Some comments on changing the belts on an '01 PF

[Chuck Tribolet]

I changed the belts on my '01 PF this morning. It took about 40 minutes. At 192,000 miles, I figured it was about time. The belts
were in pretty good shape actually. Since I spent more time figuring out just what I needed to do than actually doing, I thought I'd
pass a few things along.

1. First step is degrease. Two cans of Gunk a couple of weeks ago handled that.

2. You change the belts from underneath, and that means pulling the cardboard pan under the engine. So changing the belts
in conjunction with an oil change is a good idea.

3. The FSM shows a bolt and a nut for each adjuster. You gotta loosen both before it moves. The nut may take a good yank to get
loose.

4. It's a bit fiddly but you don't have to remove the fan to get the fan belt free. (I had one vehicle where that was necessary).

5. A right angle power drill is real handy for running the jack screw on the adjuster up and down. And for pulling the pan.

[Chuck Tribolet]

When I fired it up after putting the new belts on this morning, it was quiet. It was also already warmed up. I shut it down and did
other stuff like mowing the lawns, cleaning the pool filter, and such. This evening I needed to go to the grocery store. Fired it up, got
about 15 seconds of belt squeal and then it shut up. When I left the grocery store, I got about 1 second of belt squeal.

What's the consensus: give it a couple of hundred miles and see if it shuts up for good, or tighten the belts tomorrow morning?

[yeldogt]

I changed out the original belts at 130k on my 02 two weeks ago -- mine started to slip at startup in very cold weather when you would have the seat heaters/ rear defroster/ headlights on -- So it had to be the alternator belt. Since the belts are original and have not been played with I checked the tension on both prior to replacement and was surprised how tight they were. So it told me that the belts must be getting glazed to slip when that tight and that they are tight from the factory with little deflection. I used OE Nissan belts from Pinnacle Nissan. I ended up having all the fluids changed in the truck and my local mechanic only wanted a bit more to install the belts - so I had him do them. Very quiet now.

[Chuck Tribolet]

This morning it squealed and didn't stop before I couldn't stand it. I tightened up the alternator belt. I had to put at least three more turns on the jack screw before before it quit squealing.

[Pathfound49]

A mechanic friend of mine said that the 3.5l belts need to be tightened way more than the norm-1/2 inch of flexion. I've experienced this as well. You would hate to burn out an alternator pulley bearing by doing so. But that is what you need to do. Very little flex in the belt will eliminate the squeal.

I've been using Dayco brand belts. A trusted name, but the quality could be lacking.

[Pathofinder]

Gatorbacks run quiet

[Towncivilian]

Gatorbacks run quiet

Yep, I've got one too and no issues. Was installed by a local shop.