The tension pulley on a 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier is part of the automatic belt tensioner assembly. If the pulley suffers a bearing problem or incurs damage on the pulley itself, you'll need to replace it before further damage occurs. Since the belt tensioner is the only thing holding the serpentine belt in place, a faulty tension pulley can create havoc in the blink of an eye. With that in mind, it's a good idea to inspect the tensioner and pulley at every oil change interval and replace any damaged components immediately.
Instructions
- 1
Open the Cavalier's hood. Plug the serpentine belt tool into the automatic belt tensioner and rotate the tensioner pulley off the belt until the pulley no longer contacts the belt -- don't over rotate it.
2Slip the belt off the alternator pulley with your free hand. Rotate the belt tensioner back into place. Remove the serpentine belt tool.
3Unbolt the automatic belt tensioner from the front of the Cavalier's engine using the socket wrench and 13 mm socket. Depending on your physical size and dexterity, as well as the engine and engine component configuration, you may need to access these bolts through the right-front wheel well instead of from the top of the engine bay.
4Pull the old automatic belt tensioner assembly out of the engine well by hand and set it aside. Hold the new belt tensioner in position with one hand and thread the bolts in with the other. Tighten the bolts to 35 foot-pounds with the socket wrench.
5Plug the serpentine belt tool into the new automatic belt tensioner. Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise and slip the belt over the alternator pulley with your free hand. Place the belt on the new tension pulley and slowly rotate the new tensioner back into place.
6Examine the belt at each pulley in the system to make sure it seats on each pulley properly. Loosen the tensioner and adjust the belt on the pulleys if necessary. Remove the serpentine belt tool from the new tensioner and close the Cavalier's hood.
