How To Replace Mazda 3 Serpentine Stretch Belt & AC Drive Belt

Here are some of the tools that jimthecarguy uses
www.amazon.com/shop/jimthecarguy
Come along as I show you how to replace a drive belt ( Stretch belt)on this 2010 Mazda 3. Replacing the stretch fan belt and the alternator belt can be fun to say the least but this trick will work with no special tools.
Due to factors beyond the control of jimthecarguy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information,. jimthecarguy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. jimthecarguy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, chemicals, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of jimthecarguy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not jimthecarguy.

[@93mrsparky]

Of all the years, I didn't think about the cable. Thanks for the trick. Saved me 200 bucks on special tool. Thanks legend.

[@stuzman52]

You’re right Jim that some of those stretch belt installation tools get in the way. The zip tie method works great until you don’t have any holes in the crankshaft pulley. Have a great week! 😀👍

[@WxAxTxExR]

Good video. All I have to add is depending on what zip ties your are using put 2 or 3 on and like the guy says, make sure you keep the belt going on as it should when you do your stretch belt. Was a piece of cake for me. Been doing car work since I was a kid, these kind of tricks are always helpful to learn.

[@bobbytrusty8187]

L

[@williamstevens4824]

Jim , You made that look easy. Thanks for the maintenance tips. Great video. Bill

[@jimthecarguy]

Thanks for watching

[@coltonrichardson2436]

Good trick! Glad to see that the regular acc belt was a normal one, easy peasy when it came to changing the water pump, but i've never seen a stretch belt before. Thanks for the video sir

[@jeffoff7795]

You're not kidding about that stretch belt.Thanks for the video.

[@CAA11.23]

THANKS JIM! this video is still really helpful all this time later

[@saboorawan]

Well done. Cable ties “ saviour of humanity”.

[@bobkeltgen8988]

Zip ties worked AWESOME!!! thanks pal

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

Only stretch belt I use is the one I wear at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! Good job Jim. Thanks for all your videos!

[@jimthecarguy]

Hahaha.

[@BigDog50001]

Good one Mike!

[@kingaxelblood]

Thank you for your instructional video it help me out a lot

[@davros0007]

Nice. Thanks for the zip-tie tip!

[@djflashlinx5150]

Life saver bro!!! Thank you for the zip tie trick

[@joseivancampos8664]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !! Just used your “zip tie trick” and IT WORKED!!! I had ordered “special tools “ and it wasn’t getting the job done !! THANKS AGAIN

[@jimthecarguy]

Fantastic!

[@HxCxDxE]

Thank you so much I have a squeaky belt so I'm going to change it. I was looking for the normal belt tensioner bolt but couldn't find it anywhere I thought I was crazy 🤣

[@josegarcia-ps6qx]

Thanks for your help today

[@BigDog50001]

Thumbs up Jim!

[@jimthecarguy]

Thanks for watching

[@eunhyuekpark6159]

Thanks for the awesome video. This is exactly what I needed to do my belt on the car instead of paying $120 labor at my local mazda dealer.

[@josegzysegun8528]

My dealer said 300 pulse tax and I have to tow the car too. Basically I would be paying 500+ to get it fix.

[@AbdullahAwamleh]

Great video. Thanks!

[@jimthecarguy]

Glad you liked it!

[@urgeyobitch5821]

hey Jim great video . my 2009 mazda 3 started making kind of a loud screeching noise when I first start it up. pretty sure the noise is coming from one of my belts . does that mean it needs to be replaced? or maybe lubricated

[@jasonmorris2975]

Super Helpful, thanks!!!!

[@jimthecarguy]

You're welcome!

[@cdubya586]

Thank you!!

[@AJ-hl9ig]

I know this video is from quite some time ago but I am confused on where you put the zip tie around. There is the thin metal gear behind the main pully. Did you go around that too?

[@terenceyolandamanuel4483]

thanks for your advice.

[@jimthecarguy]

You're welcome!

[@pmeloun85]

Hi Jim, thanks for the video! What size is the socket for crankshaft? Does the car has to be in Neutral. Thank you

[@jimthecarguy]

No the car can be in park.Thanks for watching.

[@mcnighttembo8414]

What size is that belt exactly thanks for this video

[@Monsterenergyoffroad]

Life saver !

[@wyattoneable]

Kind of a tight area to work in Jim but someone had to do it. :)

[@jimthecarguy]

Yes a little tight but not to bad

[@wassimbejjani6793]

I think you should be careful with the zip tie method: on my Mazda 5 2008, the zip tie wraps around both belts, so it should be used with the serpentine belt still loose, otherwise the serpentine belt will form an obstacle that will snap the zip tie and potentially nick one of the two belts. I am almost sure that's the reason why my AC belt got shredded a month after I installed it this way. The tool on the other hand stays on the outer pulley so it doesn't intefere with the serpentine belt. With the tool, you can install either belt first, but my preference is to always put the AC stretch belt first and then the serpentine belt. And they're both a pain (the serpentine because of the tensioner that forces your ratchet against the radiator once you remove the old belt, making it very difficult to free your tool, and for the reason Jim describes when putting the new belt on)

[@ohmycale3643]

exactly. this is the problem i am having. the ties snap before i can even get them to the top because it's hitting the serpentine belt! i've seen several videos on this zip tie method and you are the first person i've come across that has mentioned this. yet all these comments im reading, everyone says how easy it is! wtf

[@Monsterenergyoffroad]

There's a way around this and if you can't figure it out then.... Worked fine with me. It's pretty obvious

[@lingeringman9335]

I recommend using a lubricant on the belt makes it even easier sliding across the pully

[@CoopMusic247]

Thank you!

[@jimthecarguy]

Welcome!

