How to Loosen the Tensioner Belt on a 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue

Addressing its need to update its aging lineup, Oldsmobile released the midsized Intrigue in the 1998 model year. With its swooping body lines and modern appearance, the Intrigue was a drastic change from the Cutlass Supreme it replaced. The 2001 Intrigue's 215-horsepower, 3.5-liter engine used a serpentine belt to transfer engine power to the various accessory pulleys, including: the air-conditioning compressor, alternator and power steering pump. A spring-loaded tensioner kept constant tension on the belt. There are two ways to loosen the belt tensioner -- one is loosening the tension to remove and replace the serpentine belt and the other is loosening its retaining bolt to replace the tensioner itself.

Instructions

Serpentine Belt Removal

1

Park the Intrigue on a flat surface and allow it to sit until the engine is cool to the touch.

2

Wrap your hand with a thick shop cloth. Loosen the pressure cap on the coolant expansion tank slowly and listen for a hissing sound. If you hear a hissing sound, stop loosening the cap and wait for the sound to stop. Remove the pressure cap from the expansion tank.

3

Lift the front of the vehicle with a floor jack and slide jack stands under its subframe. Lower the Intrigue onto the jack stands.

4

Position yourself under the front of the vehicle so you have a clear sight of the radiator petcock the drain valve on the lower, passengers side of the radiator.

5

Set a drain pan under the petcock and turn the petcocks plastic valve counterclockwise to start draining coolant. Allow the coolant to drain until the expansion tank is empty, then turn the petcocks valve clockwise to stop the flow of coolant.

6

Raise the Intrigue off the jack stands and remove the stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

7

Slide the hose clamp about 3 inches up the expansion tank inlet hose the small hose on the top of the tank using slip-joint pliers. Pull the inlet hose from the expansion tank with a slight twisting motion. Repeat this step on the expansion tank outlet hose, which is the large hose on the bottom of the tank.

8

Remove the two nuts securing the expansion tank to the strut tower using a ratchet and socket. Lift the tank upward just enough to access the coolant level sensors wiring harness. Unplug the wiring harness and remove the expansion tank.

9

Draw a diagram of how the serpentine belt routes around all of the accessory pulleys on the front of the engine.

10

Find the tensioner pulley near the rear of the passengers side of the engine. Insert a 1/2-inch-drive breaker bar into the square cutout on the tensioner pulley assembly and rotate the breaker bar counterclockwise to relieve tension from the serpentine belt. Hold the tensioner in this position and remove the belt from all of the pulleys.

11

Allow the tensioner to slowly rotate clockwise until it reaches its resting position.

Serpentine Belt Installation

12

Install a new serpentine belt over all of the pulleys except the tensioner pulley, using the diagram you drew as your guide.

13

Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise with a breaker bar and align the serpentine belt with the tensioner pulley. Allow the tensioner to slowly rotate clockwise until it holds tension on the serpentine belt.

14

Verify that the belt is seated squarely in each pulley. Make minor adjustments, as needed, by rotating the tensioner counterclockwise, adjusting the belts positioning and allowing the tensioner to slowly rotate clockwise.

15

Connect the coolant level sensors wiring harness to the sensor. Align the cutout on the bottom of the expansion tank with the plastic expansion tank retainer bolted to the strut tower. Lower the expansion tank onto the retainer and its mounting studs. Tighten the expansion tanks retaining nuts to 30 inch-pounds using an inch-pound torque wrench and socket.

16

Press the expansion tank inlet and outlet hoses into their nipples on the expansion tank. Slide the hose clamp to within 1/2 inch of the end of each hose, using slip-joint pliers.

17

Pour 50-50 premixed Dex-Cool coolant into the expansion tank until it reaches the Full Cold mark. Start the engine and allow it to idle until it reaches operating temperature, which is about halfway up the temperature gauge. Add 50-50 premixed Dex-Cool coolant to the expansion tank each time the coolant level drops, if applicable.

18

Turn the engine off once the coolant level remains steady. Wait about two minutes and check the coolant level in the expansion tank. Add 50-50 premixed Dex-Cool, as needed, to bring the coolant level up to the Full Cold mark. Tighten the cap onto the expansion tank.

19

Recheck and adjust the coolant level after three times of warming the engine up to operating temperature and cooling down. You can perform this task under normal driving conditions, but never remove the expansion tank cap when the engine is hot.

20

Take any old coolant to a local used automotive fluid recycler for disposal. Some auto parts stores take old coolant for free.

Belt Tensioner Removal

21

Remove the coolant expansion tank and serpentine belt by following steps 1 through 11 in the section titled Serpentine Belt Removal.

22

Loosen the bolt on the topmost part of the belt tensioner assembly using a ratchet and socket.

23

Pull the belt tensioner assembly from the engine block and out of the engine compartment.

Belt Tensioner Installation

24

Guide the belt tensioner onto the engine, inserting the dowel pin on the rear of the tensioner assembly into the locator hole above the tensioners bolt hole in the engine.

25

Hand-tighten the tensioner assemblys bolt, then torque it to 37 foot-pounds using a torque wrench and socket.

26

Inspect the serpentine belt for any defects, including glazing, fraying, missing chunks or rubber or breakage. If any defects exist, replace the belt with a new one. Small cracks across the grooved side of the belt do not indicate a need for replacement; this is normal belt wear.

27

Reinstall the serpentine belt and expansion tank following steps 1 through 9 in Section 2.