83K. When I pulled the belt off I had a lot of cracks but none that looked like it was about to go. I bought a Motorcraft belt from ford for $27. I previously tried to replace it with belt I bought at Autozone which was about 2 inches too long. I just took it back and bought the belt at Ford. I'm starting to lean more and more to Factory parts the longer I play with this stuff.
What you need:
Good Luck,
mikeh
What you need:
- A 3/8 inch drive socket wrench.
- A bar to go over the wrench to get added leverage. (you can also use an extra long socket wrench if you happen to have one).
- A new Motorcraft belt $27.
- 7 and 8mm sockets.
- Remove the cover at the top of the engine. The cover that says SOHC 4.0 on it. 7mm
- Remove the Air Tube near the radiator. 8mm socket. This is the tube that goes from the air filter box to the throttle body. Pull out the tubes that go into the Air tube and set the air tube aside.
- Now for the fun part. Find the tensioner pulley. It's toward the bottom of the engine on the passenger side. Next to the pulley is a hole that you can stick your 3/8" socket wrench in without a socket. Set the wrench for loosen. Release the tension on the belt and pull the belt off the tensioner.
- Fish the whole belt out of the engine compartment and fish the new belt in using the diagram on the hood for guidance.
- Now for the fun part. It helps to have a helper at this time to hold the wrench while you get the belt around the last pulley. Also now is a good time to use a cheater bar on your wrench. I did the top passenger side pulley last so that it was right in front of me.
- With your eyes make sure that all of the grooves are lined up on the pulleys with the grooves in the belt on every pulley.
- Hook the air tube back up and the cover and start the engine. Go to the engine compartment and inspect the belt to make sure it is running cleanly around the pulleys.
- You're done go drink a beer.
Good Luck,
mikeh