Can't get belt back on my 96 Chevy Cavalier 2.2?

[James P]

I was able to easily remove the bolt but I am unable to install new belt and am unable to install the old belt. The belt tensioner bolt (the center bolt that is in the pulley) doesn't seem to be all that tight and I think it may be preventing me from extending the pulley all the way down to put the new belt on. Any tips or tricks? This car has a motor mount to the left so clearance is an issue. I had to rent a tool from Autozone but unfortunately its too long and bangs against the front of the car.
There isn't a square hole for a ratchet, its a 15 MM bolt. Any other ideas?

 

[ruthlesscustomworks69]

you moron your taking the wrong bolt off the center bolt holds the bearing in place and the tentioner is spring loaded to apply tention all the time the pully swings on another bolt that is bolted to a suport bracket. look at the diagram under the hood or at the shock tower on how the belt goes good luck

 

[rambo1214]

Easiest way to get to the bolt is to get a jack under the engine unbolt the motor mount and jack up the motor till you can tighten the what was it a 15mm headed bolt. It was a pain in the but to change my friend's water pump for him but that was the only way to get thepulleyy and everything tightened back up then when you are done with the motor lower the engine back to the mount.

 

[handyman]

You don't need to remove any bolts to change the belt,the bolt in the center of the tensioner doesn't need to be removed ,it hold the tensionor & spring into place,just take a 3/8 '' ratchet with a swivel and put it into the sqaure hole that's in the tensionor,push the ratchet down wardand the tensionor will release the belt.If you removed the tensionor from the engine ,you most line it back up so that the niple on the back side of the tension lines up with the hole in the block,before it willpull all the way back in .

 

[Locksmith]

are you sure you're going the right way? the belt has to go under the tensioner.