Serpentine Belt Tensioner + Other Ford Enjoyables

[Rearanger]

I needed to remove the serpentine belt to install a new upper idler pulley - if that's what's squealing occasionally. Hence the journey into Ford engineering hell.

I have not replaced the belt yet so this was new territory. For those who have a similar setup - beware.

The job is much easier done with the fan, clutch, and shroud removed. However you need to remove the clutch before anything else can be tackled. Ford specs a pulley strap wrench (I have one) to hold the pulley while you use a 7/8" wrench to twist off the center shaft from the flange holding the clutch. Even with a pipe extender I could not budge the center bolt. Don't bother with the four bolts, they're just the belt and suspenders theory to hold the clutch onto the center shaft flange and frustrate you further. There is another four bolts holding the fan to the clutch, which you can remove with more hand scrapes, but it became more of a hinderance to have the fan floating.

The belt tensioner is a massive spring inside a casting. Ford does not provide any smart engineering in the casting design. A lug, which has to be used for a pry bar, is too short and not in the right position for easy use.

It came down to using my acetylene torch and angle grinder to custom cut, bend, and grind a rod into a pry tool to do the job. Square stock of the proper size would be better if you have it.

Lastly, it's easier to put the belt onto the tensioner pulley first then pry the tensioner back and lift the belt onto the upper idler pulley.

I won't include all the choice Ford words that are also needed to get through the job.

I will never buy another Ford, of all the vehicles I've worked on they have the worst DIY engineering.

 

[JP02XLT]

I just use a 15mm box wrench on the Idler pulley bolt on my 02 to move the tension-er. As for removing the clutch fan, for a belt change, rather than fight Fords poor design, I just worked the belt around it & the fan blades.

Now with the E-fan installed belt changes are super easy, 10 minutes tops, that includes hand washing time.

JP02XLT

 

[Rearanger]

I just use a 15mm box wrench on the Idler pulley bolt on my 02 to move the tension-er.

My design is different. The center retainer bolt is not used to rotate the tensioner, it clamps the whole assembly on and needs to be loosened to allow the tension to be pried. This retainer bolt is also a Torx head.

As for removing the clutch fan, for a belt change, rather than fight Fords poor design, I just worked the belt around it & the fan blades.

Yes that can be done but another hassle with a long belt.

Now with the E-fan installed belt changes are super easy, 10 minutes tops, that includes hand washing time.JP02XLT

I did think that an e-fan would make it a lot easier as the fan and shroud would lift out as one unit. Ford should have made a two piece shroud. Unbolt and remove the top part to get easy access. On my serpentine belt change I will look at cutting the shroud and adapting it into a two piece design.

I had a thought last night that the four bolts around the clutch flange might need to be removed before the center bolt can be spun off with a strap wrench. These bolts are not referred to in the FSM and they are hidden inside the belt pulley. If that is the case I don't know about alignment issues on re-install.

 

[James86]

Honestly, I thought it was a cakewalk when I did the tensioner and idler on my truck. Me and my fellow Ranger 3.0 owning friends didn't take the belt off either. Took me maybe 30 minutes and at least there's a belt routing sticker on the core. The damned Neon? THAT's a headache - who uses V belts still in 2005?

 

[Rearanger]

I added some pictures to clarify how hard this is.







You can see the casting lug and the Torx bolt holding it on. See how little access there is to get a pry bar under the left side of the lug. As well the back of the fan interferes with getting a wrench in there and positioned.

The raised marks on the tensioner must be to indicate belt stretch. Wish Ford had spend the money on a better adjustment method.

 

[Earl43P]

Fan clutch nut needs just a little heat, then smack the wrench with a hammer.
Easy if you leave the belt on for all that.
It's loctited on.

 

[Rearanger]

Fan clutch nut needs just a little heat, then smack the wrench with a hammer.
Easy if you leave the belt on for all that.
It's loctited on.

Thanks Earl. I was hesitant to get heat near all the rubber stuff. Leaving the belt on prevents use of strap wrench, but as you say if it needs a little smack then the serpentine belt should hold the pulley still enough.

How about the 4 bolts on the clutch, do they need to be removed to spin the clutch nut?

 

[JP02XLT]

My design is different. The center retainer bolt is not used to rotate the tensioner, it clamps the whole assembly on and needs to be loosened to allow the tension to be pried. This retainer bolt is also a Torx head.

Yours is exactly like mine, you do not need to loosen the mounting bolt on the tensioner to move the assembly, if you put a 15mm wrench on the head of the bolt holding the idler pulley to the tensioner arm and push down it will swing down to release tension on the belt, very easy once you get in there to do it.

Yes the marks on the tensioner are an acceptable range for belt tension, although I have seen several explanations for the marks.

JP02XLT

 

[Rearanger]

Yours is exactly like mine, you do not need to loosen the mounting bolt on the tensioner to move the assembly

The mounting bolt looks to clamp the adjuster to the engine mount.

if you put a 15mm wrench on the head of the bolt holding the idler pulley to the tensioner arm and pull up it will swing up to release tension on the belt, very easy once you get in there to do it.

15mm wrench where? it's a torx bolt????? You mean just turn the torx bolt clockwise (tighten) to turn the tensioner? When I tightened the torx bolt it bottoms out on torque. The tensioner spins on the mounting bolt. There is only one bolt on this tensioner, no arm with another bolt.

 

[Rearanger]

OK OK JP02XLT, you mean on the pulley bolt, not the tensioner bolt. So the tensioner bolt is not clamping the tensioner to the engine mount?

 

[JP02XLT]

Yes, the pulley bolt, much easier method, Glad you got it done, thought this might help you next time.

And you need to push down on the wrench, not up, I edited the original post

JP02XLT

 

[Rearanger]

Yes, the pulley boltJP02XLT

Well I just did it that way and yes it works - with pipe extender. I need to eat some crow on this one. The FSM is so vague, it just says rotate tensioner clockwise.

A big DUH! is due.

 

[JP02XLT]

Buttered is better than salted, but No crow needed

We all need all the info & tips we can get when working on these 3.0's

That's why sharing problems, in search of info to solve them is a good thing

JP02XLT

 

[det107]

I need to eat some crow on this one.

You did just fine, I have a better story to tell but that is for another time-

 

[bucko]

I smiled as I read through this post and the responses, as I too had my "moment" with removing the stock fan clutch.

A few weeks ago, I was dumb enough to have the clutch fan replaced on my 2000 Ranger 3.0, as it was worn out with 214K miles on the engine. Note to everyone not aware of the temperature guage: don't trust it! My temp guage needle would rise to the half way point, and stay. However, the clutch fan was slipping, and the engine temp was getting warmer than normal, as the radiator on a few occasions would overflow back into the holding tank.

So, after the new fan clutch was installed, the new found "roar" I experienced drove me nuts. I decided to switch over to an e-fan. I figured that since the new clutch fan was just installed, a pulley wrench and large cresent wrench would spin that nut clockwise off with ease...NOT!!!

I took it back to the shop that did the install, and watched the mechanic spend over 45 minutes before he was able to loosen that clutch fan that he had installed!

Yesterday completed the e-fan install, and what a difference. Quiet, much more efficient, and cooler A/C temps as a bonus. Don't know if my mileage will do any better, but I'm very happy with the conversion.

Now off to check the coolant sender to see if that's why my temp guage never registered over the middle.