change drive belts

How difficult is it to change drive belts on a '93 9000 CSE 2.0 LPT?

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen
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Pretty straightforward. Worth doing the idler pulley at the same time.

Reply to
Grunff

Are you talking about the serpentine belt?

Reply to
Yaofeng

I want to replace both belts before winter. I've read in Haynes that it's best to remove wheel plus plastic wing lining to get access.

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen

I didn't know there were two. AFAIK there's only one serpentine belt, which drives the water pump, alternator, PS pump and AC compressor if fitted. What is the second belt you're talking about?

Yes, it makes life much easier if you remove the inner wheel arch (plastic panel).

Reply to
Grunff

There is a change point in 93 on the type of tensioner fitted; If you have a seperate belt for the AC then it is straight forward, but if you have just one belt then the tensioner is a hydraulic one working on the blind cylinder principle and requires an amount of caution if you do not have the tool to compress the tensioner. Warning: If you undo the wrong bolt you may be in danger of chopping the ends of your fingers of or at least being trapped by the fingers until someone comes along to rescue you. If it has the hydraulic tensioner you can compress it by putting a lever on the ribbed side of the belt between the crank damper and the water pump and levering the belt down using a suitable leverage point. pull slowly to compress the tensioner and when fully compressed use an industrial type cable tie round the tensioner to hold it closed, do not use a standard width one, use one of the 1/2 inch wide ones and mind yer fingers.Regards Tom.

Reply to
Saabtech

It it a B202 and has a separate belt for the AC, exactly as the picture on Haynes page 1.11 . There is no problem at the moment, but I don't like the look of the drive belt. Space is very cramped unless I gain access through the wing.

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen

That's what I thought. There is only one belt. Unless it is an older model 9k.

If there's way not to take the plastic arch off, I'd like to know.

In any case, I found the easiest way is to use a 1/2" drive, 18" breaker bar with a 19mm socket to compress the tensioner from the top for removal and installation of the belt after the arch has been removed. Haynes may say otherwise, refering to the standard procedure suggested by SAAB.

Reply to
Yaofeng

The twin belt one with the mechanical adjuster can be done fairly easily without removing the wheel arch panel, put the radiator header tank to one side which improves access to the ac belt, once the ac belt is off the rest is fairly simple. It is a good idea to draw a map of the other belt to aid reffitting. Regards Tom.

Reply to
Saabtech

Thanks for info. I have ignored the belts for a long while since the car is so reliable and just run and run. How long can you expect the belts to last?

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen

[...]

Only thing left is to source the drivebelt from somewhere. I was puzzled looking at a site where the Saab drivebelt for my Saab model '93 9000 was listed about £30 while Saab 900 was only £7. Then I went to look in the Local Halfords branch and found that their drivebelt for my Saab model was £6. Anybody knows what's the difference and why this price difference?

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen

I have had good luck with Continental belts. I have had bad luck with cheap ones. I am not familiar with the install in your 93, but if it does have a serpentine belt with a hydraulic under spring tensioner (like my '95 and '97), keep in mind that the force it exerts back on you when you compress it is also due to how fast you compress it. Be very deliberate and very slow or you may strip out the LH threaded nut on the tensioner. If this does not make too much sense, then you have a different stensioner. I am unfamiliar with the 2.0 in the 9k.

KeithG

Reply to
KeithG

I've ordered the expensive Saab belts, so now I'll sit back and wait.

Reply to
Johannes H Andersen

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