Auto Parts: 1998 chevy s10, grooved pulleys, chevy s10

Question
QUESTION: I replaced the alterntor and removed the tensioner.  Now I do not know how to reinstall the tensioner.  Can you please provide instruction on replacing the tnesioner.  thanks


tensioner   ANSWER:      Since the tensioner is held on with a single bolt, I assume that what you are really talking about is how to reinstall the belt.  With all of the accessories driven by one belt, it can sometimes be confusing as to how to reinstall it.  There should be, under the hood somewhere, a diagram of how the belt is threaded around the pulleys.  Once you've found this you only need one other piece of information to make reinstalling the belt simple: the smooth side of the belt goes against the smooth pulleys, and the grooved side of the belt goes against the grooved pulleys.  I wonder why you took off the tensioner when replacing the alternator.  If you bought a new tensioner, and it won't fit, then you want to compare it with the old one to make sure that they gave you the right one.  There are dozens of different tensioners available, it wouldn't be too hard to get the wrong one.  A V6 tensioner looks like the one I attached.

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QUESTION: I accidently took the the tensioner off when I changed the serpentine belt.  I don't know how to reinstall it and get the belt functioning again.  I understand it only has one bolt, but how do I relieve the tension on it once I have it back on so I can reinstall the belt?  Again, thank you.  The picture is exactly what I have.

Answer
    If you look at the tensioner, on the side facing you, tight behind the pulley there is a square hole.  What you do is take a breaker bar or long-handled ratchet, and put the square drive in that hole.  Then you will have a long enough lever to pull the tensioner back and get the belt underneath it.  GM does almost all of their tensioners this way.  The ones that don't work this way simply require you to put a wrench on the nut holding the pulley and use it as a lever to move the tensioner.  Not exactly counter-intuitive, but not obvious either.