Just replaced my Serpentine belt and it was very easy. Here is a quick DIY for you guys...

1. Serpentine belt from your favorite parts store. Got mine at Carquest part #K070810 for $38.31.

2. 10mm socket or wrench

3. 1/2" breaker bar

4. 6mm Hex wrench




Step 1 - Remove the coolant overflow tank by removing the two 10mm bolts and unplugging the tubes as shown. Pull straight up and out. Comes out VERY easy and place on ground making sure it doesn't tip over or spill.



Step 2 - Place 1/2" breaker bar into slot in auto tensioner pulley



Step 3 - Rotate counter clockwise and stick the hex wrench through the holding boss to lock the auto-tensioner pulley arm.



Step 4 - Remove old belt



Step 5 - Install new belt as picture shows and make sure all groves on belt match up with all pulleys





Step 6 - Insert breaker bar and remove hex wrench to apply tension to belt and make sure everything is aligned and tight.


Step 7 - Install overflow tank and you are all done.


The whole process takes about 15 minutes. No need to jack up the car or remove anything under the car. Quick and easy DIY maintenance.

 

Very nice write up Thank You..

 

+1

on a side note.... good call on replacing it, looks like your belt was in pretty bad shape

 

Mine just went... good write up thank you!

 

damn! your belt looks pretty chewed up. How many miles did you have on your Z?

 

Looks like dirty hair haha

But great write up.

 

my car had only 43k on it. It was all tangled around the crank pulley. Been on about 2000 miles without any issues at all

 

Wow I just did belts on a 2004 max with original belts at 120k that didnt look half as bad as those lol.

 

thats nothing, I was driving to work today and my belt blew, no power steering, A/c and battery was dying. Having it towed as I write this. This shouldnlt be happening at 17,000 miles. Anybody else having this issue on their hr's?

 

Doing mine today and I have 38k on it. Seems like an HR issue.

 

I read a few weeks ago an article on some aftermarket belts that are supposed to be much sturdier than OEM ones. I forgot the brand-name, but they're made out of some new material which is more resistant to friction, high temps, oil, etc. If anyone here knows about it, please post it! BTW, I'm NOT too familiar with the terms "HR" and "VQ", so enlighten me, dudes. I own an '04.5 Touring Coupe Z with 23,700+k; should I be concerned with this issue or should I just check the serp' belt to see how it looks? So far, the only repair I've had to do is the driver's side power window motor replacement ($160.00 at one of the few "Western Auto" stores left down here).

 

vq is our engine vq35de in the 03-06 and 07-08 has a vq35hr

 

Thanks, kramykram! BTW, I actually found out about the sturdier serp' belt I mentioned in my previous post: It's "EPDM". I'm gonna try to see if they have 'em in stock down here. Back to the "type-of-engine thing", what do "HR" and "VQ" stand for?

 

my HR was in at 20k miles and is going back in next week with 35k miles for the same issue...at 20k they blamed it on and replaced the a/c clutch because they said it was out of spec....i guess that wasnt the problem. has anyone found the root of the problem or are you just going to keep replacing the belt every 20k miles?

 

nice write up and mine makes alot of noise does that mean they r going bad?

 

yes i have an hr sorry

 

Someone PM a mod to sticky this.

 

Okay.....
30,000 miles and my engine belt shredded into hair for a 3rd time!

First time: Dealership just didnt know what happened so they just replaced the belt.
It was good for a little while.

Second time: Dealership said it was the A/C compressor and it froze or something causing the belt to force itself around the pulleys.
It was good for exactly 1 year and 2 months.

Third time: Did it again and now its time for me to figure it out or sell this lemon.

 

i went through the same progression with mine. this last time in they replaced the belt tensioner, so time will tell if its fixed.....good luck

 

Okay just looked at my paperwork.

4k miles = replaced AC compressor assembly and belt.
11k miles = replaced tensioner and belt.
30k miles = pending...

sorry for posting incorrect before, just work has been overloaded so my memory was shot.