Replacing the serpentine belt on my 2007 Kia

[Coup d'etat]

Well, it was time to replace the belt on the 2007 Kia Rondo with a 2.4 "Theta II" engine.
Simple right? The belt is like 8 feet long and I had to remove the passenger wheel and tire, and inner fender liner and still had limited access. I had several WTF moments.
Wow, it wasn't easy.
Check out the belt "map" LOL.
You can install the belt "incorrectly" like 10 different ways. What a PITA.

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

Similar belts I have replaced, I put a daub of red paint from a paint pen on the pulleys it is supposed to go under, and Blue paint on the ones it goes over, then take a picture of it before I go any further, then I take the belt off and PRAY that I get that miserable #$#%#$# back on right!

 

[Harley]

I had to remove the passenger wheel and tire, and inner fender

You did it the hard way. You need a special belt instalation tool to avoid all that extra work. I don't recall ever having to go through all that just to change a belt.

 

[Coup d'etat]

All the pulleys are about one inch from the passenger frame rail. It took me and my son working together to fit it properly.
I was underneath the car with a work light and my son was threading the belt down from the top and he also had a work light.
You cannot see the pulleys. You have go by feel.
The crank pulley was easy enough, as was the power steering pulley, but the idler pulleys you can't even see.
If I had x-ray vision it would only have taken 20 minutes.

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

So next time don't be so cheap, buy the X ray vision!

 

[MAC702]

You need a special belt installation tool to avoid all that extra work.

 

[Harley]

Yep, thats the one!

At least SOMETHING I taught you stuck after all these years.

 

[JTW_Jr]

All automotive mechanical design engineers should have to work in a repair shop for 2 years before designing anything.

 

[Gullwing]

I have had to deal with a few PITA belts over the years. Mid 80s Mercedes and older five separate V belts all with manual tensioners. Most of their serp belts weren't too bad, got pretty good at the belt on the M112/113, especially with the harmonic balancer recalls. Just hope for the V6 as it is in the same bay as a V8 so you had plenty of room. The newer ones are going to be a bit more complex.

 

[Kinoons]

All automotive mechanical design engineers should have to work in a repair shop for 2 years before designing anything.

My 2015 Volvo put the cabin air filter deep in behind the dashboard accessed via the foot well on the passenger side. Had to pull the carpet out of the way, undo two wiring harnesses, and then pull the filter out when your lying upside down on your back with your feet over the seat and out the passenger side door.

No doubt the guy that designed the car with the filter in that location never had to change that filter after the car was built. (a**hole).

 

[Bob R]

My 2015 Volvo put the cabin air filter deep in behind the dashboard accessed via the foot well on the passenger side. Had to pull the carpet out of the way, undo two wiring harnesses, and then pull the filter out when your lying upside down on your back with your feet over the seat and out the passenger side door.

No doubt the guy that designed the car with the filter in that location never had to change that filter after the car was built. (a**hole).

Well, I see that guy is still (or was) working at Volvo. I had a 1979 242 GT that needed a new heater core. Can you guess what the first thing placed on the assembly line was? If you said heater core give yourself a pat on the back! That took forever and I had parts everywhere for what should have been a simple job!

bob

 

[Gullwing]

I've wanted to murder more than a few engineers over the years. I spent many many hours thinking about it.

But then when there is an issue with catalytic converters breaking apart and rattling, so they decide that a quick hammer test isn't good enough and you must use a sound machine to hook up to several spots on the exhaust then run the car at 750rpm for a few minutes then 2500 rpm for a few more then again at 750.... "OH look what you thought was bad was in fact bad, so you can replace it... NOW THAT IT IS HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE SKIN OFF YOUR ARM". EFFING HURTS!!! Oh and yes it is a waiter so needs to be done right meow!

 

[JTW_Jr]

I had to change the heater core on my 2003 Grand Marquis, required pulling the entire dash.
Took me two days.

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

I had to change the heater core on my 2003 Grand Marquis, required pulling the entire dash.
Took me two days.

Hmm, same just to replace the instrument light bulbs in my 2001 PT cruiser, pull the entire dash after removing the steering wheel.

 

[Tophog]

Hmm, same just to replace the instrument light bulbs in my 2001 PT cruiser, pull the entire dash after removing the steering wheel.

Car Shield can be your friend.

 

[Harley]

Hmm, same just to replace the instrument light bulbs in my 2001 PT cruiser, pull the entire dash after removing the steering wheel.

Did you skip a few chapters in your repair manual? Pulling the dash apart to change the instrument cluster bulbs on a Cruiser is MUCH different and easier than pulling an entire dash to replace a heater core.

And who told ya the steering wheel needed to be removed for that? They need to be slapped!

 

[L0C0]

Replaced light bulbs in my wife’s Cadillac. Had to remove the front wheels, drop the front end/bumper, and enter through the wheel wells…

 

[JTW_Jr]

Sometimes it is just easier to remove the license plates and replace everything in between 😉 worked on our Ford Contour.

 

[Coup d'etat]

Some designs just suck. The GM "Ecotec" series of four cylinder engines have a chain driven water pump. 💩
Yes, think about that. When the water pump starts to leak, you have to use specific GM tools to remove the drive gear, and hold the drive gear locked in place as you remove the water pump from the BACK of the housing.
The timing chain and gear must be locked if not the whole front of the engine has to come off. 💩 💩💩
What GM engineer thought that would be a good idea?
In fact, the water pump has it's own chain, seperate from the actual timing chàin.

 

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Climate control plenum in a 04 Tahoe... disassemble the lower dash, remove the center console, then grow an extra joint in your arm to get the one actuator some #$#% engineer decided needed to be around where no human being can reach it. That design sucks!