A Saturn SC1 has a single serpentine belt located on the left side of the engine block. This belt powers many vehicle functions, including the power steering, the water pump, the alternator and the A/C compressor. Due to wear and tear over time, the belt may need to be replaced. Signs that the belt is bad include cracking, fraying or worn belt grooves and a squealing sound caused by belt slippage.
Park the car on a level surface and apply the emergency brake. Release the hood's catch by pulling the hood release inside the car. Pull the latch centered under the front of the hood to open the hood to expose the engine bay.
Place a floor jack under the front passenger's side jack point. Slightly raise the front passenger's side tire and loosen the four lug nuts. Raise the tire completely off the ground and remove the lug nuts and wheel, exposing the inside wheel well. Remove the plastic fasteners that secure the two plastic shields located at the back of the wheel well with a slotted screwdriver. Slide out the shields to expose the lower portion of the engine block, which is where you will find the crankshaft pulley and belt tensioner.
Apply a 15 mm box wrench to the belt tensioner pulley located just above the crankshaft pulley. Pull the wrench to the left to relieve tension on the serpentine belt. Slide the belt off the tensioner pulley and release the 15 mm wrench, allowing the tensioner pulley to return to its original position.
Remove the old serpentine belt from the pulley system manually. Refer to the serpentine belt routing diagram affixed to the front crossover of the Saturn's engine bay if you're not sure how the belt should be installed. Sketch the routing on a piece of paper if one isn't present on the front crossover.
Install the new belt into the SC1, starting at the top of the pulley system and working down to the crankshaft pulley inside the wheel well. Apply the 15 mm box wrench to the tensioner pulley and pull it to the left. Slide the serpentine belt over the pulley and release the wrench to place tension on the installed belt.
Inspect the serpentine belt to ensure it's positioned on the pulley system correctly by referring to the belt routing diagram on the front crossover or the sketch you made. Slide in the plastic shields and secure them in place with the plastic fasteners. Remount the wheel and four lug nuts, tightening them with the tire iron. Lower the floor jack so the tire is resting on the ground and double-check the lug nuts.
