Tensioner Assembly 2.0 VCT

[99contourSE]

I was wondering if I could get some advice on putting a new tensioner assembly on my 99 contour SE. It has the 2.0 4Cyl VCT. I am trying to figure out the easiest way to do this. I see most people do it through the top. I was thinking about just pulling off the front tire on the passenger side and then pulling the splash guard right there thinking it would give me nearly direct access to the tensioner assembly and direct access to the crankshaft pulley. I was thinking maybe it would be easier this way so maybe I could just route the belt and then slip it over the crankshaft pulley when it is ready to be tensioned. Any help is appreciated. Thank you guys.

 

[amc49]

You're half way there.

Really need to combine both.

You go bottom to remove the belt then top to get the tensioner and the easiest way. Tensioner has one bolt that is much harder to get to unless you remove the top idler pulley after the alt in the belt run, you'll find out. I go through bottom to remove the belt then back at top remove the passenger side mount with the motor supported by jack and piece of wood under oil an to spread stress out then jack up just enough to remove the idler and up high like that the tensioner removes and installs pretty easy. Seems like more work but the fastest way to do it over and over without any stallout from things not going right. I've done all from the bottom before but more things go wrong that way. FWIW Focus zetecs do it the same way. I've got two of those too.

Getting belt off and then on (worse) gives people utter fits until you realize the easy way to swing pulley to loosen it is by using a boxed-in wrench on pulley roller with another bigger boxed-in wrench with its' boxed end hooked on one of the hooks of the pulley wrenchs' open end to make a double long wrench handle maybe 15-18 inches long. I use like a 19 mm. or so on the end of the pulley wrench. I can get the belt on or off in like 30 seconds doing that.

 

[99contourSE]

Thanks amc49. When I did my tensioner assembly about two weeks ago, i totally spaced coming to check back here. I ended up doing everything through the top, I didnt remove the motor mount, just the coolant reservoir. I took the belt off then the idler puller, which took me all of 30 seconds. I proceeded to take the tensioner off and put the new one on. I put the idler back on, and then the belt and coolant reservoir. The whole thing took me about 45 minutes. I do appreciate the help though, and next thing on my list of things to cross off is the clutch slave cylinder. It is leaking into brake fluid into the transmission.Definitely going to be a project there.