How to Tighten the Tension Pulley in a 1997 Saturn SL

The tension pulley for the serpentine belt on a 1997 Saturn SL is called an "automatic tensioner pulley." This means there are no adjustments that can be made externally or internally to increase or decrease the amount of tension it creates for the belt. There is an internal spring that automatically provides the proper tension to the belt and after time, this spring may fail. The only way to tighten or adjust the tension from the tension pulley is to replace the pulley.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Long-handled 14-mm box end/open end combination wrench
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 3/8-inch drive deep socket set
• Telescopic magnet

How to Tighten the Tension Pulley in a 1997 Saturn SL

1. Open the hood to the Saturn SL and locate the serpentine belt routing diagram on the front engine frame rail. This diagram will show you where the tensioner pulley is in comparison to the others. You will need to refer to it to make sure the belt is aligned properly when it comes time to place the belt back on.

2. Stand on the side of the right fender of the Saturn SL located in front of the belt and pulleys. Locate the tensioner pulley according to the belt routing diagram. Different applications of Saturn SLs (for example, with power steering and air conditioning or without power steering or air conditioning or any variety thereof) may place the automatic belt tensioner in slightly different locations. As you will note from the room between the engine and the interior fender well, you have an extremely limited amount of room to work. This is why the telescopic magnet will come in handy; you're going to drop a wrench and need to retrieve it from the bottom of the splash shield.

3. Place the box end of the long-handled 14-mm wrench onto the center bolt of the automatic tensioner and turn it clockwise. This will relieve the tension on the belt. Take the belt off the upper-right hand pulley only (unless you're replacing the belt as well) toward the front of the car. Allow the tension to go back and remove the wrench.

4. Slip the back of the serpentine belt off the tensioner. Locate the two bolts on the flange of the tensioner and remove them, using the ratchet and a deep socket. If you need more room to get to the bolts, you could remove the pulley wheel off the automatic belt tensioner by placing the 14-mm long-handled wrench back onto the center bolt of the pulley but turn counterclockwise and remove the bolt and pulley.

5. Install the new belt tensionser, replace the bolts, threading them in by hand at first and then tightening with the ratchet and socket. This is going to be challenging due to the lack of room in the cavity you're working. Place the 14-mm wrench back onto the center bolt of the tensioner pulley and turn clockwise to release the tension and reapply the belt to the upper pulley and on top of the tensioner or replace the belt, according to the belt routing diagram.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the grooves of the serpentine belt line up with the grooves of the pulleys before starting the engine. There is not a lot of room for error with the belt because the tension relieved when the tensioner is moved clockwise is not all that much, so if the belt is not fitting correctly, it is most likely misaligned on another pulley in the routing.

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