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OOOOok....I went out to do my MPX UDP install today and couldnt figure out how to release tension on the a/c belt. I can see the tensioner and managed to get the belt off by prying the tensioner with a large screwdriver but now im stuck. I pulled both belts off, replaced the pulley, and put the alternator belt back on.

Now i need to put the ac/power steering belt on(speaking of which does anyone know the length belt i need since the pulley i bought(used) didn't come with this belt which led me to believe the stock one fit fine so now i need a belt) and i can't for the life of me figure out how to get the damn thing on. There's no bolt-head anywhere on the tensioner....any guesses or should i just sell my tools and give up on cars? lol

you need a tensioner tool.. you can rent em from most all part stores... there is a square bolt hole on the side of the tensioner, the tool makes things a million times easier.. make sure you go and get new belts.. the main belt needs to be shorter.. either 49" or 50"(4-rib belts).. depends on how loose your tensioner spring is.. you can re-use the alternator belt, you just have to make sure you tighten the alternator afterwards to compinsate.

They sell a special belt tool at matco for the Neon due to space limitations but if you can get a good angle, such as being on a lift, you can just push a neon tensioner out of the way by hand. Especially a non AC one.

I bought one and never used it. On a lift it is easier to just use your hand then goto the toolbox........


Lengths not sure.

Maybe I misunderstood your question, but I think this is what you need....

POWER STEERING PUMP AND AIR CONDITIONING
COMPRESSOR BELT

(1) Install the drive belt (Fig. 3) over all the pulleys
except for the power steering pump pulley.

(2) Using a 17 mm wrench, rotate belt tensioner
clockwise (Fig. 2) until belt can be installed on the
power steering pulley. Release spring tension onto
belt.

(3) After belt is installed, inspect belt length indicator
marks (Fig. 7). The indicator mark should be
within the minimum belt length and maximum belt
length marks. On a new belt, the indicator mark
should align approximately with the nominal belt
length mark.

No special tool required.

sonofabitch...i just went out and bought the special tool...i guess ill try the adjustable since i dont own a 17mm wrench and if that works bring the special tool back.

Thanks for all the replies

In other news I never knew how great the power steering was in this car lol

03blackrt, you beat me too it, lol god knows how many a time I had to take off that damn belt to replace alternators

I used a 5/8 i think as I didn't have a 17mm. Just start trying wrenches till one fits it. extra set of hands is nice too.

Damn thats so easy, Thanks for the tip 03BlackRT

Its not as easy as it sounds. I could have used a third or fourth hand to hold that damn belt in place on all three pullies when I did it! I had a vice grip here and a vice grip there, it was horrible Took me like 45 mins to get that damn belt back on!

Its not too bad guys. I put that belt on in less than a minutes. just take you time and it will work itself out.

Its one of those things where you learn the hard way the first time, but after that its cake because you know the trick to it. Similar to most other operations on a car; it takes practice just like anything else.

yea I was so pissed...did the whole pulley install in around an hour and then i couldnt figure out how to get the godamn belt back on...oh well now i know

No special tool required...just move the belt tensioner as pic shows

I didn't think it was that big of a secret. If fact, it's the only way I know of to install/remove the belt.

I have never heard of a 'special tool' required. Unless a 17mm wrench is special... but I think all my tools are special! I give them massages with oil; and even buy them gifts every one in a while to show them how special they really are...

haha, yeah i dont know of any special tool either. The FSM only states to use a 17mm wrench. I dont have one that big in my home set so I just used the ol crescent, which proved to be a bit difficult due to its thickness. Maybe if I had an open end it would have taken 5 mins like I thought it would.

For anyone interested I ended up using a 3/4 open head wrench and it worked like a charm

matco makes a 3/8 square welded to a flat bar with an offest to get on the 3/8 hole at the end of the tensioner...17mm wrench hasn't failed me yet though.

Std equivalent would be 11/16, 3/4=19mm. 11/16 is going to be a bit sloppy but will do the job.