Caravan serpentine belt 3.3 liter

[fisher83]

I plan on changing the serpentine belt on my van as preventative maintenance. As far as I can see I just remove the passenger side front wheel, plastic shield and it is pretty straight forward from there. Anyone run into any issues changing the belt on their Caravan or have any helpful tips?

 

[NHGUY]

Thats all there is pretty much.I would replace the idler and tensioner at the same time.I dont believe the OEM tensioner has a place to put a ratchet on to unload the tension (to remove the belt).Also,be aware that if the aluminum tensioner and aluminum timing cover have corroded,the locating pin of the tensioner may break off into the cover.Requiring a drilling process to remove (and give you that hole again for the locating pin).

 

[Hokiefyd]

I changed the belt on our 2007 Town & Country, and did not need to remove the tire. Go to AutoZone or Advance and rent a serpentine belt removal tool (basically a long handle with a 3/8" square drive on the end). This makes quick work of a job that could otherwise take too long.

Advice: use only the Mopar belt. They last a long time and they're quiet. Notice the matte (non-gloss) finish on the top surface of the Mopar belt? If you look close, it actually looks like a knurled surface and this keeps the belt quiet. I replaced the belt as preventative maintenance with a Goodyear Gatorback and it squeaked like a mad mouse. The glossy surface on the top of the belt (especially where the label was) would squeak on various pulleys as that side rode on the pulley. I put the OEM belt back on and it stayed on until we traded the van at 44,000 miles.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Thats all there is pretty much.I would replace the idler and tensioner at the same time.I dont believe the OEM tensioner has a place to put a ratchet on to unload the tension (to remove the belt).Also,be aware that if the aluminum tensioner and aluminum timing cover have corroded,the locating pin of the tensioner may break off into the cover.Requiring a drilling process to remove (and give you that hole again for the locating pin).

Tensioner +1
Also, turn the pulleys of all the accessories and feel for anything abnormal.

 

[fisher83]

Definitely going to pick up a Mopar belt. I had already ordered a belt when I posted this. Removing the old belt was easy but the aftermarket belt was significantly thicker than the OEM and didn't fit as nicely or seem to be as well constructed. I was going to replace the belt as preventative maintenance but the OEM one with 97k miles on it still looks better constructed than the Parts Master one I had bought. Returning the belt and I will do it another day with the Mopar one.