Serpentine belts can be replaced fairly fast and easy if you have the right tools and a good diagram. A serpentine belt is a single, flat rubber belt that is used to turn all the components of your car’s engine at the same time. Serpentine belts were created to eliminate the need for multiple belts to run the components of your engine. Instead of one single belt for every component of your engine, they are all controlled by the same one.
Serpentine belts also use a tensioner pulley to create tension on the belt rather then have to tighten the belt using the alternator bracket and a large screw driver. By using the tensioner pulley tool, or a larger ratchet, you can easily rotate the pulley taking the tension off the belt and remove the belt fast and easy.
Serpentine belts wind in and around all the pulleys on your motor’s components. Some of the pulleys will have slots on them for the side of the belt with the grooves on it, and some are smooth for the outside smooth side of the belt. Serpentine belts come in all different lengths, widths and thicknesses. Refer to your auto parts dealer, or you can find one here from our partners at Amazon.com for the correct serpentine belt for your vehicle.
Resources:
Check out our guide for checking serpentine belts.
Read about tensioner pulleys.