Its time to replace my V8 serpentine belt, idler and tensioner. What is the procedure and bits I need to strip off to get at the belt. Looks like a %^&% pig to get at.




So far I'm thinking that the front wheel well liners need to come out to get access. Any advise will be appreciated.

 

no they are easy as ,remove the plastic headlight / radiator cover. remove the intake pipe . then remove the cold air intake for the air box , and reach down the gap with a 1/4'' ratchet or breaker bar and detention the tensioner . some don't have the 1/4'' hole just use a socket on the tensioner pulley bolt.




it helps to remove the header tank but if you fumble around enough you will achieve it any ways .
remove the belt and thread another in this pattern




it is easy enough to remove the tensioner and idler once the belt is out of the way. depending on your milage and wether or not you plan to remove the expansion tank , then now would also be a good time for a new water pump , new antifreeze and a new thermostat . once all back together
then let the tensioner go . job done .

 

Thanks very much for the info. I will take your advise and replace the water pump and thermostat at the same time. The current antifreeze is the Yellow OAT stuff that Ford/Jaguar used. I have used Zerex G-05 in the past, is this still the right stuff or is the pink stuff from Jaguar better.

 

If you are going that far, then check the thermostat housing, where the Thermostat sits. The seat the thermostat sits on, tends to crack and drop off causing recycle of the coolant and overheating. You don,t have this yet but worth looking into when you open it up.

If you find it cracked, then when changing it out replace the rubber coolant pipe water pump to throttle body.

 

It should be oringe / red oats , do a thorough flush with water , disconnect the heater supply pipe and push fresh water through the matrix as well ! Be thorough with your flush , and don't mix antifreeze types.