Can I replace the engine belt myself?
3 Answers
You can replace the engine belt yourself. Inspection and replacement of car belts: Every time you perform maintenance, you need to check the belt tension and wear condition. Even if everything appears normal, the belt should generally be proactively replaced at around 80,000 kilometers. Importance of the engine belt: The engine belt is the most important belt in a car, connecting the generator, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and crankshaft pulley. When small cracks appear on the belt, it needs to be replaced. If the belt breaks, it can cause the generator to stop producing electricity, the power steering pump to fail, and make steering difficult, which is a very dangerous situation.
My last attempt at replacing the engine belt was quite an ordeal. Although online tutorials made it look simple, I actually had to remove the subframe guard just to access the belt tensioner. That 14mm hex wrench took me half an hour to loosen, and my arms are still sore. The real challenge came when installing the new belt—the pulley layout was so complex that I had to sketch the old belt’s routing three times before getting it right. My personal advice: keep a torque wrench handy (the tensioner bolt requires 80 Nm) and a mirror, and always check your vehicle’s belt routing diagram in advance. One final reminder: if there are more than three cracks on the belt’s backside, replace it immediately. Otherwise, a sudden break could cause power steering failure—trust me, the towing and repair costs are easily 20 times more expensive than the belt itself.
My neighbor Lao Wang's DIY timing belt replacement case last month is worth sharing. His friend who runs an auto repair shop lent him the special wrench, and it took both of them four hours to complete the job. The key was to lock the timing marks of the crankshaft and camshaft. For older Japanese cars, you can use a wire hook to secure the gear holes for positioning. The most thrilling moment was when the spring suddenly popped out while removing the tensioner, nearly shattering the windshield. Looking back now, just the special tools required include timing pliers, a crankshaft locking pin, and an angle gauge. The cost of these tools alone is enough to pay a repair shop to do the job. Moreover, incorrect timing can cause minor issues like engine shaking or major damage like pistons hitting valves. It's really not worth taking such a risk.
