99 Stratus 2.5L , V6. I am in the middle of installing a new timing belt, water pump, tensioner, and pulleys. I have removed the power steering pump and backing plate. I have removed the damper pulley, the lower timing belt cover, and the left upper timing belt cover. I cannot remove the right side upper timing belt cover. There is an accessory drive bracket that is a large aluminum casting. This casting has a tong that partially extends over the front of the right upper timing belt cover. The upper front mounting bolt for the power steering pump threads into this tong. All of the bolts for the cover are out. The cover is loose. The extension tong interferes with the cover, and the cover cannot be removed. I have the Official Factory Shop Manuals and there is no mention of removing the accessory drive bracket. There are also no instructions on how to remove the accessory bracket. I seems to be major surgery. I got desperate and called a Chrysler stand by mechanic ($38). They refunded my money.What am I missing? Help!!!

 

TIMING BELT COVERS
REMOVAL
Disconnect negative cable from battery remote jumper terminal.
Remove drive belt splash shield. Refer to Body for procedure.
Remove the accessory drive belts.
Support engine and remove right engine mount.
Remove crankshaft damper.
NOTE: To remove engine mount bracket the lower timing belt cover must be removed first

Remove power steering pump bracket.
Remove the timing belt covers Timing Belt Covers Remove covers in this order:
Upper left cover.
Lower cover.
Upper right cover.
NOTE: To remove right/rear timing belt cover, the power steering pump bracket must be removed.

Remove the engine mount bracket Timing Belt Covers
INSTALLATION
Install engine mount bracket Timing Belt Covers
Install timing belt covers Timing Belt Covers in this order:
Upper right cover.
Lower cover.
Upper left cover.
Install power steering pump bracket.
Install crankshaft damper.
Install right engine mount.
Install accessory drive belts.
Install drive belt splash shield.
Connect negative cable from battery remote jumper terminal.

 

ENGINE MOUNT - RIGHT/ENGINE SUPPORT BRACKET
NOTE: The right side engine mount is a Hydro-Mount and may show surface cracks. This will not effect it's performance and should not be replaced. Only replace the Hydro-Mount when it's leaking fluid.

Raise vehicle on a hoist and remove inner splash. Remove the right engine support assembly vertical fasteners from frame rail Engine Mounting - Right Side 2.5L
Lower vehicle. Remove the load on the engine motor mounts by carefully supporting the engine assembly with a floor jack.
Remove the three bolts attaching the engine support assembly to the engine bracket.
Move the air conditioning dryer aside.
Remove coolant recovery system tank.
Remove right engine support.
Remove the three bolts attaching the engine support bracket to the cylinder block
NOTE: If centering or adjusting the engine/transmission assembly is needed refer to Adjustments, in this section.

Reverse removal procedure for installation.

 

Thank you all. However, you seem to be missing my problem. No one mentions the Accessory Drive Bracket. That is the piece that is in the way of removing the upper right timing belt cover. I also have the factory shop manuals that give the exact procedures that you have written. I don't understand why the coolant recovery tank should be removed. It is on the opposite side, and interfers with nothing. I need someone who has actually done the replacement of the belt. The manuals don't describe my problem. I owned an 11 bay service center. Yesyerday I spoke with one of my former Master Mechanic. No help. I am about to take my Dremel and cut the damn thing off, then expox the two pieces after the are installed sperately. In over fifty years of car repair experience I have never spent so much time on a semingly easy procedure. I will cut the cover sooner than remove the accessory drive bracket.

 

Cant get diagram to download.

 

This is a drawing of the 2.5L engine front. (see atachment)
The hi-lited aera is the Accessory Drive Bracket. It interfers with removal of the right upper timing belt cover. There is only 1/8 inch clearance between the bracket and the cover. Although the diagram shows the bracket to extend only a short distance across the cover, it does in fact extend halfway across the cover.

 

I'm pretty sure I cut mine so it would flex enough to get out. Not the correct way to do it but I'd rather do that than replace an engine since the belt was already 30K over.

On a side note, the cams are going to jump when you release the belt. Make sure to watch them close. I had to turn everything until it got back in time and now I have collapsed lifter capsules that need replaced.

 

The problem is that the bracket that is in the way is refered to by two different names.
Some call it the PS bracket, some call it the accessory drive bracket. Same confusion with the motor mounts. I now know the bracket must be removed...OR take the cowards way out and cut the cover.

 

After a lot of research I finally have the answer. The power steering bracket must be removed to remove the upper right side timing belt cover. It is a bitch. There are four bolts that hold the bracket to the engine. All bolt heads face the firewall, two on top of the bracket and two on the lower part of the bracket. You may need a mirror to find the bolts. I spoke with someone who did the job. He used a 42" extension to reach one of the bolts. He cautioned me not to remove that bolt. He claims that he could remove three bolts and loosen the fourth bolt enough to move the bracket far enough to remove the timing belt cover.He said he felt that he could never get that fourth bolt back in. A great website to get a parts catalog with pictures is:
http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/
I will attack the bracket this weekend.

 

fOUR MOUNTING HOLES ARE RED.