How to Remove a Serpentine Belt in a 2002 Lincoln Town Car

The original Town Car bore little resemblance to the Lincoln luxury car of the same name. However, since adopting the name in 1959, Lincoln has made the Town Car synonymous with their brand of full-size sedans. In the early 1990s, Lincoln moved away from the old V-belt configuration and adopted the now standard serpentine belt system for transferring engine torque to the engine accessories. Ford recommends inspecting the serpentine belt every time you perform an oil change, and replacing it if you note signs of fraying, cracking or rib loss. The belt typically lasts between 100,000 and 125,000 miles in optimal conditions.

Instructions

Removal

1

Open the Town Car's hood. Note the location of the belt routing diagram sticker, for reference in routing the belt when reinstalling it. The sticker is usually placed on the fan shroud or on the underside of the hood.

2

Rotate the serpentine belt tensioner counterclockwise, just far enough to relieve tension on the serpentine belt. Move the belt off the alternator pulley with your free hand before slowly rotating the tensioner back into place.

3

Pull the serpentine belt tool out of the engine bay. Slide the serpentine belt off the remaining pulleys and remove it from the engine bay.

Installation

4

Stretch the old and new serpentine belts alongside one another to their full length, if replacing the belt. The old belt should be roughly 1-inch longer than the new belt, due to slight stretching that occurs during the belt's service life. If the old belt is shorter than the new one or more than 1-inch longer, you have the wrong replacement belt and should take the old one to your retailer to purchase a proper replacement belt.

5

Loop the ribbed side of the new serpentine belt around the bottom of the Lincoln's crankshaft pulley. Follow the serpentine belt routing diagram you located earlier to route the belt around each of the remaining pulleys, until only the belt tensioner remains.

6

Rotate the belt tensioner counterclockwise once more with the serpentine belt tool. Slip the belt onto the tensioner pulley with your free hand. Slowly rotate the tensioner back into position and then remove the tool.

7

Double-check the belt on each pulley to make sure it has seated properly on each pulley, with no overhang. Start the engine and note the belt travel before driving. If the belt isn't seated properly on each pulley, relieve tension on the belt with the serpentine belt tensioner tool and adjust the belt accordingly.