Need urgent help on an 03 cobra!!

[Mustang Muscle]

I am trying to replace the serpentine belt in the cobra and im trying to get the pulley in front of the harmonic balancer off but it wont budge...

[Irish]

Why are you trying to get the pulley off?

[Yeehaw]

should just be a tensioner?

[Reverend Cooper]

there is a arm that has a pull on it it takes a wrench or ratchet to make it move to losen the tension on the belt

[RanJer]

there is a arm that has a pull on it it takes a wrench or ratchet to make it move to losen the tension on the belt

Otherwise known as "tensioner"

[Irish]

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/vasa58/Cooling/BeltTensioner.jpg

[Irish]

googled, is that it?

[Reverend Cooper]

Otherwise known as "tensioner"

right but he obvioulsy doesnt know what a tensioner is,so if i describe it to him he will see it on the car. durr

[Yeehaw]

keep in mind leo is 17 and prolly still getting to learn his cars.

it should have a belt diagram, the tensioner should move to the right or passenger side

[RanJer]

Leo, where you at in Milwaukee? If you can't figure it out... let me know, I'm in Stallis and bored.

[HITMAN]

The tensioner you are looking for is at the top passenger side front of the engine. Use a 1/2 ratchet, stick the square drive right into the tensioner and crank clockwise.

The bottom drive pulley? Why are you removing that? Did you buy a larger overdrive unit? If so, it should have come with the special hex drive to remove the pulley/cage. You have to turn clockwise, and you will need a piece of pipe to put over your BREAKER BAR. BTW, the amount of torque needed to break this thing loose is unreal. I thought my Mac breaker bar was going to snap...

[Rocket Power]

keep in mind leo is 17 and prolly still getting to learn his cars.

it should have a belt diagram, the tensioner should move to the right or passenger side

17 with a Cobra????? I wouldn't want to pay that insurance bill:stare

[udlose98]

man I hope you didnt torque on that thing too hard....

[Yeehaw]

The tensioner you are looking for is at the top passenger side front of the engine. Use a 1/2 ratchet, stick the square drive right into the tensioner and crank clockwise.

The bottom drive pulley? Why are you removing that? Did you buy a larger overdrive unit? If so, it should have come with the special hex drive to remove the pulley/cage. You have to turn counterclockwise, and you will need a piece of pipe to put over your BREAKER BAR. BTW, the amount of torque needed to break this thing loose is unreal. I thought my Mac breaker bar was going to snap...

he is trying to change the serp belt do these cars run a seperate belt for the supercharger? or am i mistakin? i know my sc has a 3 belt system

[HITMAN]

he is trying to change the serp belt do these cars run a seperate belt for the supercharger? or am i mistakin? i know my sc has a 3 belt system

Yes, the S/C belt drives the blower, the idlers and the alternator. Then there is another belt behind the S/C drive that runs the water pump, power steering and A/C.

Which belt is he trying to change?

[HITMAN]

The tensioner for the S/C pulley is partially visible in the pic. The portion that is hidden underneath the upper radiator hose is what you are looking for.

http://www.billetflow.com/shetheri001.jpg

[lordairgtar]

Sheesh Hitman, I don't think I'd even want to undertake that belt change. Lots of stuff in the way. Hope someone can help him out.

[HITMAN]

It's not that bad. It looks a lot more intimidating than it is. It really got easy after I saw Marv change one.:thumbsup

I should mention I have like 2 or 3 stock length belts laying around here. Just in case someone might need one...

[Mustang Muscle]

thanks for all the input fellas. im trying to change the second serpentine belt. its a two belt system and i went through3 ratchets. in order to replace the belt its just that one pulley that needs to get off. i think its a crank pulley. im in milwaukee like on 15th and walker...

[lordairgtar]

I guess once you've seen the work performed, it might be easy. Machines at work take me the longest time to figure out. The boss tosses me a manual and says "play with it".

[Yeehaw]

leo if this can wait im off tomorrow me and jer can prolly swing by tomorrow night when he gets off and can take a look at it

[Mustang Muscle]

well ill keep stabbin at it. and if i make no progress ill let you guys know. i mean the first belt is off and it was easy its just this friggin pulley.

[Yeehaw]

alright just pm me on here or facebook bro

[udlose98]

wish i still had it, id run down and take a look. It cant be the crank pulley that needs to come out though. If that were the case, How would you re install it with the new belt. There would be too much tension and it would never go back into place.

[HITMAN]

thanks for all the input fellas. im trying to change the second serpentine belt. its a two belt system and i went through3 ratchets. in order to replace the belt its just that one pulley that needs to get off. i think its a crank pulley. im in milwaukee like on 15th and walker...

