Hey, I was installing a 15% supercharger pully and ran into a problem when trying to remove the belt tensioner, specifically the removing 10mm screw beneath the the black shock/piston thing. There's not enough clearance between the motor and the frame for me to get a ratchet in there and because of the shock thing i can't get a wrench in there either. Should i remove the shock thing from off the tensioner to access the screw or is there a trick i haven't thought of for removing that screw? I really appreciate any help you all can give me.

 

Have you used a detensioner tool to loosen the belt? If not, don't remove the arm as you will never get it back on. There is no need to remove the entire tensioner; just loosen it to get it out of the way. (One bolt)

 

This How-to by Webb should help out alot:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ead.php?t=8466

 

I encountered the same problem.
While jacking up the engine 8-15 inches, there's freeplay to move the engine a bit back and forth between the front wheels. When I pushed it over towards the driver's side front wheel, it gave me enough clearance to work with the tensioner bolts.

I DID remove the tensioner: I used the two-piece clamp around pulley remover. Others here have had success with Outmotoring's pulley remover that doesn't require removal of the tensioner, but I wouldn't necessarily seek out that tool.

 

It does sound like the engine slid over a little or needs to be jacked a little higher. You can remove the tensioner, but without the detensioner tool, it would be difficult (not impossible I suppose). I used MINI-Madness puller and it doesn't require the total removal of the tensioner, but it does require you to remove the belt which will require the de-tensioner tool. I know of no other way to get the belt off. My comment was for him not to pry the belt off as getting it back on might be extreamly difficult without the proper tools for the job.

Randy removes the tension due to the type of puller used. However, he does use a tool to get the belt off and IMHO it is a necessity.

 

Thanks guys, i do have a detensioner tool and can you believe i never thought to take the belt out/off while using the tool, i even know you can keep the tensioner open by placing a nail in the piece that comes from out the spring when you remove the tension from the belt. I'm gonna go try that out without removing the tensionerand see how that works. Also thanks to mdsbrain for sending me the directions, i actually used the same one and because it shows the person removing the tensioner i didn't think i could do it with out it.