How to Replace a Belt on a Toyota Corolla

The belt on the Toyota Corolla engine operates each of the engine accessories at the same time. The belt is a single accessory belt that is designed to fit around all of the accessory pulleys at one time. The belt has small ridges on the inner part of the belt that travel inside the grooves of each pulley. As the belt turns the accessory pulleys, it enables each accessory to be able to function. These accessories include the alternator, power steering pump and the air conditioner compressor.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you'll need:

• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 3/8-inch drive metric socket set
• New accessory belt
• Pen
• Notepad

1. • 1

     Turn off the engine and open the hood. Inspect the top flat surface of the radiator shroud and locate the accessory belt routing diagram. Route the new accessory belt by following the routing directions from this diagram.

   • 2

     Locate the automatic belt tensioner on the front of the engine. Loosen the bolt head that connects the tensioner pulley to the lower part of the tensioner arm to release the tension from the belt.

   • 3

     Turn the tensioner counterclockwise with the breaker bar and a socket. Pull the belt off the tensioner pulley and release the breaker bar.

   • 4

     Slide the belt off each accessory pulley and out of the engine well.

   • 5

     Route the new accessory belt around the bottom crankshaft pulley to begin installation. Finish routing the belt around the remaining pulleys as directed by the belt routing diagram.

   • 6

     Turn the tensioner counterclockwise from the tensioner pulley with the breaker bar and socket. Slide the new belt onto the tensioner pulley and release the breaker bar. As the tensioner retracts against the belt, it will tighten the belt to the proper tension. Inspect to make sure the new belt is inside each pulley.

   • 7

     Crank the Toyota Corolla engine for about five to 10 seconds to ensure that the new belt is completely seated inside each accessory pulley. Turn the engine off.

Tips & Warnings

• If the belt diagram is missing from the radiator shroud of the Toyota Corolla, draw out a diagram with a pen and a notepad by looking at how the old belt is routed.

• Keep hands and tools away from moving engine parts.