You'll need a 14mm hex, a 1/2" breaker bar, about a 4 ft length of pipe, and some muscle. Also, you'll have to remove the pulley cage bolts first. The thing is a bitch to break loose, but it can be done. Just remember, clockwise. Once you break the lower loose, you rotate the whole pulley to unscrew it. It's kind of an ingenious design, as the rotation of the engine ends up tightening the lower pulley, which I why it's such a bear to break loose. Also, that cage design basically supports the front of the crank, so that the belt tension doesn't end up wearing out your front bearing or snapping the nose of the crank off. Something to keep in mind when considering an aftermarket lower pulley...

[udlose98]

You'll need a 14mm hex, a 1/2" breaker bar, about a 4 ft length of pipe, and some muscle. Also, you'll have to remove the pulley cage bolts first. The thing is a bitch to break loose, but it can be done. Just remember, counterclockwise. Once you break the lower loose, you rotate the whole pulley to unscrew it. It's kind of an ingenious design, as the rotation of the engine ends up tightening the lower pulley, which I why it's such a bear to break loose. Also, that cage design basically supports the front of the crank, so that the belt tension doesn't end up wearing out your front bearing or snapping the nose of the crank off. Something to keep in mind when considering an aftermarket lower pulley...

hmm I stand corrected, still dont understand how you would get it back on after replacing the belt.

[HITMAN]

You know, you might be able to pull that belt without removing the lower pulley/cage. Maybe, if you remove the cage bolts and the one idler that is bolted to the cage, you might be able to rotate the cage around enough to be able to work the belt off from the bottom. I really don't know for sure, as I never had to change the inner belt on my car. I just remember the lower pulley deal from when I put my Metco set-up on.

[HITMAN]

hmm I stand corrected, still dont understand how you would get it back on after replacing the belt.

You line the pulley up, start the threads and reverse the process. HOLY FUCK I am an idiot. It's Clockwise to remove, counterclockwise to thread it back on! The threads are reversed, hence the engine rotation tightening the pulley once it's re-attached.

[HITMAN]

ATTENTION! Inaccurate information was given. To break the lower pulley loose, you have to go CLOCKWISE. I forgot that the threads are reverse rotation/left handed. Sorry, dude it's been a little while since I did it.

[animal]

Assuming lightnings are similar setups, like they said, clockwise to remove. Put the allen in place and breaker bar pointing towards the drivers wheel, slip the pipe over it, and stand on it. Usually it'll break loose... usually. lol. Also heard of good luck with the opposite, point it at the passenger side and jack the wrench upwards with your floor jack.

Heh, gotta love the caged lowers. I don't subscribe to the "run a caged pulley so the bearings don't wear out." philosophy though. there's lightning guys that have run uncaged lowers for 100k+ miles without issue. The reason they're like that from the factory is because the stock lower pulley is like 15 lbs with all the rubber damping in it. Aftermarket uncaged pullies are like 1-2lb... and you can change the rear belt without problems.

[HITMAN]

Heh, gotta love the caged lowers. I don't subscribe to the "run a caged pulley so the bearings don't wear out." philosophy though. there's lightning guys that have run uncaged lowers for 100k+ miles without issue. The reason they're like that from the factory is because the stock lower pulley is like 15 lbs with all the rubber damping in it. Aftermarket uncaged pullies are like 1-2lb.

I never had any trouble with my Metco either, but it's still a sound idea. With an aftermarket tensioner and some real pressure cranked on it to stop belt slip, you could potentially have some issues. I've seen worn front bearings, twisted keyways, and I saw Billy Edwards front lower pulley pass his car up at US41 drags back in the 90's. The nose of the crank was still attached to it...

[HITMAN]

Assuming lightnings are similar setups, like they said, clockwise to remove. Put the allen in place and breaker bar pointing towards the drivers wheel, slip the pipe over it, and stand on it. Usually it'll break loose... usually. lol. Also heard of good luck with the opposite, point it at the passenger side and jack the wrench upwards with your floor jack.



With a Cobra, you don't have a ton of room. I had mine about as far to the left of center vertical as I could get it. I then applied all the muscle I could (plus 300+lbs of too much pizza and pasta :rolf) and when I thought the head of the breaker bar would snap, it came loose. It's a good idea to put a blanket or pad in between the fender and the breaker. One slip and you'll be crying over a pretty good kink in the driver's side fender... :puke

[70 cutlass 442]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but wtf is a 17 year old kid doing with a termy? :goof

[Irish]

Living the high life!

[animal]

Living the high life!
WERD! :thumbsup

http://www.iheartcleveland.com/ihc/blog/uploaded_images/medium_z-highlife0624-780951.jpg

[u_say_go]

It's a good idea to put a blanket or pad in between the fender and the breaker. One slip and you'll be crying over a pretty good kink in the driver's side fender... :puke
that and some mangled digits!
Like Hitman said, use a breaker bar, not a ratchet. You'll bust those things all day long.

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

God I love these cars !!!!!

I have 50k on my inner belt I think I'm going top go another summer on it, serp belts last seeminly forever in lower power transmission situations.

[Mustang Muscle]

Problem Solved! Thanks for all the help though.:headbang:banana