How do I access the drive belts tensioner to replace the belt. Please help I need it for work tomorrow night.

[lostonthetoad]

I have a 1999 1.3 micra inspiration. It has power steering and no AC.
It was squealing on full lock so I thought I’d try changing the drive belt and alternator belt for the first time.

I jacked it up, removed wheel arch trim & front RH side trim.
I removed the alternator belt easily.
Then when I went to undo the tensioner for the drive belt, It did not look accessible like I have seen it to be in pictures.
It’s parralel 1” from a metal panel?
I tried to undo the bolt on the wheel with a spanner but I couldn’t get the wheel to stop spinning.
Where am I going wrong?

The pics marked up green are what I though I should be undoing to get the belt off.

Thanks for your time everyone!!

 

[1275]

I've forgotten exactly what it looks like, it has an adjuster rod and hinges from two fixings which also need loosening. This thread may help

https://www.micra.org.uk/threads/drive-belt-adjustment-water-pump-power-steering-pump.37657/

 

[lostonthetoad]

I've forgotten exactly what it looks like, it has an adjuster rod and hinges from two fixings which also need loosening. This thread may help

https://www.micra.org.uk/threads/drive-belt-adjustment-water-pump-power-steering-pump.37657/

Thanks mate I’ll have a look for the adjuster bolt first to see if I can lower it for access

 

[plmval]

Thanks mate I’ll have a look for the adjuster bolt first to see if I can lower it for access

The belt tension adjuster & corresponding pivot point bolts mounting assemblies may be more visible & accessible from directly under the vehicle. Haynes workshop manual has some useful guide pictures diagrams.

Thus DIY ramps or axle stands will be required & not just jacks alone, for a safe working method of access & practice.

Stay healthy getting dirty having fun under that vehicle.

 

[lostonthetoad]

The belt tension adjuster & corresponding pivot point bolts mounting assemblies may be more visible & accessible from directly under the vehicle. Haynes workshop manual has some useful guide pictures diagrams.

Thus DIY ramps or axle stands will be required & not just jacks alone, for a safe working method of access & practice.

Stay healthy getting dirty having fun under that vehicle.

I’ve found it! Man that was hard to see and further away from wheel than I thought it was going to be.
I’ve loosened one of the pivot bolts but I can’t crack the other one and it’s starting to round off a bit. I’ve sprayed it with WD40 and waited a bit. I’ll clean it off and try again.What can I do if I can’t get that off?

 

[plmval]

I’ve found it! Man that was hard to see and further away from wheel than I thought it was going to be.
I’ve loosened one of the pivot bolts but I can’t crack the other one and it’s starting to round off a bit. I’ve sprayed it with WD40 and waited a bit. I’ll clean it off and try again.What can I do if I can’t get that off?

On full lock, squealing audio report is the hydraulic power steering system protesting, overloaded against it over travel limit stops.

Immediate solution is to back off the steering wheel a little until the squeal stops.

As one of the bolts is, Quote: starting to round off, & you need this vehicle for work tomorrow, perhaps it’s advisable to retighten any loose bolts & try again next weekend?

The power steering belt appears, in your pictures, to be in fair condition at least & can wait a while. You may find it useful to check the service record invoices for confirmation when the belts were changed?

 

[lostonthetoad]

On full lock, squealing audio report is the hydraulic power steering system protesting, overloaded against it over travel limit stops.

Immediate solution is to back off the steering wheel a little until the squeal stops.

As one of the bolts is, Quote: starting to round off, & you need this vehicle for work tomorrow, perhaps it’s advisable to retighten any loose bolts & try again next weekend?

The power steering belt appears, in your pictures, to be in fair condition at least & can wait a while. You may find it useful to check the service record invoices for confirmation when the belts were changed?

Thanks for the advice mate.
Damn that’s the main reason I decided to change the belt, it has never been changed though so I suppose it doesn’t hurt.

I’ve canceled my shift so now I just need to do it whilst it’s light.

I’ve loosened these pivot bolts:

I can’t seem to pivot it into an easier position to work from.

I’ve tried turning this bolt clockwise to loosen it but it’s really hard to get at and it doesn’t seem to be doing anything, although the thread is long going through. Is this 100% the right one?

Also on other guides I seem to have to loosen this nut?
It’s accessable with a long adjustable but the wheel turns also so I can’t slacken that off?
Can I leave this nut i get the 12mm adjuster bolt loose?
This is it:

I’m starting to wonder if I should have left this job for the pofessionals
Thanks man!

 

[1275]

if that's the head of the adjuster thread the nut holding the clamp that is at 90 deg to the adjuster rod is just out of shot inside the green circle on the right. accessible from the top if my memory is correct.


Don't touch the pulley nut and those two bolts only need to be loose, no need to screw them out that far.

 

[lostonthetoad]

if that's the head of the adjuster thread the nut holding the clamp that is at 90 deg to the adjuster rod is just out of shot inside the green circle on the right. accessible from the top if my memory is correct.


Don't touch the pulley nut and those two bolts only need to be loose, no need to screw them out that far.

If you mean to the right hand side of that bolt head then yeah there is one there but I can’t get to it from below or from above as the power steering fluid pipe/tube is in the way

I think I’m just going to give up and put her back together. Sign

 

[lostonthetoad]

I only let the engine run for a minute idle and this is what the belt is like now?

 

[1275]

I think you can only get at the nut with a ring spanner from above. The belt has no effect on the wheels, so don't worry about that. very minor damage on the belt, again not something to worry about.

