How to Change the Belt on a 1997 V6 Passat

Your 1997 Volkswagen Passat came with a 2.8-liter six-cylinder and a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Your engine accessories like the power steering and alternator are powered by the crankshaft via a ribbed serpentine belt. If upon inspection you find that the belt is glazed, has excessive cracking or other damage the belt should be replaced immediately. Replacing the serpentine belt on your engine will require removing the air intake tube, but is well within the realm of the home mechanic.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod. Loosen the clamps for the air intake tube at the throttle body and mass air flow sensor with a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the air intake tube.

2

Locate the belt tensioner on the top front side of the pulley system. Thread an M6 by 80 bolt into the machined hole on the tensioner. Draw out a sketch of the belt routing with a pen and paper and place it aside.

3

Tighten the M6 by 80 bolt until the belt is loose enough to remove, but do not tighten it any farther than necessary or damage to the tensioner can occur. Remove the old belt from the engine pulley system and place it aside.

4

Place the serpentine belt over the crankshaft pulley and in front of the water pump pulley. Place the belt around and over the tensioner pulley and alternator pulley. Route the belt around the inside of the power steering pump and around the outside of the air conditioning compressor, if equipped. Verify your belt routing against the sketch made previously, to ensure proper operation.

5

Loosen the M6 by 80 bolt one turn at a time, constantly checking that the belt is being properly seated in every pulley properly. Remove the bolt completely once the belt is properly seated. Set the air intake tube into position on the mass air flow sensor and the throttle body. Tighten the clamps with a flat-head screwdriver. Shut the vehicle hood.