Anyone have a site that tells you how to remove the belt tensioner assembely on a 99 firebird 3.8. Or can you just tell me step by step.

 

It is reverse threaded. Get a breaker bar and turn the tensioner counterclockwise, as if to loosen a regular bolt. This will remove tension from the belt so that you may remove it. Now turn clockwise to pull the bolt and tensioner off. Reverse the process to install the new tensioner.

 

Sorry if I confused you, I know how to take the belt off. I need to know how to take the whole assembly off because the belt falls off ,and I can push it down easily with my hand.

 

 

I need to replace mine too, I'm just curious but are there any light weight pullies/tensioner proven to have gains? if so where can I find them?

 

ttt

 

there are underdrive crank pullies made for your car, (well not for the F-body , but the FWD 3.8L's ... however their under drive crank pullies work on the F-body)

ive never heard of a light weight tensioner pulley

and turbostud, why the TTT?? did Javelin's post not clear it up?

 

Where is all this lightweight pully stuff coming from?? All I want is to know is how to replace the whole tensioner assembly it is broke. Once agian how do you take the old bad tensioner and replace it with a good one. I dont need to replace just the pulley, I need to relace the whole thing. Does that make sense now?

 

Lordy.

Remove belt.

Turn the bolt on the tensioner clockwise. That would be the OPPOSITE of lefty-loosey.

Remove tensioner.

Place new tensioner.

Turn bolt counterclockwise. That WOULD be lefty-loosey. Turn until the tensioner gives enough to replace the belt.

Perhaps you should have a certified mechanic work on your car from now on. Or buy a Haynes manual.

 

WOW! you really don't know what your talking about. You are talking about just taking the pulley off. I'm talking about the whole friggin tensioner. There is a difference between just the tensioner and the pulley, two different things. The tensioner is on a bracket and has the spring that makes the tension. Heater hoses are conected to the bracket. I'm just trying to see what all is involved in this, and JoshMcMadMac please don't respond anymore. I need to talk to some one that knows what a belt tensioner is and has done this before. Come on dude this is basic car stuff.

 

im jsut gonna try and help here, im guessing that the tensioner is similar on the 3.8 to the 3.4 , if you take the pulley off then there are probably bolts that hold the tensioner braket onto the motor, if the pulley is off then you can get to the bolts that hold the tensioner on... hopefully that helps

 

Yes it is. And it being so simple, why is there an issue with it?

Here is a website:
http://kansas.no-ip.com/tensioner/tensioner.html

I did this awhile back, and I think it was easier to remove the pulley, and then try to get to the bolts. It could have been another car, though, so use your own judgement with need to remove the pulley. I don't know what else you want, man. I don't know if there is any major difference between your Pontiac and the Camaro I did it on, but I would imagine there is. Most tensioners work the same way. Perhaps I should have been even more discriptive in my explaination:

Remove tensionerby pulling the bolts that hold it in place, most likely two of them..

Place new tensioner in the opposite fashion of removal.


Does this clear things up? I still suggest getting a Haynes manual; not just for this project, but upkeep of the vehicle in general.

 

If you read my first post the car is a 99 3.8 not a 3.4. The tensioner is way different than a 3.4. The camaro and firebird are the exact same engine. I know how to do it for the 3.4 just two bolts ,but this is a whole different setup. It has heater hoses conected to the tensioner assembley and it also looks like you might have to take off the waterpump. You got any other sites on a 3.8?? I've done the 3.4 before it was really easy if you get a chance sometime look at the tensioner on a 99-02 3.8 its a huge thing with heater hoses coming out of it. Sorry if you got confused its a 99 firebird 3.8.