Serpentine belt won't fit after alternator replacement.

hpark21 · Dec 25, 2021

btatbui2017 said:
If you have two persons, the job is extremely easy. We used the GEARWRENCH 15 Piece Ratcheting Serpentine Belt Tool Set - 3680D and access the tensioner from the bottom near the wheel well. With this tool, you can tighten the tensioner and ratchet until the tensioner is at its maximum compression to easily slip in a new tight belt. The person on top just route, ensure that the belt is align properly and slip on the belt.

If there are 2 person, I say just undo the wheel and wheel well trim out and one person on the top use the belt tool and person at the bottom use just standard breaker bar (more room down there).
Probably will work better than 4 hands holding the belt tool from the top. Just a thought.

Juggawut · Dec 25, 2021

As a tensioner tool I use a wrench and a 1/2" extension over the end if it. One day I'll buy a real tool for it, but not from Harbor Freight.

surgeon · Dec 26, 2021

^^ I was going to get a tool like that one in the link vs HF welded square kind. In homedepot the Husky version is cheaper. That is the proper one.

As for the ratchet, yes/no. It depends on the socket depth and ratchet head size. I had tried all options. I have several kinds (pass thru, regular, shallow socket, etc. My final try was with a shallow socket on the second (smaller wrench in the HF tool set) with 3/8 ratchet inserted into that square hole. That was easy peezy.

btatbui2017 · Dec 26, 2021

surgeon said:
^^ I was going to get a tool like that one in the link vs HF welded square kind. In homedepot the Husky version is cheaper. That is the proper one.

As for the ratchet, yes/no. It depends on the socket depth and ratchet head size. I had tried all options. I have several kinds (pass thru, regular, shallow socket, etc. My final try was with a shallow socket on the second (smaller wrench in the HF tool set) with 3/8 ratchet inserted into that square hole. That was easy peezy.

I am truly curious about this arrangements of wrench, ratchet and socket. Is this possible to see a picture of this?

Thanks,

0dyfamily · Dec 26, 2021

You can end up with a combination of tools that looks like this:

I've also used a pair of combination wrenches "in tandem" like the above setup.

After all the great online reviews (here on Odyclub, and on tool forums, Amazon, etc.) I just went ahead and purchased the GearWrench set yesterday.

It will arrive in the mail later this week, just in time to change the serpentine belt on my wife's 2012 V6 Accord (man, I enjoy driving OHC V6 Japanese sedans).

Our just-recently-sold 2005 Altima with its 4-cam 3.5L engine was a hoot; that Nissan V6 develops power everywhere, but I can say replacing its belts was and is not enjoyable. I purchased a belt tension measuring tool for that job.

The Accord has more room to work around its fun-to-drive V6, but I finally decided I wanted a dedicated tool set for removing and re-installing that serpentine belt.

OF

celicool · Dec 26, 2021

0dyfamily said:
You can end up with a combination of tools that looks like this:

I've also used a pair of combination wrenches "in tandem" like the above setup.

After all the great online reviews (here on Odyclub, and on tool forums, Amazon, etc.) I just went ahead and purchased the GearWrench set yesterday.

View attachment 165955

It will arrive in the mail later this week, just in time to change the serpentine belt on my wife's 2012 V6 Accord (man, I enjoy driving OHC V6 Japanese sedans).

Nice!
My HF set has not been useful for the Ody but works ok for my Accord. Hummm.....time to upgrade

0dyfamily · Dec 26, 2021

celicool said:
My HF set has not been useful for the Ody but works ok for my Accord.

Even the most "universal" tools are quite so universal.

I've got a few other "should be usable on anything" tools in my rollaway.

OF

marvinstockman · Dec 26, 2021

Just taking a WAG, one of the new pulleys is probably the wrong diameter, which is also the most logical.

Juggawut · Dec 26, 2021

If we're posting our serpentine belt tools, here's mine!

surgeon · Dec 27, 2021

Several combos work. If you have this kit already, then that small flat handle comes handy for several applications... The kit itself is only good for 1-2 times until the 3/8 square breaks off.

