How to Remove + Install/Replace Belt Tensioner on 2.5L engine for Mazda 3, 6, CX5

[@timgifford4637]

Thanks for the reply, I’ve watched them all. Appreciate the effort. So far no leaks at any of the points you noticed them, I’m just lucky I guess. With these videos I now have the confidence to tackle these jobs. Just need to wait till it cools off a little down here in the Deep South.

[@footprintsinconc]

as long as there are no leaks, you got nothing to worry about. just keep an eye on the belt tensioner, that is easy to see.

[@russdshannon]

Very helpful. I’ve putting this off for a long time and I can tell it’s affecting my AC.

[@Markov_727]

Awesome info. I did mine and used an aftermarket belt, locally my tensioner was in good shape. Thanks for the video

[@footprintsinconc]

Glad it helped

[@seanjamesmacleod241]

This guy is God sent

[@footprintsinconc]

lol, Thank you! Please help me out with the KZbin algorithms by liking, sharing and subscribing.

[@scootx3946]

Good stuff. Mazda just told me my tensioner was leaking. Not much evidence on the tensioner itself, but apparent in surrounding areas. They want $450 to replace it. If I don't have to remove the belts, I believe I can do this based on your video. Thanks

[@footprintsinconc]

Thanks! please be sure to help out by liking and subscribing. thank you!

[@reswoodu1807]

Super 👍. теперь понятно как вынимать этот болт!

[@footprintsinconc]

Thank you!

[@chaseduran1199]

Great video. FYI The link to the other video for belt installation/removal seems to be missing.

[@footprintsinconc]

Thanks!! the link in the description is working for me: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYeTY4iZp9t9o5I however, i think i found the link you are referring to...it's the text that is referred to in the image. I've added a link tp the video, on that screen, it's under the 'i' and have placed the actual link. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@Cameronbic]

Excellent video. Where are you placing the jack stand? Not at the pinch weld, obviously.

[@footprintsinconc]

Thank you! please watch this video, i'm starting the video in the shared link below at one of the support locations...but if you watch the whole video, i'll show you where to support the car in the front and back.

[@orlandomolina7192]

Ok so the dealer technician wasn’t lying about having a leaking tension pulley. I don’t remember ever replacing one for leaking. Is this common in newer vehicles?

[@footprintsinconc]

they didn't have them before, then some manufacturers went to these with shocks....

[@edgymememaker2602]

Yeah the hydraulic tensioner we use now are prone to problems

[@footprintsinconc]

@@edgymememaker2602 they sure are :)

[@richardborge8541]

Looks impossible to feed a torque wrench down there but do u know the torque specs on those bolts?

[@footprintsinconc]

i just tighted with down without a torque wrench as there is no room to do that. one way to guage it would be when you remove the bolts, feel how tight it was...then tighten it right away and then loosen it again to get a sense of how tight you need to be when reinstalling the bolts

[@mikexom]

Excellent Will be doing soon as I believe the tensioner is causing my alternator to not fully charge my battery

[@chrish9165]

Well done! Thank you👍🏼

[@footprintsinconc]

you're welcome!

[@badbass1213]

Very nice video, thank you so much.

[@toddac61]

Just replaced my belts and tensioner 2018 CX5 75000 miles. Heard squealing after startup and at 40mph. Also heard a rattle at 1200-1300 RPM that sounded like something loose underneath. It was a bad job, I did the belts on my 2015 at 125000 miles and didn't remember having problems. This time it took over two hours. I had trouble getting the nut off the tensioner, the wrench became jammed after getting the belt off and releasing the tension. Couldn't get the water pump belt off using a rag and laying on the floor. Was even harder getting the waterpump belt back on. The rattle turned out to be the tensioner since there is no more noise anymore.

[@footprintsinconc]

some times things just don't go the way we want to...on the brighter side, all the stuff is new now. character building moment :)

[@Microjuf]

I want to replace the belts, do I need to replace the tensioner too? It is not leaking

[@BlitzvogelMobius]

Lower tensioner bolt broke recently after replacing the tensioner a couple weeks prior. Tried to drill into it (after drilling a 1" access hole into the frame) and use an extractor only for the extractor to break too D: Not sure what my luck would be trying to drill out the broken extractor + bolt again. Starting to wonder if it would be better to drill a larger hole into the sideways insertion channel and use a heavy duty threaded bolt sleeve + a shorter bolt. Accessing the bolt from the side isn't a problem with a hole in the frame.

[@TalkToMehWoW]

did you ever fix this? same exact issue I'm having did drilling the access hole actually help? do you feel it weakens the frame in negative manner?

[@BlitzvogelMobius]

@@TalkToMehWoW It'll weaken the frame technically, but such structural components are going to be overbuilt, and the equivalent of a "lightening hole" in the webbing won't degrade the overall strength too much provided you stay away from the flange. In the end, I wasn't able to get my fix to work. The precision needed and the inability to find a large enough bolt sleave made it all untenable. Ended up taking it to a shop and paid dearly for my hubris LMAO

[@SzechuanChickenDog]

Did you prime the new tensioner? Mine came with explicit instructions to pump it 5 times slowly after torquing the bolts.

[@MufasaRizz]

Excellent video.

[@footprintsinconc]

Thanks! please be sure to help me out with the KZbin algorithms by liking and subscribing. thank you!

[@LuisRodriguez-ql1os]

Is this the same for speed6

[@footprintsinconc]

I'm not sure. If it has the 2.5 or 20L engine, then yes

[@fahadpasha546]

Thanks for sharing....

[@footprintsinconc]

Thanks for watching!

[@vinuezaer]

Very good

[@footprintsinconc]

Thank you! please help out by liking, sharing and subscribing. Thx!

