Serpentine belt install help.

[Blu-meanie]

I just replaced the vacuum pump, a little over an hour to change the belts from OEM to the longer one. How soon we forget, it was only about two weeks ago I needed to bypass the pump with the original belt.

 

[WhiteSheep]

Sounded like a good idea at the time.....

Wow, thanks for all the advice, but this was not fun. I actually paid a shop to do this the first time because I knew it was a PIA. I decided to tackle the water pump job I needed to do myself to save $ as my finances aren't as good as they used to be. Anyway, I didn't intend to replace the belt, but I forgot to reset the belt when I was done and when I started the engine, guess what, it broke the belt. Since I was already dirty and had the tools out, as well as thinking this aught be be something I know how to do as this is a backwoods truck, I went to work.

The green belt went behind the tensioner just fine, but I put it in the wrong way. for the life of me I couldn't get it back out so I CUT A BRANDNEW GATES GREEN BELT:{ and drove to O'reilly's for a new one and another spare to boot. Now even poorer, I managed to get the new belt on and all is now good to go. I should have paid attention to the advice that the ridges go TOWARDS THE BLOCK.

Yes, I would do the water pump again since I know how to do it now, and I am glad for the new knowledge about how to install a belt. I can tell you that if I break one in the boonies, we are camping right there because I am NOT going to try this on a hot engine. It also occurs to me that I don't carry my 24" torque ratchet with me camping and I would have no way to move the tensioner without it. Simple solution: 24" flex head ratchet is on order and will stay with the truck, spare belt and page from the manual with the routing diagram.

Peace