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Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
#769844 January 18th 2021 8:21 pm
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 251
phils Offline OP
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Hi Guys

How do you properly un-tension the belt tensioner on the engine to get the belt off? The service manual states "Use a 1/2 inch breaker bar with a socket placed on the tensioner pully axis bolt and rotate the tensioner to the left"

I'm not understanding this. Is it referring to the bolt that holds the actual tensioner to the engine block if so rotating it to the left will just unscrew the bolt OR is it referring to the bolt that holds the actual pully wheel onto the tensioner? if so then 1) I can't seem to get a breaker bar onto it as its to high up and pipes and frame in the way 2) surely rotating to the left will also unscrew this bolt?

I can use a pry-bar to move it back but that damages the pulley wheel too much.

any ideas?


1994 5.7l Chevy G30 LWB & 2001 Landrover Defender 90 Truck Cab


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Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
phils #769846 January 18th 2021 9:33 pm
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Thats what it says in my FSM exactly ... so I would think its the bolt in the block ... it does say not to let the tensioner to fly free , may result in damage to tensioner. 1 bolt stops the radial movement the other bolt holds everything tight

I would loosen THE BLOCK BOLT a LITTLE till you can push on the belt to get some slop in the belt...

DONT DO THE BOLT FOR THE PULLEY !


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
phils #769854 January 19th 2021 12:50 am
Joined: Jul 2014
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Uncle Rust N Dents
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Wait... Wait...

It's a 5.7.
The belt tensioner is just spring loaded.
There's no bolt that's holding the belt tight.
The bolt at the block holds the tensioner assembly to the block.
The bolt on the pulley holds the the pulley to the tensioner, but is also used to relax the tension on the belt.
Don't loosen the bolt at the block.
The bolt on the pulley is the one you want.
Get on that with a wrench or socket and twist it like you're going to loosen the bolt.
You won't loosen the bolt, you'll just relieve the spring tension on the belt.
You'll see what I mean when you start pulling on it.

I just went out and made sure of this on my own van.
Mine's a '92, but the same part number for the tensioner shows over several years and models for the 5.7, so I'm pretty sure it's just like yours.


[Linked Image from farm3.staticflickr.com]
1 member likes this: NateB
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
phils #769859 January 19th 2021 2:32 am
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This is common on a lot of vehicles. My Ford explorer is just the same, one of the pulleys it has a 1/2 square hole in it, i just put a ratchet in the in the female hole and pull , you can feel it compress the spring and everything goes floppy!


1988 B250 Conversion Van
https://i.imgur.com/uQPPuqo.jpg
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
frscke1 #769860 January 19th 2021 5:21 am
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phils Offline OP
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Originally Posted by frscke1
Thats what it says in my FSM exactly ... so I would think its the bolt in the block ... it does say not to let the tensioner to fly free , may result in damage to tensioner. 1 bolt stops the radial movement the other bolt holds everything tight

I would loosen THE BLOCK BOLT a LITTLE till you can push on the belt to get some slop in the belt...

DONT DO THE BOLT FOR THE PULLEY !

You cant do that frscke, there is a tab on the face of the tensioner that keys into a hole in the engine block so this stops the tensioner rotating anti-clockwise.


1994 5.7l Chevy G30 LWB & 2001 Landrover Defender 90 Truck Cab


[Linked Image]
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
Rusty Pancelode #769861 January 19th 2021 5:24 am
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phils Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Rusty_Pancelode
Wait... Wait...

It's a 5.7.
The belt tensioner is just spring loaded.
There's no bolt that's holding the belt tight.
The bolt at the block holds the tensioner assembly to the block.
The bolt on the pulley holds the the pulley to the tensioner, but is also used to relax the tension on the belt.
Don't loosen the bolt at the block.
The bolt on the pulley is the one you want.
Get on that with a wrench or socket and twist it like you're going to loosen the bolt.
You won't loosen the bolt, you'll just relieve the spring tension on the belt.
You'll see what I mean when you start pulling on it.

I just went out and made sure of this on my own van.
Mine's a '92, but the same part number for the tensioner shows over several years and models for the 5.7, so I'm pretty sure it's just like yours.


Rusty ill give this a bash with a wrench. I didn't try it as there was no room to get a breaker bar on it as per service manual and also thought it would undo the bolt but I guess the rotational force applied is not strong enough to loosen the bolt but enough to rotate the tensioner??


1994 5.7l Chevy G30 LWB & 2001 Landrover Defender 90 Truck Cab


[Linked Image]
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
Rusty Pancelode #769875 January 19th 2021 11:34 am
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N
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Originally Posted by Rusty_Pancelode
Wait... Wait...

It's a 5.7.
The belt tensioner is just spring loaded.
There's no bolt that's holding the belt tight.
The bolt at the block holds the tensioner assembly to the block.
The bolt on the pulley holds the the pulley to the tensioner, but is also used to relax the tension on the belt.
Don't loosen the bolt at the block.
The bolt on the pulley is the one you want.
Get on that with a wrench or socket and twist it like you're going to loosen the bolt.
You won't loosen the bolt, you'll just relieve the spring tension on the belt.
You'll see what I mean when you start pulling on it.

I just went out and made sure of this on my own van.
Mine's a '92, but the same part number for the tensioner shows over several years and models for the 5.7, so I'm pretty sure it's just like yours.

Yepper! My '93 is the same way.


Nate Breece
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
phils #769876 January 19th 2021 11:40 am
Joined: Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by phils
You cant do that frscke, there is a tab on the face of the tensioner that keys into a hole in the engine block so this stops the tensioner rotating anti-clockwise.

I keep forgettin that yours is a 350 and not a 454 .... thats what I looked up .... sry for the miss info


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
Re: Removing Serpentine belt - G30 Belt tensioner
frscke1 #769925 January 20th 2021 8:19 am
Joined: May 2012
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phils Offline OP
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Originally Posted by frscke1
Originally Posted by phils
You cant do that frscke, there is a tab on the face of the tensioner that keys into a hole in the engine block so this stops the tensioner rotating anti-clockwise.

I keep forgettin that yours is a 350 and not a 454 .... thats what I looked up .... sry for the miss info
no worries frscke.


1994 5.7l Chevy G30 LWB & 2001 Landrover Defender 90 Truck Cab


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