Help! - Can't Unload/Adjust Serpentine Belt Tension - 91 Cougar/Tbird
 

My question regards a 91 cougar, V6 but since it is essentially the same car as the Tbird, I decided to discuss my problem in this forum. I am attempting to replace the serpentine belt and the problem has been in finding a way to adjust or unload/reload the tension on the belt. I've placed a photo of my tensioner at the end of this message. It appears that the pivot point on the left which is where the tension is actually adjusted but I haven't been able to find any tool that fits in there. There seems to be a countersunk multi-point nut or screw of some type but I can't figure out how to adjust it. It seems to require something similar to a ratchet drive or large allen wrench but I can't find one which will fit in there.

I went out and got a "Universal Serpentine Belt" tool which supposedly will let you adjust any tensioner available. It has "3/8" and "1/2" ratchet ends plus a selection of socket and open end wrench ends. *Nothing* on that supposedly "Universal" belt tool (including the ratchet drive ends) would fit my tensioner however and I am completely stumped at this point.

I've also been told that the nut on the right hand pulley is actually the point where you adjust the tension. That appears to me to only rotate in the same direction as the pulley (to let you change the pulley) however, and doesn't seem to me to have anything to do with changing the belt tension. I am completely flummoxed by this at this point and hopefully someone out there who knows this vehicle can help me figure out the mystery of this tensioner. Thanks in advance.

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RE: Help! - Can't Unload/Adjust Serpentine Belt Tension - 91 Cougar/Tbird
 

When I did mine, I pushed down on the old belt and the tensioner moved toward the fender, i tied it there with wire I had aready wrapped around it to hold it back, (without interfering with the belt comming off). Pulled the old belt off and installed the new one, then removed the wire and allowed the tensioner to tighten the belt. I have never needed to adjust one and the new belt worked fine. Takes minutes to swap out a belt on my 95 f150 302ci.

RE: Help! - Can't Unload/Adjust Serpentine Belt Tension - 91 Cougar/Tbird
 

Thanks for the reply. Mine didn't move when I pressed on the belt as you described (and with considerable force). It remained fixed, locked in place. That's what makes me think it is help in place by a fixed adjustment and not by spring loading. Moreover, if it were going to move at all, it looked as if the direction of travel would be towards the crankshaft instead of moving toward the fender, although it was hard to tell for sure. Perhaps I have a different arrangment than on your truck.

RE: Help! - Can't Unload/Adjust Serpentine Belt Tension - 91 Cougar/Tbird
 

To Fordnutz:

Yes!!! I finally got it! After I sent my last response to you I played with it some more.

The trick turned out to be not to loosen the nut on right hand pulley as I had been trying to do but to find the right size box wrench to fit it, grab that nut with the universal serpentine belt tool and use the belt tool as a pry bar to move that tensioner away from the belt.

There was enormous tension on it, so much that I thought it had seized up or frozen in place but it finally moved. It took a ton of force to do it but I finally got the belt on by doing essentially what you recommended. Thanks again.

RE: Help! - Can't Unload/Adjust Serpentine Belt Tension - 91 Cougar/Tbird
 

Yes. Use pulley nut to turn it away from the belt (different ones can turn opposire directions). Tension is SELF-adjusting. You'll have to pull it back out of the way to install the new belt (of course I'm too late - but...).