How to Change the Serpentine Belts on a Honda Civic
by Aram Khayatpour
Serpentine belts are an essential part of your Honda Civic's engine. These belts connect various parts of your car's internal works, such as the engine block and the alternator, allowing the force created by the engine to be used in different tasks. When these belts wear out, they need to be replaced with new ones, which can be difficult if you have never worked on an engine before. Removing the belt is actually quite a simple task as long as you know what to look for.
Step 1
Locate the belt tension bolt in your Honda Civic's engine bay. This can be found on the bottom left of the alternator, right next to a section of the belt.
Step 2
Place the belt tensioner on the bolt inside the engine bay then turn it counterclockwise to loosen the belt. Continue turning it until you can easily move the belt by hand.
Step 3
Pull the old belt off of the engine pulleys manually then discard it.
Step 4
Place the new belt, grooved side down, onto the pulleys that the old belt was running along.
Step 5
Tighten the belt tension bolt by turning it clockwise with the belt tensioner tool. Refer to the owner's manual for your year Honda Civic for the exact pound feet of torque that your Civic's belt needs to be tightened to.
References
Things You'll Need
- Belt tensioner
- New belt
Warnings
- Whenever working on a car's engine, make sure you have given it adequate time to cool. Parts of the engine bay can remain dangerously hot for more than an hour after it has been off.
