1997 Grand Am Belt Replacement Instructions

Engine accessories on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am are operated by a multi-ribbed serpentine belt, which is a single belt wrapped around all engine accessory pulleys to allow for operation of the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioner compressor and the water pump. Over time, the ribs inside of the belt can crack and break. Replace the belt at the first sign of damage.

Instructions

1

Park the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am in a safe work area and shut the motor off. Set the emergency brake and open the hood. Raise the hood and allow the engine to cool for about one hour.

2

Inspect the top of the plastic radiator cover for the serpentine belt routing diagram that is stamped to the top of the cover. The diagram is a picture of the serpentine belt being properly routed around all of the accessory pulleys. Refer to this diagram when routing the new belt.

3

Disconnect the negative battery cable from the negative battery post with an adjustable wrench. Position the battery cable away from the battery post.

4

Inspect the front of the motor to locate the spring-loaded tensioner. The tensioner has a pulley on one end and a spring-loaded arm on the other. The tensioner on the Grand Am models is in the middle of the motor above the crankshaft pulley.

5

Place a socket and a breaker bar onto the bolt head in the center of the tensioner pulley. Turn the breaker bar counterclockwise with one hand to release the tension from the belt. Reach down with the other hand to slide the belt off of the tensioner pulley. Slowly release the tensioner until it stops moving. Remove the breaker bar and socket from the tensioner pulley.

6

Slide the belt out of the remaining accessory pulleys and out of the engine compartment. Hold the old belt next to the new belt to ensure the proper size of the new belt. Lower the new belt into the engine compartment and around the large crankshaft on the bottom of the engine first. Finish routing the belt around the remaining accessory pulleys by referring to the serpentine belt routing diagram for the proper routing directions. Leave the tensioner pulley as the last pulley to route the belt around.

7

Place the socket and the breaker bar back onto the bolt head in the center of the tensioner pulley. Turn the breaker bar counterclockwise once more with one hand. Reach down and slide the new serpentine belt around the tensioner pulley with the other hand. Release the tensioner, and it will retract and tighten the belt to the proper tension as it is retracting. Once the tensioner stops retracting remove the socket and breaker bar from the tensioner pulley bolt head and out of the engine compartment.

8

Inspect the new belt to ensure it is properly seated inside of the grooves of each accessory pulley. Reconnect the negative battery cable to the negative battery post with the adjustable wrench. Crank the engine and let it run while watching the belt to ensure it remains seated inside of the pulleys with the engine running. Turn the engine off and shut the hood.