How many of you have changed your serpentine belt, or had someone do it for you?

A couple months ago I took my DeVille to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. The technician called me out, and showed me the fan belt that was starting to show wear. Yes indeed, I'd like to see a new one in there, but not today -- probably next time.

Well, today was next time. I changed the oil at the same location, and asked about changing the fan belt. This time the answer was "can't do that."

Now I'll admit this belt doesn't look easy, and I get the impression that he just didn't want to do it. Jiffy Lube has a standard price of around $50 to do this, which to me is a bargain on this car. Still, it's bad business to try to talk me into having it replaced, then refuse to do it.

Have others of you had this belt changed by Jiffy Lube or similar?

1/2" drive ratchet or breaker bar and you're done.
BTW, it is NORMAL for a certain amount of cracks on the inside of the belt. If someone points to a few small cracks in the inside of the belt and tries to tell you that it means you need a belt, they're BSing you.

How many of you have changed your serpentine belt, or had someone do it for you?

A couple months ago I took my DeVille to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. The technician called me out, and showed me the fan belt that was starting to show wear. Yes indeed, I'd like to see a new one in there, but not today -- probably next time.

Well, today was next time. I changed the oil at the same location, and asked about changing the fan belt. This time the answer was "can't do that."

Now I'll admit this belt doesn't look easy, and I get the impression that he just didn't want to do it. Jiffy Lube has a standard price of around $50 to do this, which to me is a bargain on this car. Still, it's bad business to try to talk me into having it replaced, then refuse to do it.

Have others of you had this belt changed by Jiffy Lube or similar?


its a rippoff in my opinion, get a 1/2 breaker bar or 1/2 ratchet, and do it yoruself.. it takes all of 3 minutes to do. the belt costs about $20 from autozone. the routing for the belt is posted on a diagram on the front of yoru engien compartment..

For all concerned...

Jiffy Lube and others hire minimum wage "helpers" to sell their product line on a commission basis. The people they hire rarely have more than a meager knowledge of automotive lubrication systems let alone the sophisticated engineering of a Cadillac. I can not rely on these people to properly replace the drain plug on my car. I do not use them, hire them, or even talk to them. They serve a purpose for the likes of Jiffy Lube et al only, and in my opinion, are dangerous to the general public.

I changed mine out a few weeks ago. It isnt hard at all. Put the breaker bar in the hole and rotate the tensioner and remove the belt from the alternator and then let the tensioner back up. Pull the belt up and out of there and then wind the new one the way the diagram shows. Rotate the tensioner again and slip it over the tensioner pulley and the alternator and let it go. Just be sure the belt is in all the grooves all over before starting it.

It took me about 5 minutes.

Blaze

It takes 5 minutes. You need a 1/2'' braker and a 3' stick would be helpful too (to place it on pulleys you cannot reach easyly by hand). I believe a serp belt can last some 100.000 miles. Cracks are OK, but missing chunks of ribs may cause problem.

The time to replace the belt is when it has stretched. To verify this, look at the large grey tensioner, you will see two or three lines cast on it and a fixed mark on its mount. When the belt is stretched to the last line, then replace it. you can verify this with the engine running.