MazdaSpeed 3 2008 Idler / Tensioner Pulleys and Belt

2012-06-22T18:31:00.002-07:00

Changing the idler pulley, serpentine belt and tension pulley on a 2008 MazdaSpeed 3 is quite easy ( I do not know if this all applies to the regular Mazda 3) and can be completed in a couple hours.

I got all my parts from Napa www.napaonline.com / good luck

1. Set the e-brake
2. Loosen the Lug nuts on the Front Passenger Tire
3. Jack the front of the car and support on jack stands
4. Remove the front Passenger tire
5. Remove the bolts that attach the small plastic splash guard toward the front of the fender well ( this gives you a bit more room for getting at the idler)

(A view from the top of the engine bay)

6. Use a Combo Wrench on the Tensioner Pulley to slack the belt and slide it off the pulley (Turn the wrench Clock-Wise to slack the belt, note that there is a notch so that the Tensioner can only rotate so far so do not exert the Tensioner beyond the point it feels it stops rotating)

7. Remove the two bolts that hold the Tensioner to the Engine Block

8. Remove bolt that mounts the Idler Pulley, it is located just above and to the right of the tensioner pulley

9. Position the new Idler Pulley and start the threads by hand as it has a long threaded portion. Tighten the bolt down ( make sure that the locating features of the bearings are aligned on the bolt before you finish tightening the bolt down.)

10. Place the new tensioner in place and hand tighten the bolts, then finish tighten the bolts down.

11. Route the serpentine belt around all the pulleys

12. Use a helper and the combo wrench to slack the tension on the tensioner. I found that routing the belt around everything besides the power steering is the best, then have your helper slide the belt over the power steering pulley, let the tensioner out to finish.

13. Replace the splash guard, mount the tire, hand tighten the lug nuts, put the car back on the ground , and torque the lug nuts.

Please comment if you find anything that needs updating, I lost track and did not write this right after I did it so .....

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MazdaSpeed 3 2008 Idler / Tensioner Pulleys and Belt