[@Bxboriicua]

@jimthecarguy how many belts do it take

[@DragonRoyZ]

Helpful. I'll try to do it myselff once I get my new belts. My AC belt turned into spaghetti, but I'm gonna replace them both to be sure.

[@jimthecarguy]

Good idea replace all the belts at the same time.

[@iNFiNiTY125]

I couldn’t get this to work I tried 2 different brands of zip ties and even 4 zip ties on the crank all break the second the belt gets to the top. I made sure the belt was going with it and Lined up but the zip ties keep breaking. What am I doing wrong?

[@theuniverseofandrew8957]

Zip ties are fine until the bigger belt gets in the way of the zip tie for the stretch belt.

[@Swess2908]

woah thanks i wont diy it thanks for the video

[@michaelherbert8213]

I own every stretch belt tool known to man, but I use the zip tie method instead. For me, it's faster than farting around with the tool.

[@jimthecarguy]

I agree with you I also have quit a few of the tools but sometimes it is quicker with the zip tie. They don't work all the time but when they do its great. Thanks for you input and for watching.

[@consuelosanchez4194]

My husband is having a hard time putting this on. Would it be okay

[@robertherpy5553]

Was this a 2.0L or 2.5L? Any difference?

[@basesperanca]

The auto shop is asking 100 bucks to replace these just for service alone. I think I'm gonna give it a go 😊

[@rafabrec9]

JIm I have a Mazda 3 hatchback and the pully does not have that much give as you noted. I can't get the serpentine belt on. do yo have recommendations?

[@maxwell8085]

Having the same problem it literally makes no sense. Struggling a lot

[@maxwell8085]

I changed out the alternator and I’m struggling to get the serpentine belt back on it makes no sense it’s routed the right way no matter how far I push the tensioner it’s inches away from the alternator pulley

[@TwiStedTentom]

The belt slips right off after I put it on. Not sure why but it's definitely put on right and tight.

[@devbra5585]

Hi there, cheers for the video, i was wondering why the stretch belt is connected to the crank pully? I was under the impression that the cams and the crank had to be synchronized. I understand the stretch belt runs the ac compressor. Is the timing chain/belt driving the crank, which also allows the ac compressor to run off of that with the pully?? And if so, why not simply have the serpentine run over the ac compressor pully aswell ? Sorry for the long question Kind regards

[@jimthecarguy]

The cams and crank do have to be synchronized and the timing belt or chain do that. The drive belts are on the outside of the timing cover and they run the AC , Alt and power steering. Thanks for watching and your input..

[@devbra5585]

@@jimthecarguy Overall i feel like running the AC off of the pullys connected to the cranks would hinder efficiency ? Gave your video a like and subscribed. ill be doing these belts on a friends car soon

[@FleetTech97]

@@devbra5585 I mean how else would you run a ac compressor? It’s the easiest and most efficient way to run the compressor. If you are looking to be efficient then you remove the ac but it’s more about comfort these days.

[@TimidDurkMagurk]

Thank you! Saved me a bunch of money!

[@spiz54]

Stretch belt tool😮

[@elenaberwick3980]

Two things are unclear: when moving the crankshaft, what should be the position of handbrake? What should be the position of gearbox /N, drive, parking/?

[@DazzTone]

Park is neutral to the crankshaft l think if it’s an automatic of course. As far as I know

[@broletaso]

¿What happens if i rotate de engine the wrong way?

[@SmaugMedia]

you know what pisses me off about this is the fact they could easily make it so the stench belt in on the inside so if the non stretch belt breaks you don't need to replace both...

[@brandonfitzgerald5352]

How to use the tool

[@marioquiles3882]

When installing the stretch belt is the car in neutral when you turn the pulley

[@jimthecarguy]

No it can be in park . Thanks for watching.

[@cesargomez-lanuza5313]

jimthecarguy can I install the serpentine belt without replacing the ac belt car

[@michaelshoup2703]

@@cesargomez-lanuza5313 Sorry, but no, you can't..

[@cecilmaye1421]

What is the pulley call on the bottom?

[@jimthecarguy]

In this video it was the compressor. Normally it would be the crankshaft.Thanks for watching.

[@garyfeatherston4850]

Which belt drives the power steering?

[@Seeker-vo2tz]

its electric power steering actually so no belt

[@nullnull42]

Midly unrelated but do you if I can drive the mazda 3 2007 2.0L without the AC belt?, is a real pain compared with the serpentine and honestly I don't use the AC. I know most car should be able of this but I'd rather be sure.

[@TwiStedTentom]

Yes. It will even give your car slightly more power if it isn't working to turn that compressor.

[@semco72057]

That belt change was a pain in the rear and you probably hate to see any Mazda's come in for a belt change due to the difficulty in changing them.

[@jimthecarguy]

Hi Sidney, I hope you are enjoying your summer. Yes they are a pain in the rear end sometimes.

[@bcode0]

That zip tie is made out of titanium or something

[@chenesecarrington7769]

shouldn't bother the h20 pump if it wasn't never leaking rite

[@chenesecarrington7769]

helped lots so crossin fingers on sent ✊

[@user-lh9yj4xc2y]

too bad , i just see your back☹

[@filoIII]

2.0L?????????????????

[@Seeker-vo2tz]

yep

[@vincentlallo6543]

i assume that the reason for stretch belts is to save build costs and force more people to go to dealers pay an outrageous labor rate

[@justjoe7313]

The reason is there's no place for belt tensioner. It's also much cheaper and the swap is dead easy even without the special tool (as shown in the video).

[@m4dd0g66]

You cut the video off before you even put it on lmao what a fake video

[@sergio74v41]

Crap!

[@GTX4747]

dude, its 2019 when you uploaded it, its a really good content but not really clear nor even watchable with this quality