Shmockiebaby

This should be a simple job. Airbox out in a couple of minutes. Old belt off very quickly. New belt - not s fast!

When levering the tensioner via the 24mm bolt, it moves down, but not enough to get the new belt on. Worse, when I think it needs just a little more, and I give it just a little extra oomph, I can feel the 24mm bolt turning within the pulley assembly. But the tensioner will just not move any further.

I am concerned about breaking off the bolt on the tensioner pulley if I try any harder.

With exertion, I was able to get the old belt back on.

I am using a Porsche OEM belt. I am using a longer arm ratchet (actually my Snap-On torque wrench). I do indeed know what I am doing. So I can rule those concerns out.

Can any one who has done this before shed a little light on this operation? How far should the tensioner pulley be able to be moved, from the rest position.

I am still a good 3/8 - 1/2" away from getting the belt onto the adjacent pulley.

Thanks for your help.

Sneaky Pete

I don't think you are not turning far enough. The tensioner has more room to go. Are you sure you have the right belt? Dumb question I know.......but? Pay attention to the sequence too.

RPMulli

Use your strong hand.

Shmockiebaby

Yes. Using my strong hand, thanks! Also following the correct sequence. Exactly as described.

To reiterate - the pulley stops moving, and the bolt in the center moves. Long before I get to enough movement to slip the belt into place.

I've watched videos of folks doing it online. Sure seems like they can move their pulley a lot easier and farther.

I guess the worst thing that can happen is I break the bolt, and have to replace the tensioner. And if the tensioner isn't moving enough, maybe that's gonna be necessary anyway. I've just learned over many years of auto mechanics not to force something. That's why I thought I'd see what everyone here had to add.

Stephen Tinker

There's the bolt head behind the tensioning arm. Sounds like its slipping,
I seem to remember having to hold the bolt head with a slim open ended spanner (wrench to you) when I loosend the tensioner to replace it.
You may have to get a spanner onto the nut (its a tight fit between the arm and the block) and tighten the 24mm tensioner to stop it slipping.....

Sneaky Pete

This is very good point. That's why the bolt is spinning....its loose on the other side.

Shmockiebaby

Thanks, folks, that's good advice. I re-checked the parts diagram, and I see that there is a bolt from the back. It must be spinning in the tensioner arm. I'll snug it up, and have at it again. I bet that is it.

I was concerned that the bolt was a pressed in stud or something, and that if the 24mm nut was turning, it was tightening, and would eventually break off the bolt.

Thanks for the info!

Barn996

Hope that works for you. The first time I did my serp. belt, I was concerned about too much force, but it went on without any trouble.

Shmockiebaby

Nice pic in the snow. Good to know I'm not alone with driving a 996 in all weather conditions. Thanks for the info.

targa996

I just did mine .. The trick was to thread the new belt over all the large pulleys first and slip it over the small silver guide pulley at 10 o'clock position roughly as the last one...I could do that easily by hand while pressing down on the tensionner. If you try to slide over alt pulley last .. It will not go ...

Shmockiebaby

Yeah, procedure in the manual shows the belt going onto the last idler to the left of the tensioner pulley last. That sure looks to be the right way to go. I'm going to snug the bolt on the tensioner and do it again. Thanks.

frisbee91

Had the same problem about 2 months ago. The tensioner bolt would spin when I tried to move the tensioner to it's maximum deflection. Also, the new belt was just a bit too short for my liking. After messing with it for a good hour, I finally got the belt on, but it was a royal PITA. It was a Porsche OEM belt. Maybe this batch is running short?

Shmockiebaby

No, I would think it would be pretty much impossible for a batch to run short. The way they are made would prevent that from happening. Probably more likely that our tensioners are just a little tighter. And our bolts both spun. At least I'm not alone on that.

I'm going to be working from home today, so I will probably go back out later this afternoon, tighten the bolt that holds on the pulley, and then try it again.

BeelzeBob

I did my AOS on a 2001 Carrera this past summer. I too had a heck of time getting the belt on, but mine was the old belt. I did finally get it back on with the help of my giant-armed nephew. But it just seemed like it was way too tight.

Shortly thereafter, I developed an intermittent hight pitch whine. And now a 1000 or so miles later and it sounds like a pully bearing may be going out.

Is the belt supposed to fit really tight? And can the tension be adjusted with these automatic tensioners?

I keep thinking that I somehow accidentally increased the tension on my belt when taking it off/putting it back on.

Shmockiebaby

No, you did not increase the tension. The new belt increased the tension. I had trouble getting the new belt on, but I got the old one back on more easily (meaning it was stretched, longer, and looser). The new belt will inevitably be tighter, resulting in more tension in the whole system. And I suppose if you have a weak bearing somewhere, it will make it worse.

I seriously doubt that it is anything that you did, just something that the new, tighter belt exacerbated.