There is some fine cracks developing on my '98 Windstar with 86K miles. The previous owner obviously changed the tensioner assembly and I assume that he changed the belt also. Still the belt is getting old.

So how easy is it to change out the belt? Any point to pay special attention to on this vehicle? Thank you for your advice.

lidation

The hardest thing about changing a belt is the lack of room! I would rent a belt tensioner tool from some place like Autozone. I bought one and wouldn't be without it. It makes it sooooo much easier than trying to use a short open end wrench. The next hardest thing is the belt routing. Most vehicals have the routing on a lable under the hood. Before you take the old belt off take good note....(maby even a dig pic) of how the old one is routed.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Dan

On our 99' wasn't too bad but it is a different body style. The easy way for me was to turn the wheels right and the tensioner is right inside the wheel well.

edited b/c was-> wasn't

I just changed my 98 here last spring and the pulley tensioner as well. The belt was the easiest and it took me 10 minutes. There is a square hole on the back of the tensioner that fits a 3/8 Ratchet. Put the ratchet in and pull the tensioner towards you and remove the belt. If there isnt the hole on the tensioner (some aftermarket dont have them) then I just pulled on the belt towards me and slid it off the lower water pump pulley when I had enough slack. Putting on is the reverse. Pretty easy actually.

good luck

I have a 96 & and 01 and I don't use any tools to replace the serpentine belt. Route the belt according to the diagram and save the alternator pulley for last. This will test your grip, but just pull the belt toward the front and slip it over the alternator pulley. I have changed the belt twice on both Windstars this way. And yes, my tensioner has recently been replaced.

BEFORE removing the old one....double check that the sticker that shows the routing is still on the underside of the hood....and still can be read.
If it is not there, you should be able to locate it on the Autozone website under the free vehicle specific repair guides.

In other words.....make sure that you have a diagram to follow to install before you remove the old one.

Another note......the smooth pulleys get the smooth side of the belt......the grooved pulleys get the grooved side of the belt.

My 2000 did not have the sticker under the hood, so here is a jpg of the route

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/so2315/Beltdiagram.jpg