I hate to sound incredibly stupid, but I have to ask this. I have a 2002 with the 2.0 L SOHC 16 valve engine. I was driving today and heard a snap. Since I was able to determine it wasn't a flat or suspension problem, I assumed I had just run over some debris in the road. However, the "idiot light" for the charging system came on a short time later. I pulled into a parts store and popped the hood, where upon I discovered that my serpentine belt had partially busted. In other words, it split lengthways, not across, so it was still turning pulleys, etc. I restarted the engine, and the charge light was off. But, shortly after I started driving again, it came back on.

Anyway, to make this short, I'm assuming that, since all pulleys seem to be turning ok, at least at idle, and there's no screeching from a slipping belt, that it is just the belt. Even if it's not, to complete the repair and get the problem solved, it will have to be replaced anyway.

So, I have two questions:

1) Can anyone tell me if that sounds like what the problem is? Like I said, all pulleys are turning ok, and they don't appear to be freezing up at speed.

2) Can anyone give me step-by-step on replacing the belt? I can see the tensioning pulley well enough, but there's less than an inch of clearance between it and the wheel well to even attempt to get something in to adjust it. It looks like the motor mount would have to be removed to lift the engine enough to get to it. PLEASE tell me that it's not necessary to go to THAT much effort to replace a belt!!!!!!!!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

You need to under the car and remove the lower iner fender. Then you need MATCO TOOLS part number MST9632 serpantine belt tool to fit it into the tensioner(Due to clearance problems between fender and tensioner). Push towards rear of car and lift belt off. With car on jackstands and serpatine belt tool very easy actually. Then the Alternator belt goes on like you'd expect. Could make tool out of simple bar style belt tool with 1/2 inch square drive(NO Ratchettng mechanism, clearance is very tight) and then thin it out till it clears.

Hope this helps. Doen a couple now and the hardest part is getting the plastic body clips out near the front of the lower inner fender.

Good luck.

YUP they made a special tool just for second gen NEONS. (it also does Chrysler 2K+ mini-vans but they can be done with other ratchetting tools just fine.