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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Cars / July 2006

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'94 Caravan 3.3 belt tensioner

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James Goforth - 27 Jul 2006 21:22 GMT
'94 Caravan 3.3 has the serpentine belt running half-off the tensioner
pulley and hence it's partially off the adjacent pulley.
 I understand that when the tensioner goes bad it will pivot outward
slightly and cause the belt to run like that.
 The pulley on the tensiner was replaced a couple months ago and it is
still in perfect condition.
 I went to replace the tensioner and it looks to be in a very difficult
place to get at.
 I bought a new tensioner and there is just one lone stud coming out of
the back of it to fasten it to the engine with a nut, but looking at the
tensioner on the engine I can't even see where that nut is or how to get
at it, etc.
 Anyone know the optimal way of changing these?  Looks like a difficult
fix.
 Thanks in advance.
maxpower - 28 Jul 2006 01:39 GMT
>   '94 Caravan 3.3 has the serpentine belt running half-off the tensioner
> pulley and hence it's partially off the adjacent pulley.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>   Thanks in advance.
> \
You wasted your money on the pulley. When the tensioner goes bad it goes bad
at the shaft and spring area. I have never tried to replace one from the top
and would imagine it to be difficult. A lift would be the way to do this.

good luck

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech
James Goforth - 28 Jul 2006 06:27 GMT
Thanks, Glen,
 The bearing went out of the pulley a couple months ago and that's why
I replaced it, it was noisy, but not relevant to the current problem of
throwing the belt.  
 I figured some of the components would have to come off, but I was
just trying to find out which ones, etc.
 On this one I can't tell that well just by eyeballing it, wondering if
someone else had done one and what needs removed to fo it.  TIA
aarcuda69062 - 28 Jul 2006 07:44 GMT
>  Thanks, Glen,
>   The bearing went out of the pulley a couple months ago and that's why
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>   On this one I can't tell that well just by eyeballing it, wondering if
> someone else had done one and what needs removed to fo it.  TIA

Raise and safely support vehicle.

Remove splash shield from the lower right side of engine
compartment.

Remove serpentine belt (from underneath).

Shine a flashlight up at the right rear side of the engine
towards the power steering pump.  There is a brace that runs
between the power steering pump and the engine block, above this
brace you will feel (reach up there, it ain't gonna bite you) a
nut. This is the nut that fastens the tensioner assembly to the
engine .

Using a 15mm socket and necessary extensions/ swivels/universal
joints, rotate the 15mm nut counter clockwise until the tensioner
assembly can be fully removed from the bracket it mounts to.

Installation is the reverse of removal.  Note the locating nub on
the new tensioner, note the locating hole on the bracket that the
tensioner assembly fastens to.  Make the nub fit in the hole or
your serpentine belt will not fit correctly.
James Goforth - 28 Jul 2006 19:36 GMT
aarcuda wrote, "Raise and safely support vehicle.
Remove splash shield from the lower right side of engine compartment.
Remove serpentine belt (from underneath).
Shine a flashlight up at the right rear side of the engine towards the
power steering pump. There is a brace that runs between the power
steering pump and the engine block, above this brace you will feel
(reach up there, it ain't gonna bite you) a nut. This is the nut that
fastens the tensioner assembly to the engine .
Using a 15mm socket and necessary extensions/ swivels/universal joints,
rotate the 15mm nut counter clockwise until the tensioner assembly can
be fully removed from the bracket it mounts to.
Installation is the reverse of removal. Note the locating nub on the new
tensioner, note the locating hole on the bracket that the tensioner
assembly fastens to. Make the nub fit in the hole or your serpentine
belt will not fit correctly."
     **************************************
 Thanks for that, removing that power steering brace made it visible
and much easier.
James Goforth - 31 Jul 2006 18:12 GMT
I might add that when loosening the retaining nut for the tensioner,
it didn't seem very tight, possibly allowing the tensioner to pivot out
slightly and causing the belt to ride out on the pulley.
 This isn't surprising since I expected the limited access and leverage
could make it difficult to tighten the nut to sufficient torque to
ensure it staying tight, hence I'd planned on using Loctite on the
threads, which I'd recommend for this job.
 Thanks again.
 
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