Hey guys.

So a little over a year ago i put some cams/valve springs and new timing belt on my car. Now i need to get back in there and replace my valve seals. When we went to put the serpentine belt back on the 1/2 socket for the breaker bar broke at the last minute. We got the belt on but its not useless. So i said i would deal with it at a later date is everything was put back together.

Now that i need to take it back off i don't know how to go about loosening the tensioner to get the belt off. I tried vice gripping my breaker bar in the busted out socket but its just kept breaking more pieces. It looks like ****ty forged aluminum or something. Super soft stuff apparently. So has anyone tried removing the tensioner form the car while the belt was on? Id like to remove it without having to cut my serpentine belt.

I just want to do this safely without it popping out and hitting me in the face or worse damaging the threads on the block where it mounts too. Yes im more worried about damaging the evo then my face.....

Any ideas?

Thanks, Ethan

 

Honestly if it was my car I'd order a new tensioner and belt and cut the current belt off. It's >$40 belt at most parts store $60 through mitsu.

 

Success! I was able to release tension on it with a very large pair of channel locks. It was actually a lot easier then doing it with a breaker bar and two people. I could just grab onto it with one had (and the channel locks) and the other hand i could slip the belt off of the AC compressor pulley while i was down there. Unfortunately since i was able to find a way to remove the belt with ease i doubt i will be replacing the tensioner with a new one. Not really work the $200 or whatever they cost right now.

Anyway thanks for your reply.