 

[lostonthetoad]

I’d like to point out that the power steering has stopped squealing on full lock even though I didn’t change that belt.
I only retightened the pivot bolts and a few small turns of the 12mm adjuster bolt. Weird lol! Might be coincidence

 

[John_D]

I think that you are addressing the 'effect' and not the 'cause', which might have something to do with the amount of spilled/leaking oil on that side of the engine .......

 

[lostonthetoad]

I think that you are addressing the 'effect' and not the 'cause', which might have something to do with the amount of spilled/leaking oil on that side of the engine .......

It’s really sloppy hammerite paint

 

[nissan boy]

Looks like your rocker cover is leaking , getting a wee bit of oil belt, also if it does it just on full lock only that is kinda normal , sounds like a bird cherping

 

[lostonthetoad]

Looks like your rocker cover is leaking , getting a wee bit of oil belt, also if it does it just on full lock only that is kinda normal , sounds like a bird cherping

Yeah a really loud bird.

I’ve spoke to the previous owner and copious amount of oil was spilt over the engine.
Should I bother trying to clean any off?
Also is there a way to clean the power steering belt from oil without taking it off?

 

[plmval]

Thanks for the advice mate.
Damn that’s the main reason I decided to change the belt, it has never been changed though so I suppose it doesn’t hurt.

I’ve canceled my shift so now I just need to do it whilst it’s light.

I’ve loosened these pivot bolts:
View attachment 58529

I can’t seem to pivot it into an easier position to work from.

I’ve tried turning this bolt clockwise to loosen it but it’s really hard to get at and it doesn’t seem to be doing anything, although the thread is long going through. Is this 100% the right one?
View attachment 58530

Also on other guides I seem to have to loosen this nut?
It’s accessable with a long adjustable but the wheel turns also so I can’t slacken that off?
Can I leave this nut i get the 12mm adjuster bolt loose?
This is it:
View attachment 58531

I’m starting to wonder if I should have left this job for the pofessionals
Thanks man!

Sorry that you lost a whole shifts income due to DIY attempts to replace auxiliary belts with our (MSC) encouragement.

AS you now suggest, it can be more cost efficient to get a mechanic that would have had it in done in a workshop in 30 minutes or less, for little cost, & a lot less hassle & heartache. This is an example of Adam Smith’s division of labour economic efficiency theory that can sometimes be overlooked by overly enthusiastic DIY advocates on the MSC.

 

[nissan boy]

Yeah a really loud bird.

I’ve spoke to the previous owner and copious amount of oil was spilt over the engine.
Should I bother trying to clean any off?
Also is there a way to clean the power steering belt from oil without taking it off?

I just tighten mine up via a bolt thats located at the rear of the power steering pump, that's the adjuster and carb cleaner, degreaser or brake cleaner should work,
Theres also the old trick of a bit of talking powder

 

[lostonthetoad]

Sorry that you lost a whole shifts income due to DIY attempts to replace auxiliary belts with our (MSC) encouragement.

AS you now suggest, it can be more cost efficient to get a mechanic that would have had it in done in a workshop in 30 minutes or less, for little cost, & a lot less hassle & heartache. This is an example of Adam Smith’s division of labour economic efficiency theory that can sometimes be overlooked by overly enthusiastic DIY advocates on the MSC.

No not at all! You don’t know your limits if you don’t reach for them !
Maybe on a newer car in the future I may have more luck if it is easier to access.
Also now I have the belt for if it does ware badly.
Money is obviously a key issue I agree but experience is priceless

 

[lostonthetoad]

I just tighten mine up via a bolt thats located at the rear of the power steering pump, that's the adjuster and carb cleaner, degreaser or brake cleaner should work,
Theres also the old trick of a bit of talking powder

Yeah I think I managed to give it a turn or 2 from underneath but it was so hard to access.

I’ll give it a clean up though. I think possibly it stopped making a noise because I was spraying WD40 near it when I was trying to undo the bolts

 

[nissan boy]

Yeah I think I managed to give it a turn or 2 from underneath but it was so hard to access.

I’ll give it a clean up though. I think possibly it stopped making a noise because I was spraying WD40 near it when I was trying to undo the bolts

i accessed mine via the top of the engine, same for most bits,

 

[lostonthetoad]

i accessed mine via the top of the engine, same for most bits,

I don’t know if your setup is like mine but if it is. HOW lol

 

[nissan boy]

its just under the master cylinder just next to the pas pipe, its the black , and the bolt is just on the rear, i used a ratchet spanner on it

 

[lostonthetoad]

its just under the master cylinder just next to the pas pipe, its the black , and the bolt is just on the rear, i used a ratchet spanner on it

Yeah that’s 100% the one I turned like twice.
So you mean if I had just kept on turning that then the belt would have came loose eventually?
I was concerned about having to lower the wheel/pulley first as one guide said to do.
The pipe is really restricting from both above and below.

 

[nissan boy]

And looosed the bottom ones a little and yep that the tensioner for the rear belt, front one is the alternator , its pivot bolts and a adjuster one at the top

 

[lostonthetoad]

And looosed the bottom ones a little and yep that the tensioner for the rear belt, front one is the alternator , its pivot bolts and a adjuster one at the top

Sweet I’ll see if I can loosen it off sometime and if I can then i will remove the alternator belt etc and change it.

The thread on the adjuster is really long. How much would you say you need to loosen it?

 

[nissan boy]

Cannot remember but basically till the belt.can be removed lol
Been a while since I had one all apart