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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video we're going to show you how to replace a serpentine belt on this Chevy Colorado. This vehicle has a 3.5 liter, 5 cylinder. It's pretty much the same for that engine, as well as the 4 cylinder. With your engine off . actually, if you notice some squeaking from your belt, shut the engine off. If you can grab hold of the belt and move it more than about 1/4", then that's evidence that your tensioner is starting to go bad. Tools you'll need are a 3/8"? drive ratchet handle and a piece of pipe for some extra leverage, as well as a 15mm socket or wrench.
So the serpentine belt, you can see right down in here. Your tensioner is right down here. You're going to either find a square hole, right out in the center of the pulley, or in this one it's right here kind of in the center of the tensioner body. What we're going to do is take a 3/8"? drive flex handle. It kind of gives us the best way to get in there. You can see the flex handle goes right into that square hole. We'll work it right in there.
First, I want to make sure I press that flex handle in there well. Then I'm going to take a piece of pipe. That just let's me get a whole lot more leverage on my tensioner. Pull the tensioner back, and then pull the belt off. I realized after, when I was editing this, it wasn't really clear what I was doing there. With the handle, the 3/8 handle that I put in the tensioner, and that pipe, I am basically turning the tensioner clockwise, which takes tension off the belt, and then I can take the belt off the pulleys.
Hopefully you can see here. Down below on that tensioner again, there's a 15mm bolt. I'll put my wrench on there and remove it. I'm just going to do you a little favor here and fast forward as I just use my 15mm socket and ratchet and remove the bolt that holds the tensioner on. The tensioner and bolt come right out.
Here's a new tensioner from 1A Auto. Just put the bolt right in. There is a tab here you have to line up. I'm putting it down in. Putting it in can be sometimes the most fun part. Get the bolt in there, and get it nice and close to the engine. I'll get the bolt started first. Get the bolt started. Make sure the tensioner flips up into place correctly. Hold the tensioner kind of with my knuckle while I start the bolt in. Tighten it right up with that 15mm bolt, to about 35 to 40 foot-pounds.
On these vehicles, you have a diagram right here that helps you put your belt on. Okay, so I've got the belt pulled up here. But it's routed correctly. It goes down that tensioner pulley, then around the crank pulley down there, comes back up to this fan pulley, goes back down to the A/C pulley, back up to the idler pulley, then the alternator pulley, and over. This allows me having it here like this. It allows me to hold onto it with this hand and then get my wrench and pipe and take the tension off the belt. With the longest handle I have, I take it and pull it. I'm going to put my piece of pipe on it, on the other side of this hose, and pull it as far as I can. Take my belt and pull it tight. Wrap it around my power steering pump, and then carefully let my wrench go, and do a visual check. So just do a quick inspection. It's on here correctly, down around the crank, and comes up. It's on my A/C correctly, and up on the alternator. Everything looks good.
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