Chevy & GMC Vans

Hi folks, new here and probably a rookie question> I need to swap the alternator and for that I need to get the serpentine belt off. However, I can for the life of me not move the belt tensioner. It seems that it is still the original part and the bolts on both the pulley and the tensioner are not moving at all. I also can not grab the pulley and push it left or right. Already used lots of WD-40, brke a socket, and bsuised my hand :-).

Any advice on how to deal with that stubborn 14 mm bolt on the tensioner would be greatlt appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Erhard

Welcome to The Forum.

I had a fit with the frozen tensioner on our 4.3 / 92 Astro. Especially when I lost the fine pitch nut off the back.
Good Luck.

@sixsix, and how did you solve the problem?

Welcome to the forum.
Have you tried heat?

Were you planning on replacing the belt anyway? Cut the belt, get a new tensioner. You're going to need a new tensioner anyway, maybe the few extra bucks for the belt will be worth not messing with getting it loose. As you've found out, there is precious little room in there to work.

Our problem was - we lost that fine pitch nut off the back side.
Took a couple hardware stores to find one.
Replaced the tensioner, idler and belt.
Bearings "tinkled" out while idling in front of the drs' office.

Thanks for the help guys. After 3 days and 4 cans of WD-40 I finally got that stinker out. Now I need to figure out how to get the wires off the alternator's back without breaking them. Tomorrow a new tensioner comes in and hopefully bu tomorrow evening I'll be running again.