[@rjchavo196]

Is that the part number for the 2018 mazda 3 touring 2.5 Mexico built?

[@footprintsinconc]

the part number that i shared is for the mazda 6. to double check, enter your vin number on any OEM parts sellers' site, and the part number from there to verify for your vehicle.

[@La1Z1Bri]

Amazon or Ebay sells knockoffs for $30 - $50 but the OEMs are more like $200 +. Is it worth the risk?

[@SL-pg4dh]

No. The knockoffs will not retract enough to let you put belt on it

[@gonicito]

Thank you so much for this video, it is so helpful. So, my Local Mazda Dealership recommended that I get my Tensioner replaced about 2 years ago, but they were trying to charge me $315 for it. I consulted with another Mechanic and advised me to wait at least another year. I completely forgot about it and it seems to be in the same shape as 2 years ago and no squeaking sound. Would you advise me to replace it soon? Would it be too late until I actually hear the squeaking sound?

[@footprintsinconc]

Thank you for the comment and question. Does the unit look wet or greasy like my unit did in the video? If yes, then it's time to change it because the shock liquid has started to leak. Please help me out by liking and sharing.

[@gonicito]

@@footprintsinconc For sure! I've subscribed as well. It does look a little greasy, similar to yours. I don't plan on waiting for months but I know that it will take me at least a week or so to do some research to find a good mechanic that charges decently. That's why I was wondering if I have some time even if for some reason it starts to squeak in the next couple of days. Thank you again.

[@footprintsinconc]

@@gonicito mine was all covered in greasy dirt, so it went out and was squeaking. if your is partially covered, then it's on its way out...depending on the conditions of where and how you drive, it can go out tomorrow or take another month...it's all very hard to determine. i can't determine that... if you are going to take a week to change it, take the time you need. there is no part that needs to be changed every 2 years....your owner's manual from Mazda give you a suggested maintenance guidance on two types of driving conditions...they don't mention anything about a belt tensioner, so i personally would have a hard time believing a dealer when the give advice that doesn't make sense to me....that is just me. you should decide based on your research.

[@gonicito]

@@footprintsinconc I see, yeah mine has grease but it's been like that since 2020 so I'm really not sure how it has been able to run since then. I'm not trying to risk it not working on a random day though so I'm making an appointment for next week at a decently priced shop. Thank you again for your advice and recommendations. Keep up the great page! Best,

[@modernmankind]

Thanks for the video. The upper nut is seized up for me. I tried PB blaster but basically almost rounded the nut using a wrench. I even tried six point 12mm socket but it's hard stuck. Any other ideas?

[@modernmankind]

Just to update - open wheel well liner and use an extension to get more leverage. Both nut and bolt seized up on me. What a pita to remove this tensioner.

[@footprintsinconc]

You are welcome! you could use a set like these if bolts or nut heads ever get rounded: amzn.to/3APCYS7 you are right, you need to remove the wheel well liner for more access and you will need to use an extension.

[@edgymememaker2602]

Sorry for the hella late reply, but I had the same issue,I solved it by jacking the engine and removing the upper mount bolts and had a ton of room for the top

[@howdy000]

Is it really neccessary to take off the water pump belt?

[@footprintsinconc]

i'm replacing both belts...so yes :)

[@howdy000]

@@footprintsinconc Im not replacing the belts, just the tensioner...

[@footprintsinconc]

@@howdy000 my bad, i get the question now :) sorry for the late reply. no it is not needed to remove the water pump belt at all for just the belt tensioner.

[@mikexom]

If you are going through all this trouble, replacing the two belts is a $30 no Brainerd with no extra work

[@timgifford4637]

Thanks for putting this together, well done! How many miles are on this car? I am asking as a way to compare what maintenance you are doing at your mileage vs.my car, which h121k miles on it. Thanks again! Liked and subscribed.

[@footprintsinconc]

Thank you!! Not sure if you saw my other videos that i did just now...so here is my story at 115k miles: sorry for the long reply :) I have about 115k mile and I've been seeing oil on the oil filter & drain plug access cover when i go to do the oil change...but then one day the car making the really bad squeaking sound when ever i started the car or accelerated. So i started looking for the source and in the process i discovered three things: 1) belt tension had failed and leaked oil 2) that the valve cover + oil control valve was leaking oil and 3) i noticed a small leak had developed at the water pump I went about to fixing these issues and some other over due items all at one time...I've recorded my work and here are the videos for reference. I split the videos into smaller pieces to make it more relevant. belts belt tensioner water pump thermostat coolant drain and refill spark plugs valve cover gasket brake fluid flush & refill clean in take and throttle body clean How to Jack up the car and support on stands: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIbWnJ97gNFogqc Changing out the belts: water pump and serpentine belt kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYeTY4iZp9t9o5I replacing the belt tensioner: kzbin.info/www/bejne/garNmpyGo5Wfj6M replacing water pump and coolant: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJfJi2Wto6qhqq8 replacing thermostat: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXWtc5qerdl0b9k replacing spark plugs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipTcZImVp5akY6s replacing the valve cover and oil control valve gasket: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYiXeaBrrcusr6M brake fluid flush and replace: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqjGgZSKopuInsk I did the oil change and tire rotation while at it, so had to reset the service reminder notification as well. resetting the service reminder notification: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKSln5mebMlsaMk check out my other videos on the mazda 6: kzbin.info/aero/PLBZh-P-mar6XbOqrW2jlMyuKkCNfkbEX1 Thank you !

[@privatemale27]

Worst part of this job, is the lack of clearance. Definitely annoying to have to take a wheel off and a panel, just to change a belt. No way to reach down from the top.

[@footprintsinconc]

So true!