Originally posted by hmouta:
which is the main belt on the left side of engine, it seems to be the longest one. mine is starting to slightly crack. does it need to be a ford belt or can it be replaced by what my mechanic uses. how much will this generally cost to do.
I am not sure about the 4-cylinder, but the 6-cylinder has the serpentine belt (aka, drive belt or crankshaft belt) on the left side of the engine (as you look at the engine towards the rear of the car). The belt does not have to be a Ford belt, just one that fits properly. I believe that the length of the belt will depend on whether or not you have air conditioning.
I did the belt last fall by myself (it's pretty easy once you know how). I bought it at Yates/Carquest (part #K060716) and it cost about $19. My car has A/C.
As some of the previous posters have alluded to, it is very hard to get a tool into the tensioner pulley. I bought three different tools and had to return two of them. The one that finally worked was a Sears 3/8"-drive 10"-long flex handle (aka breaker bar)(
Sears item #0094436300 for ~ $11.00).
