How to Remove an Escort Wagon Alternator Tension Belt
The Escort wagon's alternator tension belt is also called the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt is one complete belt that controls all of the pulleys on the front of the engine. These pulleys include: the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioner pump, water pump and the crank shaft. Once the serpentine belt starts to crack across the ribs of the belt, it will need to be replaced before it breaks.
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Things You'll Need
- 1/2-inch drive pull bar
- 1/2-inch drive 13 mm socket
- Replacement serpentine belt
Instructions
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1
Open the hood of your Escort and locate the serpentine belt routing diagram on the top of the plastic fan shroud that covers the radiator. If you do not see the serpentine belt routing diagram, take a notepad and pen and sketch out the exact routing direction of the belt around the pulleys.
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2
Locate the serpentine belt tensioner on the front of the engine. The tensioner is located in the center of the engine or underneath the power steering pump. The tensioner will have a big spring-loaded arm on one end and a pulley on the other. The tensioner will have either a 1/2-inch square hole at the top of the spring-loaded arm or a 13 mm bolt head in the center of the tensioner pulley.
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3
Rotate the serpentine belt tensioner clockwise to relieve the tension from the serpentine belt. If the tensioner has the 1/2-inch square hole at the top of the tensioner, slide the square end of a 1/2-inch drive pull bar inside it and turn it clockwise. If the tensioner has a 13 mm bolt head in the center of the tensioner pulley, use the 1/2-inch drive pull bar and a 1/2-inch drive 13mm socket to turn the tensioner clockwise.
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4
Slide the serpentine belt off of the tensioner pulley. Release the tensioner.
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5
Remove the serpentine belt from the remaining pulleys then remove it from the engine compartment.
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6
Route the new serpentine belt around the bottom crankshaft pulley first.
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Route the serpentine belt around the remaining pulleys as directed by the serpentine belt routing diagram or refer to your sketch. Leave the alternator pulley for last.
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8
Turn the tensioner clockwise with one hand and slide the new serpentine belt over the top of the alternator pulley with the other hand.
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9
Release the belt tensioner and it will pull the slack out of the belt. Inspect the belt to ensure that it is inside all of the pulleys and that it is evenly under the idler pulleys.
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10
Crank the engine and inspect the serpentine belt, as the engine is running, to make sure that it stays seated inside of all of the pulleys. Turn the engine off.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also purchase a serpentine belt removal/installation tool for removing and installing the serpentine belt on a Ford Escort wagon at most auto parts stores.
Make sure that the serpentine belt is completely seated inside of all of the pulleys or it could come out when you are driving down the road and leave you stranded.
