Changing AC Belt with ECS Kit - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

pancherj · 04-20-2015, 10:32 AM

Anyone done this? I am trying to install a new AC belt (self tensioning). I have the AC Delco tool, but I don't see how that is going to work. Do I need to remove the blower pulley to get this AC belt on?

Any advice would be great!!

TitusSS · 04-20-2015, 01:08 PM

you have to take out the blower pulley and the serpentine belt before you can cut off the ac belt and reinstall a new stretch once belt. Sorry but it's kind of a pain.

pancherj · 04-20-2015, 02:25 PM

Thanks Titus SS! I thought that might be the case. The belt split, so I lived with no AC last summer. I have the two serpentine belts off. I just need to remove the blower pulley.

Did you use the AC Delco install tool or another method to get the AC belt on without damaging it?

SuperchargedStealth · 04-20-2015, 07:42 PM

To get the blower belt off, loosen the two bolts on the tensioner. Next, use a 3/8" ratchet (set it to loosen), stick it inside the only hole in the tensioner that's square and 3/8". Get a cheater bar, pipe, whatever you can use to get leverage on the ratchet, and crank on it forcing the handle towards the passenger side. When you set it up, you want the handle either sticking straight up or towards the driver's side. You'll eventually start moving tensioner, but keep going until it stops, and whatever you do, do not try to push it any further because the tensioner is soft and you can easily round it out. Once you have the tensioner pushed as far as it can go, you can slip the belt off the blower. Try not to take the tensioner off because it's set at a certain position. Instead move it out a little until you can manage the belt out. Also, be careful letting the tensioner go once the belt it off. It has a strong recoil and if you have enough length on a pipe, if you choose to use that, it can cause some serious damage, cosmetically. I use a 18" iron pipe I picked up from Home Depot.

pancherj · 04-20-2015, 08:28 PM

Thanks Stealth! I am a little worried about getting the belt tensioner set correctly when I put it back together. Can anyone point me to a video that shows this? I did some searching, but only found videos for corvette systems.

SuperchargedStealth · 04-20-2015, 08:57 PM

It's not too difficult. The reason I said not to pull the tensioner is because the tensioner itself has two points on it that go into the small bracket behind it. If you do pull it off, just watch what two holes it comes out of and mark them so you can put back in it's original spot. When you have everything back on, including the belt, don't tighten the top bolt of the tensioner bracket. You'll notice that there is a larger square shape to the left. I forget what size, but throw and open-end wrench on there and pull as much as you can. This will allow you to put more tension on the belt. Try and get someone to help because while you're pulling you need to tighten that top bolt. Once you do, you'll be set.

pancherj · 04-21-2015, 06:59 AM

Awesome! I noticed that square protrusion on the bracket and wondered what it was for. I didn't remove the tensioner...I just loosened it a little to slide the belt off behind the tensioner pulley. I'll have to wrestle up a helper and hopefully get this done on the weekend.

04-20-2015, 10:32 AM	#1
pancherj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Central PA Posts: 438	Changing AC Belt with ECS Kit Anyone done this? I am trying to install a new AC belt (self tensioning). I have the AC Delco tool, but I don't see how that is going to work. Do I need to remove the blower pulley to get this AC belt on? Any advice would be great!!

04-20-2015, 07:42 PM	#4
SuperchargedStealth Drives: '11 Camaro Supercharged Convertible Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 481	To get the blower belt off, loosen the two bolts on the tensioner. Next, use a 3/8" ratchet (set it to loosen), stick it inside the only hole in the tensioner that's square and 3/8". Get a cheater bar, pipe, whatever you can use to get leverage on the ratchet, and crank on it forcing the handle towards the passenger side. When you set it up, you want the handle either sticking straight up or towards the driver's side. You'll eventually start moving tensioner, but keep going until it stops, and whatever you do, do not try to push it any further because the tensioner is soft and you can easily round it out. Once you have the tensioner pushed as far as it can go, you can slip the belt off the blower. Try not to take the tensioner off because it's set at a certain position. Instead move it out a little until you can manage the belt out. Also, be careful letting the tensioner go once the belt it off. It has a strong recoil and if you have enough length on a pipe, if you choose to use that, it can cause some serious damage, cosmetically. I use a 18" iron pipe I picked up from Home Depot. __________________ 2011 Triple Black SS convertible, LSX 427, PRC 260cc heads, Callies Ultra Billet Rods, Wiseco -20 cc piston, Callies Dragon Slayer crank, Strange Dana 60 rear w/3.73 gear ratio and driveshaft, Pfadt coilovers, Pfadt sway bars, Pfadt trailing arms, Pfadt tie rods, Pfadt subframe bushings, Vortech YSi with wastegate and twin BOV, Haltech ECU, Mantic 9000 Twin Clutch, ALKY control meth system with dual nozzle, Squash twin fuel pumps, ACS T3 ports, VIS Terminator Hood, Seibon ZL style lip.

04-20-2015, 08:57 PM	#6
SuperchargedStealth Drives: '11 Camaro Supercharged Convertible Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 481	It's not too difficult. The reason I said not to pull the tensioner is because the tensioner itself has two points on it that go into the small bracket behind it. If you do pull it off, just watch what two holes it comes out of and mark them so you can put back in it's original spot. When you have everything back on, including the belt, don't tighten the top bolt of the tensioner bracket. You'll notice that there is a larger square shape to the left. I forget what size, but throw and open-end wrench on there and pull as much as you can. This will allow you to put more tension on the belt. Try and get someone to help because while you're pulling you need to tighten that top bolt. Once you do, you'll be set. __________________ 2011 Triple Black SS convertible, LSX 427, PRC 260cc heads, Callies Ultra Billet Rods, Wiseco -20 cc piston, Callies Dragon Slayer crank, Strange Dana 60 rear w/3.73 gear ratio and driveshaft, Pfadt coilovers, Pfadt sway bars, Pfadt trailing arms, Pfadt tie rods, Pfadt subframe bushings, Vortech YSi with wastegate and twin BOV, Haltech ECU, Mantic 9000 Twin Clutch, ALKY control meth system with dual nozzle, Squash twin fuel pumps, ACS T3 ports, VIS Terminator Hood, Seibon ZL style lip.

04-20-2015, 01:08 PM	#2
TitusSS Drives: ECS Supercharged 2010 SS Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Spring Posts: 121	you have to take out the blower pulley and the serpentine belt before you can cut off the ac belt and reinstall a new stretch once belt. Sorry but it's kind of a pain.

04-20-2015, 02:25 PM	#3
pancherj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Central PA Posts: 438	Thanks Titus SS! I thought that might be the case. The belt split, so I lived with no AC last summer. I have the two serpentine belts off. I just need to remove the blower pulley. Did you use the AC Delco install tool or another method to get the AC belt on without damaging it?

04-20-2015, 08:28 PM	#5
pancherj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Central PA Posts: 438	Thanks Stealth! I am a little worried about getting the belt tensioner set correctly when I put it back together. Can anyone point me to a video that shows this? I did some searching, but only found videos for corvette systems.

04-21-2015, 06:59 AM	#7
pancherj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Central PA Posts: 438	Awesome! I noticed that square protrusion on the bracket and wondered what it was for. I didn't remove the tensioner...I just loosened it a little to slide the belt off behind the tensioner pulley. I'll have to wrestle up a helper and hopefully get this done on the weekend.