BELT & PULLEY REPLACEMENT 4 CYLINDER (MORE DETAILED)

A special thanks to Helga & Dmitry Platonoff for the contribution of this material and some other materials listed on the sites faqs pages. It is Saab enthusiast like Dmitry that make it easier for the DYI guys that frequent the internet. Excellent Job!

This setup is designed for the 95 NOT any other car. There are differences in all cars but similarities outweight the differences in most cases.

Saab 9-5 serpentine belt

Serpentine belt and pulley replacement on a Saab 9-5.

Tools and supplies:

serpentine belt: short (Saab #5590344, or standard (Saab #4899548);
pulleys: small idle pulley (#4356127) and tensioner pulley (#5172184);
jack stands;
18 mm socket: engine mount central nut;
16 mm socket: engine mount side bolts;
13 mm socket: idle pulley bolt;
10 mm socket: power steering hose clamp;
8 mm socket: belt shield screws;
8 mm Allen key: belt tensioner bolt;
6 mm Allen key: belt tensioner pulley bolt;
3 mm long Allen key: belt tensioner lock;
1/2" socket extension: for use as a tension release lever;
torque wrench.

Raise the car and remove the right front wheel. The pictures are a bit dark, it was 11.00

Remove the plastic belt shield: 5 screws with 8 mm hex head.

Remove the bracket on top of the engine mount: the central nut is 18 mm, and the four bolts on the sides need a 16 mm socket.

Unbolt a hose clamp under the crankshaft pulley so you can fit a wedge under the power steering line (10 mm socket).

WIS recommends inserting a wedge between the engine and the frame (I used this big wrench). It seems that you still need to jack up the engine from below as you might need to move it a bit later to align the engine mount holes.

A 1/2" socket extension fits perfectly as a lever to relieve the strain off the belt tensioner. Once the belt is off, check these two pulleys -- their bearings will likely be worn, loose and rattling if the car is over 100K km.

The clearance around the tensioner pulley is very tight, so it's often easier to remove the entire tensioner. You'll need an 8 mm Allen key for that. Mounting torque 33 ft-lbs.

Once the tensioner is off (some have 3 bolts/Some have 4), soak the pulley bolt with a good solvent before taking on it. The 6 mm Allen key socket on the bolt is very shallow and easy to strip.

Luckily, the replacement tensioner pulley comes with new bolt that has a good old hex head.

The small idler hasn't changed. You need a 13 mm socket for that bolt.

The new belt is shorter than the old one. My local dealership didn't have this part in stock

Note how the new belt goes directly from the small idler to the steering pump, bypassing the big idler in the middle (the idler is hiding behind the engine mount).

Fit the engine mount bracket with a tightening torque of 39 ft-lbs for the bolts and 78 ft-lbs for the central nut. Fit the belt shield, the wheel, and lower the car to the floor.

Copyright 2000-2005 Helga & Dmitry Platonoff Used with Permission