serpentine belt wont go on

[SCMoore]

I need some help. What should have been a 10 min job turned into a few hours and still no luck. I have a 1993 XLT with 4.0 and AC. I got two different serpentine belts from AutoZone but I can't get either of them on. They seem to be about an inch too short. I can't get the edge close enough to a pully to try the zip tip around the pully method. My pulleys don't have any holes to run the zip tie through. I changed the belt on my Mustang 4.0 no issues. Is there a trick these or is it just that the belts I bought are too short? They measure 87 inches. Ford apparently has purged their parts list from their website for my year so I don't have anything to cross reference. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm begging for suggestions as I'm dead in the water now.

Steve

 

[superj]

There is no tensioning bolts to loosen at the power steering or alternator? I dont think back than had the spring loaded idlers, did they?

 

[Josh B]

You should have a tensioner on there that accepts a half inch drive ratchet or breaker bar to pull it back to put it on then releasing it tensions the belt

 

[Josh B]

Your introduction says an 88 and your post says a 93, has someone swapped motors on it ?

 

[RonD]

The 1993 4.0l for sure has a tensioner, its below the alternator
+1 above, put a socket wrench in it to push it back and install the belt

Route the belt on the drivers side pulleys first, so just the alternator is left
Then do the tensioner and put belt on alternator pulley

Fan belt diagram for 4.0l with AC seen here: https://www.2carpros.com/img/diagrams/drivebelt/50J00611.gif



Serpentine belts have a Ribbed side and a Smooth side, and there can be more than one way to route the belt but only 1 RIGHT way, lol
The pulleys will either be Ribbed or smooth
If you are putting the smooth side of the belt on a Ribbed pulley then routing is wrong, and visa versa

You can also tell which way each pulley turns
Crank pulley is Ribbed, so any ribbed pulley will turn in the same direction as crank, clockwise on 99% of engines
Smooth pulley will turn in the opposite direction

 

[RobbieD]

Ribbed side and a Smooth side, and there can be more than one way to route the belt but only 1 RIGHT way, lol

I remember those ads in the magazines I used to look at as a kid, the "Ribbed For Her Pleasure" ads. I would have to think that a happy motor is a good thing.

 

[SCMoore]

I need some help. What should have been a 10 min job turned into a few hours and still no luck. I have a 1993 XLT with 4.0 and AC. I got two different serpentine belts from AutoZone but I can't get either of them on. They seem to be about an inch too short. I can't get the edge close enough to a pully to try the zip tip around the pully method. My pulleys don't have any holes to run the zip tie through. I changed the belt on my Mustang 4.0 no issues. Is there a trick these or is it just that the belts I bought are too short? They measure 87 inches. Ford apparently has purged their parts list from their website for my year so I don't have anything to cross reference. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm begging for suggestions as I'm dead in the water now.

it turns out the previous owner replaced the a/c compressor at some point and the pulley must be larger than a stock one. So I had to use a larger belt then standard part it calls for.
belt went on in 5 minutes once I had one that fit.

 

[SCMoore]

Your introduction says an 88 and your post says a 93, has someone swapped motors on it ?

Nah. I just sold the 88 and didn’t update my profile.

 

[SCMoore]

The 1993 4.0l for sure has a tensioner, its below the alternator
+1 above, put a socket wrench in it to push it back and install the belt

Route the belt on the drivers side pulleys first, so just the alternator is left
Then do the tensioner and put belt on alternator pulley

Fan belt diagram for 4.0l with AC seen here: https://www.2carpros.com/img/diagrams/drivebelt/50J00611.gif



Serpentine belts have a Ribbed side and a Smooth side, and there can be more than one way to route the belt but only 1 RIGHT way, lol
The pulleys will either be Ribbed or smooth
If you are putting the smooth side of the belt on a Ribbed pulley then routing is wrong, and visa versa

You can also tell which way each pulley turns
Crank pulley is Ribbed, so any ribbed pulley will turn in the same direction as crank, clockwise on 99% of engines
Smooth pulley will turn in the opposite direction

 

[SCMoore]

Thanks. I had to get a larger belt. The previous owner replaced the a/c compressor and it must have a larger pulley than stock. 88.78” belt went on in minutes.

 

[SenorNoob]

I had the opposite problem when I put the 130 watt alternator on. Pulley was just enough smaller to keep the belt from getting tight.