How to Change a Serpentine Belt on a 2001 Dodge Caravan

Changing the serpentine belt on your 2001 Dodge Caravan can be done with just a few basic tools. The serpentine belt controls all of the accessories on the front of the engine, including the alternator, water pump, air conditioner pump, power steering pump and the crankshaft. Once the belt starts to crack, this increases the chances of it breaking. A broken serpentine belt will cause the engine to shut down and be impossible to crank. You can replace the serpentine belt on your 2001 Dodge Caravan in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

• Adjustable wrench
• Ratchet
• 15 mm socket
• Replacement serpentine belt

Instructions

1. Park the van on a level surface and pop the hood. Locate the serpentine belt routing diagram on top of the plastic fan shroud. The serpentine belt routing diagram will give you the proper direction for routing the new belt across the pulleys. If you do not see the serpentine belt routing diagram, take a notepad and pen and draw out the exact routing direction of the old belt across the pulleys. This will be your guide for installing the new belt.

2. Crawl under the front of the van and remove the plastic splash shield that protects the engine from road debris. The splash shield is directly under the front of the engine. Remove the small bolts with an adjustable wrench. Slide the plastic shield out from under the van. Removing the bottom plastic shield will make it easier for you to access the belt tensioner and the crankshaft pulley.

3. Locate the serpentine belt tensioner on the front of the engine. The serpentine tensioner on the 2001 Dodge Caravan is located on the front passenger side of the engine. The belt tensioner is directly below the alternator. The tensioner is a spring-loaded component with a pulley attached to it. The tensioner is what keeps the belt tight across the pulleys.

4. Put the ratchet with the 15 mm socket onto the bolt head in the center of the belt tensioner pulley from underneath the van. Turn the belt tensioner clockwise to relieve the tension from the belt. With your other hand, slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley. Release the belt tensioner and finish removing the belt from the remaining puleys.

5. Route the new belt across the crankshaft pulley first. The crankshaft pulley is on the very bottom of the engine in the center. Then follow the routing directions on the belt routing diagram. Make sure to leave the belt tensioner pulley for last.

6. Turn the belt tensioner clockwise again with the ratchet and 15 mm socket. Slide the belt over the top of the belt tensioner pulley. Release the belt tensioner. The tensioner will tighten the belt to the proper tension. Inspect the belt to make sure it is correctly routed across the pulleys.

7. Crank the engine. Inspect the belt again to make sure that the belt is completely seated into the pulleys. Then turn the engine off.

8. Reinstall the plastic shield on the bottom of the engine. Close the hood.

Tips & Warnings

• On the 2001 Dodge Caravan, the serpentine belt is easier to replace from the bottom of the engine than the top of the engine.

References

• "Haynes Repair Manual: Complete Repair Guide: 1996-2002 Dodge Caravan;" Henderson; 2000

Resources

• AutoZone
• 2CarPros: Dodge Caravan Repair Questions and Answers