The hole on the small handle fits a 3/8 ratchet. Depending on the application, breaker bar or various length ratchets fit.

jrslau82 · Dec 27, 2021

marvinstockman said:
Just taking a WAG, one of the new pulleys is probably the wrong diameter, which is also the most logical.

I considered this and even took off the Dorman tensioner (which ended up being for the J35A6), bought a GATES tensioner specific to the A7 with a GATES 060841 belt and I'm still striking out. At this point, the only pulley that could be larger would be the new alternator, but it's a DENSO and is supposed to be an exact fit. Thanks for your input.

hpark21 · Dec 27, 2021

jrslau82 said:
I considered this and even took off the Dorman tensioner (which ended up being for the J35A6), bought a GATES tensioner specific to the A7 with a GATES 060841 belt and I'm still striking out. At this point, the only pulley that could be larger would be the new alternator, but it's a DENSO and is supposed to be an exact fit. Thanks for your input.

I bolded relevant word there.
I say still check the pully size just to confirm they did not accidentally put wrong pully on this one.
I bet Denso makes BUNCH of alternators for bunch of different cars.
Also, maybe take couple of pictures of how you are routing the belts just to make sure you aren't making any silly mistakes. (Who knows).

Juggawut · Dec 27, 2021

For me there's a point where the belt will just fit, and it feels "bottomed out." then I change up my angle of attack and find that it goes plenty further and the belt can even go over the PS pulley last with plenty of slack. When I first replaced the belt I wasn't actually getting the full swing of the tensioner and couldn't even tell till I had to remove it and put it back on again the next time and found myself with more slack than I knew what to do with.

thscott · Dec 27, 2021

jrslau82 said:
I considered this and even took off the Dorman tensioner (which ended up being for the J35A6), bought a GATES tensioner specific to the A7 with a GATES 060841 belt and I'm still striking out. At this point, the only pulley that could be larger would be the new alternator, but it's a DENSO and is supposed to be an exact fit. Thanks for your input.

I am concerned about your Gates tensioner and Gates belt. That brand is generally frowned upon these days. Many people recommend genuine Honda tensioner and belt.

Ted · Dec 28, 2021

OP, you have not addressed those who want you to verify that you are using correct belt routing.

Also, sometimes the choice of which pulley to put the belt onto last is critical. IIRC, installing on the largest one last leaves the most slack. But I could be 180 off on that.

Presumably, you are assuming about the Denso pulley because you have already returned the core.

0dyfamily · Dec 28, 2021

Man, if you want to see a complex belt routing that makes no sense, try a 2012 Honda Civic LX. I was totally lost, swore up and down that not only was the belt wrong, it was way wrong in the way of many inches too short. It wasn't. Went on the internet, found a picture of the belt routing ... that saved me from losing my sanity on that "simple" job.

Next time I do something like this, if I don't have a makes-sense-to-me-right-now pic of the belt routing, I'm taking pictures and making a drawing before I remove anything.

OF

Ted · Dec 28, 2021

There is a reason that Denso's instructions say to compare the old and new units' mounting, clocking, pulley size and grooves, etc.

marvinstockman · Dec 28, 2021

After many, many hard lessons learned, I never, never return my old part before I compare it to my new part. Been there, done that.

Ed2013 · Dec 28, 2021

You have the old belt and old alternator… can’t you simply measure both??

Ted · Dec 28, 2021

Ed2013 said:
You have the old belt and old alternator… can’t you simply measure both??

Wow. I've never considered that anyone who has done so many recreational substances as to need to be told this could still find his/her way around a keyboard and onto the interweb. But I guess it's possible........

Serpentine belt won't fit after alternator replacement.

hpark21

Juggawut

surgeon

btatbui2017

0dyfamily

celicool

0dyfamily

marvinstockman

Juggawut

surgeon

jrslau82

hpark21

Juggawut

thscott

Ted

0dyfamily

Ted

marvinstockman

Ed2013

Ted

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