serpentine belt adjustment, '90 T-Bird

cs wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

You mean like the 3.8?

Truly a PITA but >>>> carefully

Sounds like a 3.8. The tensioner is down low on the motor and is spring loaded. It takes a long 15 or 18mm wrench to swing it up to remove the belt.

anybody out there know how to adjust the serpentine belt on a '90 T-Bird? I'm replacing the alternator, and even with the top tensioner removed the belt is so freaking tight, I can't get the bolts into the alternator. There has to be an adjustment, yet I can't seem to figure out where, unless it is the torx bolt on the bottom tensioner, i.e., where one would have to be a contortionist with a whole lot more of hours in the gym than I've got.

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Recheck the belt routing.

Don't try to bolt the alternator on under tension. Remove the belt, bolt the alternator on, loosen/rotate the tensioner(s) enough to slip the belt on the alternator, then tighten/release.

Good luck.

Rodan.

yep, there's your winner, I own this one. a pain wth regular tools, you'd be doing yourself a big favor by using a serpentine belt tool.. autozone does loan them, basically a flat 2ft breaker bar with the sockets to fit different tensioners.. only like $20 to buy outright, well worth it if your gonna own this long..

Pull the tensioner over with a 1/2" breaker bar at the square 1/2" hole in the tensioner bracket. Take the belt OFF the alternator pulley, THEN change the alternator complete, THEN replace the belt using the breaker bar & tensioner.