Changing belts on a 2002 Infiniti Q45

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Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 8:15 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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Just wanted to share my experience of changing the belts, belt tensioners, and idler pulley on my 2002 Q45.

I've never been much of a car guy, but I've maintained motorcycles for many years. This was my first time changing belts, ever.

For owners of the 2002 model Q45, note that there are actually two serpentine belts available based on the date of manufacture of the car. If the car was made before 7/2001, it will use a different part number than the rest. I noticed a lot of after market suppliers, including the hugest, offered only one belt for this year. Mine was dated 5/01 on the frame sticker, which was the only date I could find anywhere on the car, so I bought the part number for the earlier models. After installation, the tensioner indicated that the tension was correct and the belt fit properly into all of the grooves on everything, so I assume that sticker is accurate, or at least it is for my car.

In retrospect, I should have changed the coolant at the same time I changed the belts and equippage. The job would have gone way faster if I could just take out all of the hoses. Some of the bolts took a good 20 minutes to remove as I just could not find a good angle with any of my tools and all those hoses in the way. Also have on hand a set of 12-point metric sockets. This isn't a high-torque application and that extra option for getting an angle on a bolt will really be appreciated. I also recommend having either a belt tool, which is really just a very long, narrow, non-ratcheting socket wrench, or having several options of torque extenders and breaker bars, especially if it's been a long time since this maintenance was done. I couldn't believe how much torque was required to remove some of those bolts. Also, a lot of the bolts can not be removed by hand, so a stubby ratchet really comes in handy.

I recommend not changing the idler pulley unless you know it needs replacing. I knew at least 2 of the 3 (2 tensioners + 1 idler pulley) were rattling, but wasn't sure which ones, so I did a shotgun approach. However, when you purchase the idler pulley, it's just the pulley, and I couldn't find a wrench or tool capable of getting the pulley off without removing the whole assembly (or radiator fan). And since I don't have an impact wrench, I took the assembly to a local mechanic that I know and trust and he replaced the idler pulley on the assembly for me.

When putting the belts on, leave the tensioner for last. It's easy to slip the belt onto the tensioner since it doesn't have grooves or a lip.

I changed mine at 90,000 miles, and the two tensioners were in really bad shape and the belt was fraying. I have a feeling these were the stock components, but don't know for sure. I replaced with all Gates components purchased at Rock Auto, except the idler pulley, which I got at Autozone.


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