Some cars belt set ups are very aggravating My suggestion is to go to Advance or Auto zone and get a book on that car and year this will also answer many other problems in the future . That is one of the first things I have always done on every car I have ever owned . It has always been a great investment . To explian all the things that needs to be done and the litte things to look for whuold take way to long to type the information in right now .
How do you change the alternator belt on a '97 nissan sentra, how do you adjust the belt's tension?
loosen the alternator bolts and pry the alternator toward engine block with a screw driver(dont break anything) and slide belt off and put on new 1.....to tighten(adjust belt)u pull/pry alternator away from engine block and tighten bolts back up(some models may have a bolt that tightens belt for u jsut by tightening bolt)
How do you change the alternator belt on a '97 nissan sentra, how do you adjust the belt's tension?
First off, if you are not aware, theres a diagram of the proper placement of the belt around all the points of contact. One of the points of contact is movable, but takes quite a few pounds of pressure to move it, which is why this is easier with two people. (I changed mine myself, by standing on the frame of the car) So basically find the movable one and get something that wont bend, like a long handled wrench (Yes they do make a tool for this but its not needed) that you'll use to apply pressure to move it. Once you have the belt on properly you'll see it just barely too small to get around the last point of contact, but applying pressure to the movable one will give you more slack, and then you can slide it over the last point of contact.
Like i said, it much easier with two people. Good :Luck!
Wow, you have picked one of the most difficult belts out there to chane. Changing the belt and adjusting the tension go hand in hand. You will have to adjust the tension very loose to get off the old belt and put on the new. Than adjust the tension back up. Usually the alternator is the pulley that moves. You will have 1 or 2 bolts facing the wheel well that hold the alternator in place, and one that faces either straight up, straight down, or to the front of the car that you spin repeatedly to loosen the belt. If the alternator does not seem to have any extra bolts on it there will be another pulley just for adjusting tension. If it is this one you will have to jack up the car and access it from underneath. Look for a belt diagram under the hood and see if it shows you the tensioner. Similar set up as the alternator adjustments, one or two bolts that will have to be loosened( not removed, only loose) and then a main bolt that adjusts the tension (again none of these bolts should be removed, all should only be loosened).
