1. Gather the necessary tools and parts.
- New alternator belt (refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for the correct part number)
- Socket wrench set
- Extension bar (if needed)
- Pliers
2. Prepare the vehicle.
- Park your car on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
3. Locate the alternator belt.
- Open the hood of your vehicle.
- The alternator is usually located at the front of the engine, driven by a belt connected to the crankshaft pulley.
- The alternator belt is typically a ribbed belt and may have a tensioner.
4. Loosen the belt tensioner.
- Use the socket wrench to loosen the bolt or nut holding the belt tensioner in place.
- This may involve sliding the tensioner in one direction or another to relieve the tension on the belt.
5. Remove the old belt.
- With the tensioner loosened, slip the old alternator belt off the pulleys.
6. Install the new belt.
- Place the new alternator belt around the pulleys, starting with the crankshaft pulley.
- Make sure that the belt is seated properly in the grooves of the pulleys.
7. Adjust the belt tension.
- Retighten the belt tensioner until the belt has about 1/2 to 3/4 inches of play when pressed in between the pulleys.
- The tension may require fine adjustment to ensure the correct amount of deflection, as indicated in the vehicle's repair manual.
8. Tighten the tensioner.
- Once the proper belt tension is achieved, tighten the belt tensioner bolt or nut securely.
9. Double-check the belt.
- After installing the new belt, manually rotate the engine a few times (usually by hand or using a wrench on the crankshaft bolt) to ensure that the belt is properly seated and does not slip, make any necessary adjustments.
10. Close the hood and start the vehicle.
- Verify that the alternator is charging the correctly by referring to the vehicle's charging system indicators.
