How To: Replace Serpentine / Accessory / Drivebelt

[MyNameIsThien]

First go to your local shop and get the belt, it should cost about $30.  

The right tool for this job is going to make all the difference in the world.  I know a mechanic and he let me borrow this.  It's a Snap On XDHFM1417 and looks like this.




This socket wrench has a slight tip that will get in to the auto tensioner to do the job right.  



The auto tensioner is this guy right here.



You can't fit a regular 14mm socket wrench due to the tight space.  So you need the tool above and place is like this.



You want to crank it towards the front of the car (counter clockwise) and it will loosen the belt and from here, I hope you can figure it out.  Make sure you know the route of the belt!  If not look that up on line like here
http://honda.justanswer.com/uploads/lor ... p_belt.doc

Hope this helps!  It took me 5 minutes from start to finish.  Best $70 I've ever saved and feel the difference!

Transfered from Gen7Accord.com

[AV6NHBP6SPD]

this is not timing belt is it

[timot_one]

No.  Otherwise the thread title would have been How To: Replace Your Timing Belt For the J30.

[AV6NHBP6SPD]

probably gona do it. i think this is the belt that makes noise on start up. whats honda recomended replacement interval on this thing

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

I may get the TSX belt whenever/if ever I get some Ralco pulleys...

It was the TSX belt that fits our cars, and not the type-S one, right?

[thisaznboi88]

yeah you can use the tsx/accord one for the ralco. The UR one might be different since they have different specs. If you want I have some left over pulley If you want some.

[MyNameIsThien]

probably gona do it. i think this is the belt that makes noise on start up. whats honda recomended replacement interval on this thing

Honda does not have an interval for the serpentine belt. You just replace when you see cracks, or when the belt is contaminated and cause a belt squeel from time to time.

[AV6NHBP6SPD]

probably gona do it. i think this is the belt that makes noise on start up. whats honda recomended replacement interval on this thing

Honda does not have an interval for the serpentine belt. You just replace when you see cracks, or when the belt is contaminated and cause a belt squeel from time to time.

ok good enough of a reason to replace it. it sequels when i start the car and it looks brown

[Mike]

I replaced mine because I had a squeal, and it fixed the problem. I need to order this tool though I used a regualar box wrench, and it was a nightmare.

[timot_one]

Damnit, I need to replace mine too.  Mine's only 2 months old though.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

Do you think this belt would be the cause of a very faint whining noise in the engine? I noticed that when I'm cruising around, I can hear a whining noise, but I know for a fact it's not the intake. It sounds like it's coming from a belt, but I don't know if it would be this belt or not.

[InFuMoUs]

I thought it was the belt tensioner that caused the squealing noise during warm-up.

[timot_one]

It could be the tensioner or a bad belt.  The belt is cheaper and easier to replace.

[MyNameIsThien]

A whining noise won't be from the belts. Belts usually make a squeel noise. When replacing your serpentine belt, always check the tensioner. Since both the V6 and I4 have an auto tensioner, the auto tensioner has a higher tendecy to go bad down the road. The tensioner starts to have play (gets kind of loose) and causes the belt to walk around on the tensioner or idler pulley. You can use a box end wrench to loosen the tensioner pulley. The trick is to use 1. a cheater pipe or 2. a slightly bigger wrench and use the double wrench technique.

[MyNameIsThien]

Yes, the idler, and/or belt tensioner can cause a squeel. Although it is very rare to see a Honda idler or tensioner to go bad. I have seen Honda auto belt tensioner still in full function with 250k miles on it (6th Gen V6 Accord). You usually will see a bad tensioner go out on domestic cars. IE: Ford, Chrysler/Dodge, and GM. Imports and Euros I have not seen a tensioner go bad yet.