Just changed belt on '97 Escort/Tracer (2.0 A/C and P/S) and wanted to share tips to avoid the frustration I experienced.
1. Buy cheapest drive-rite belt at Advance Auto.
2. Loosen 3 bolts that hold power steering hose to alternator to allow some room, loosen lugs and jack up car with factory jack.
3. Remove wheel and remove 10mm bolts that hold in splash shield. There are several bolts (and broken bolts) and a plastic tab at the rear. I took out the bolts in the wheel well and the tab, and the shield was able to be bent down below the suspension but was still attached near the front of the car. This is good enough to see the lower pulleys.
4. Use a 3/8 ratchet, breaker bar or belt tool on the 3/8 square hole on the tensioner, brace thigh against front of car and pull ratchet toward front of car. BE CAREFUL because you are on the factory jack! Pushing your leg against the front bumper will counter act the pulling force on the ratchet/tensioner and put less load on the jack.
5. While holding the ratchet forward slip the belt off of the alt. pulley. Release tensioner and remove belt.
6. Check for smooth operation of all pulleys and clean them if you want.
7. Loop new belt around lower pulleys then up around everything else except alternator pulley.
8. You will be temped to try to leave alternator for last and spend forever holding the tensioner and trying to loop the alternator and swearing in vain. DO NOT DO THIS!
9. Go back in the wheel well and un-loop the crank pulley then put belt on alternator pulley.
10. Pull tensioner forward with right hand and reach in wheel well with left hand and loop crank pulley.
11. Marvel at how much easier it was to do the crank pulley last instead of the alternator.
12. Grease or oil bolts for splash shield and P/S hose and re-install. Wheel, lugs lower jack, lugs again...
To sum up, loop belt around CRANK PULLEY LAST THROUGH WHEEL WELL. I hope this helps someone.
Last edited:
