The Mazda 626 was built between 1979 and 2002. After 2002, the Mazda 6 took over for the 626 to become Mazda's biggest family car. The 1998 Mazda 626 is equipped with two separate drive belts that operate the engine accessories, such as the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioner compressor and water pump. Both belts have an adjustable pulley that keeps the proper tension on the belt while the engine is running. The adjustable pulleys must be loosened to remove and replace the belts.
Park the 1998 Mazda 626 on a level surface and shut the engine off. Set the parking brake and open the hood. Wait for the engine to cool down before working inside the engine compartment.
Locate the alternator belt adjustment bracket on the left-hand side of the alternator. The adjustment bracket is made up of a pulley, an adjustment bracket and an adjustment bolt sticking out of the top of the bracket. Loosen the bolt in the center of the adjustment pulley with the ratchet and a socket.
Turn the adjustment bolt counterclockwise until the belt is loose. Pull the belt out from under the adjustment pulley. Pull the belt off the alternator pulley, the air conditioner compressor pulley and the crankshaft pulley, then remove the belt from the engine compartment.
Slide under the front of the engine and locate the power steering pump belt adjustment bracket on the left side of the crankshaft pulley. The power steering belt adjustment bracket is also made up of a pulley, an adjustment bracket and an adjustable bolt sticking out of the bottom of the bracket.
Loosen the bolt in the center of the adjustment pulley with the ratchet and socket. Turn the adjustment bolt counterclockwise with the ratchet and socket until the belt is loose. Pull the belt off the adjustment pulley, the crankshaft pulley, the power steering pump pulley and the water pump pulley. Pull the belt out of the engine compartment.
Wrap the new alternator belt around the crankshaft pulley, air conditioner compressor pulley, alternator pulley and adjustment bracket pulley. Tighten the belt by turning the adjustment bolt clockwise with the ratchet and socket until the belt is tight. Once the belt is tight, check the tension by pushing inward on the belt with your hand until the belt has no more than a half-inch of deflection at its longest span. Adjust the belt as needed to get a half-inch of deflection in the belt. Retighten the bolt in the center of the adjustment pulley with the ratchet and socket.
Move back to the bottom of the engine and wrap the new power steering pump belt around the crankshaft pulley, water pump pulley, power steering pump pulley and adjustment pulley. Tighten the belt by turning the adjustment bolt clockwise with the ratchet and socket until the belt is tight. Once the belt is tight, check the tension by pushing inward on the belt with your hand until the belt has no more than a half-inch of deflection at its longest span. Adjust the belt as needed to get a half-inch of deflection in the belt. Retighten the bolt in the center of the adjustment pulley with the ratchet and socket.
Inspect both belts to ensure that they are properly seated inside each pulley. Crank the engine and let it run for about 30 seconds. Inspect the belts with the engine running to ensure that they remain seated with the engine running. Turn the engine off and recheck the belts' tension. Adjust as needed. Close the hood.
