I've removed the cruise control module out of the way. loosened the bolts and tensioner for the power steering and was able to get that belt off to get to the alternator belt. I loosened the top and bottom bolt on the the alternator and loosened the tensioner to the point where it almost falls off. Yet the alternator barely moves. Definately not enough to slip off the old belt and put on a new one. Everyone says its so easy theres like no right ups for my year yet I can't figure this out. I even checked the haynes book(i know they suck) and it literally just says loosen the tensioner. Can anyone help?

 

Take the PS pump off if you need to - it will help. You might need to tap the alt with a rubber mallet or maybe even spray some PB Blaster on the bolts. Mine was a little bit rusty and stuck when I did not touch it for 5 years.

If they are so rusted and stuck, then take the tension bolt off, slide the lower bolt out the back and then move it around. If you do this, clean the parts and put some grease on them.

 

my alternator has some play since i loosened everything. It's just not enough to remove the belt. So I dont think it's stuck I just think I'm missing something. How many bolts are on the alternator? I got the top one thats right behind PS pump pulley and the lower one under the alternator pulley.( That one was a bitch)

 

Yes, there are 2. The one on top is easy... it is like 14MM. The one on the bottom holds the arm that the tensioner bolt goes into... something like 12MM. That bolt on the bottom will sometimes get stuck and not slide right - take it out if you need to.

The alt should slide far enough towards the engine to take all of the slack out of the tensioner bolt.

Did you happen to remove the wrong tensioner bolt? There are 2 - one that bolts the tensioner bracket onto the Alt bracket (passenger side)... and one that operates the tensioner (driver side). The alternator tensioner is backwards from the PS tensioner. Could it be that you loosened the passenger side bolt instead? I have done this before just trying to go too fast.

 

If your lookin down at the Alternator from the front of the car and see the 2 bolts for the tensioner the right one is the one that is basically off. I'll try removing the bottom bolt and see if that helps. I just dont wanna take something off that'll help me get the belt off but then when i get the new one on theres to much tension to put the bolt back

 

Had to undo the tensioner from the bracket(left screw) to finally get it off but it worked and I left the tensioner screw(right one) in a lil so I didnt have to fight to find the hole later