how do i loosen the serpentine belt on my 09 journey

[Anderson1988]

I need to change my alternator do to a blown barring in it, but I can not for the life of me find where you loosen that darn serpentine belt. Everything else after that is pretty easy.

Also if it helps it is the baby 4 cyl journey.

[ghostone]

Hi, I am not familiar with the 4 cylinder engine but normally serpentine belts are self adjusting by the way of a self adjusting tensioner pulley wheel assembly and to take it off you locate the "tensioner pulley" (this pulley will look different from the others with the attachment behind it) there should be a place to put a breaker bar or socket to turn the tensioner anticlockwise (normally) and while holding the tensioner in the loose position take the belt off the pulley, then release the tensioner gently, putting belt back on is the reverse of above.

2009 SXT AWD V6 Stone White

[Journey_SeXT]

From the Chilton online manual for 2009:

2.4 L

1. Using a wrench, rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (8) counterclockwise until accessory drive belt (2) can be removed from pulleys (5 and 9).

2. Remove accessory drive belt (2).

   

   Belt routing—2.4L engine

To install:

NOTE

When installing drive belt on the pulleys, make sure that belt is properly routed and all V-grooves make proper contact with pulley grooves.

1. Install the accessory drive belt (2) around all the pulleys except for the generator pulley (3).

2. Using a wrench, rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (8) counterclockwise until accessory drive belt (2) can be installed on the generator pulley (3). Release spring tension onto accessory drive belt (2).

Edited February 27, 2013 by Journey_SeXT

[Journey_SeXT]

2.7 L

Serpentine

1. Raise vehicle on hoist.

2. Remove RH wheelhouse splash shield.

3. Rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (5) clockwise to allow enough slack to remove accessory drive belt (3).

   

   Belt routing—2.7L engine

To install:

NOTE

When installing drive belt onto pulleys, make sure that belt is properly routed and all V-grooves make proper contact with pulley.

1. Position accessory drive belt (3) on all pulleys except generator (1).

2. Rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (5) clockwise.

3. Position accessory drive belt (3) on generator pulley (1).

4. Slowly release accessory drive belt tensioner (5).

5. Install RH wheelhouse splash shield.

6. Lower vehicle.

[Journey_SeXT]

3.5L

3.5L Engine

1. Raise vehicle on hoist.

2. Remove RH wheelhouse splash shield.

3. Rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (3) clockwise to allow enough slack to remove accessory drive belt (5).

   

   Belt routing—3.5L engine

To install:

1. Position accessory drive belt (5) on all pulleys except generator (6).

2. Rotate accessory drive belt tensioner (3) clockwise.

3. Position accessory drive belt (5) on generator pulley (6).

4. Slowly release accessory drive belt tensioner (3).

5. Install RH wheelhouse splash shield.

6. Lower vehicle.

[2late4u]

i have always replaced the belt tensioner when ever i replaced the belt as have been told that alot of times the tensioner loses some of its tension and can let the belt come off and ruin your new belt. go ask alot of mechincs and bet most of them will tell you to replace both at the same time.course if you want to chance it you can save some $$$

[jezbhonest]

I need to change my alternator do to a blown barring in it, but I can not for the life of me find where you loosen that darn serpentine belt. Everything else after that is pretty easy.

Also if it helps it is the baby 4 cyl journey.

My alternator was making a horrible racket and causing my car to idle crazy. When Autozone tested and Dodge to it passed but the guy at Autozone said the barring was rubbing metal on metal (?) so I needed to change it now.

[webslave]

I would also replace the tensioner. With age they get to the point where the "spring action" is severely compromised and it is that bad tension that may have led to the failure of your alternator bearings. Those alternator bearings will usually outlast the car, but, with improper tensioning on the belt, the load varies so much that bearing becomes unstable leading to premature failure. On a newer Journey, I might be tempted to leave it alone and blame the alternator failure on a bad bearing, but, on an '09, I'd place the blame on the tensioner and I'd replace it...it would be a shame to wind up destroying a new alternator in a year or two and have to replace it again just because you didn't replace the tensioner now...