3.6 Serpentine Belt Replacement Tip

[Carolina Jeeper]

I just went through this and learned a thing or two about it. I used a Gates 13/16" wide by 85 5/8" long belt and it works fine. Ideally, I am certain that a 85 7/16" is identical to the OEM belt. This not a complete step by step procedure. Use your common sense and some basic repair guidlines.

I removed the air intake pipe first. I also removed the alternator and the device attached to it. I think you can just remove the two lower center bracket bolts and loosen the two upper longer bolts, disengage the belt tensioner, then slide the alternator
forward. This allows the removal of the belt. Bare in mind you must use a long breaker bar to disengage the hydraulic belt tensioner and slip the belt off of the alternator pulley before you can slide the alternator to the front of the engine bay.

Since I did remove the alternator, I had a clear view of where the belt needed to be. It's a personal choice, but I would rather have the view.

Reassembly is not terrible. Just a bit hard to fit hands in places to thread the belt onto pulleys.

After the belt is all on the pulleys except the alternator, then you are ready to put those really long upper bolts in just partially. About an inch of thread. Leave a large gap behind the alterator and you'll see the upper loop of the belt that goes on the alternator pulley.

Now using a breaker bar (I used a large 3/4" drive ratchet 1/2" adapter and extension) put the tensioner in a clockwise rotation. Then hold it there while slipping the belt over the alternator pulley and slide the alternator back. Allow the tensioner to return to its normal tensioning position.

Finish tightening those longer upper bolts, then reinstall the rest of your bolts and etc...

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[mwilk012]

Hydraulic belt tensioner?

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

Hydraulic belt tensioner?

Yes, It uses some sort of hydraulic fluid filled belt tensioner. There is a warning on it to read the service procedure. This is not your typical belt tensioner.

 

[mwilk012]

Yes, It uses some sort of hydraulic fluid filled belt tensioner. There is a warning on it to read the service procedure. This is not your typical belt tensioner.

Had no idea they changed it. Is yours an Etorque?

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

Had no idea they changed it. Is yours an Etorque?

No Etorque here. It's a 2019 JLUR.

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

@mwilk012
Releasing tension on the hydraulic belt tensioner is not the same as the old type. It releases slowly and you can hear the fluid moving inside of it when you release belt tension.

 

[Odyssey USA]

Hey all, just in case an eTorque owner is searching and comes across this thread, I’m going to share the link to my how-to for swapping the 3.6 eTorque belts and pulleys. They don’t make it easy like the old days.

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