Sunday, March 30, 2014
How Do I Change the Alternator Belt on a 2005 Kia Spectra
The 2005 Kia Spectra left the factory with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with a single serpentine belt driving the alternator and water pump from power supplied by the crankshaft pulley. Replacing that belt is a simply process with just a few steps and requiring only hand tools to complete. Working in the driveway or garage at home, most home mechanics can accomplish this job in about 20 minutes. A replacement belt for your Kia is available from any auto-parts store or through the Kia dealer.
Instructions
- 1
Open the hood of the car and remove the retaining bolt that holds the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal using a wrench. Isolate the cable from the battery while you work.
2Locate the adjuster bolt on the top of the alternator and loosen it with a wrench. Push the alternator toward the center of the engine, loosening the belt.
3Remove the belt from the pulleys and discard it. Place the new belt around the crankshaft pulley, run it up and over the water pump pulley, then around the alternator pulley. Pull the alternator back, tightening the belt.
4Tighten the adjuster bolt on the top of the alternator with a wrench, then check the tension on the belt. Press down on the belt between the alternator pulley and the water pump pulley. The belt should deflect about 1/8 inch.
5Install the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal and install the retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt with a wrench.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
How to Replace a Timing Belt on a 2002 Kia Spectra
Replacing the timing belt on your 2002 Kia Spectra is a task that you must schedule as part of routine maintenance when the car reaches approximately 60,000 miles. It is generally agreed in the auto world that you need a new one about every 60,000 miles since the belt like other moving parts will wear. While it is certainly more complicated than simply replacing a fan belt, its still something that you can do in your driveway and youre much better off to do it as part of your maintenance schedule than it is to have the belt break and leave you stranded on the highway.
Instructions
- 1
Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
2Remove the accessory drive belts using the proper size socket to loosen the alternator and push it toward the engine.
3Remove the alternator using the proper size socket and ratchet.
4Remove the water pump and crankshaft pulleys using the proper size socket and ratchet.
5Remove the timing belt guide plate with a wrench.
6Remove the upper and lower timing belt covers with a socket and ratchet.
7Position the crankshaft so that the notch on it lines up with the timing mark on the engine. If your motor is dirty and grimy, use a grease rag to clean the area so the marks will be visible.
8Remove the timing belt tensioner using a wrench and then take off the timing belt.
9Reinstall the timing belt tensioner using the proper size wrench and then move it to its furthest point and tighten the lock bolt.
10Install the timing belt on the pulleys: crankshaft pulley first, then the idler pulley, exhaust camshaft pulley, intake camshaft pulley, and finally, on the tensioner pulley.
11Loosen the tensioner pulley using a wrench and allow the spring to place the proper tension on the timing belt. Now tighten the tensioner pulley and torque the bolts to 28 to 38 foot-pounds.
12Rotate the crankshaft two turns clockwise using the proper size wrench and make sure that the timing marks still line up properly.
13Reinstall the upper and lower timing belt covers and tighten them using the appropriately sized socket.
14Re-attach the timing belt guide plate using a socket.
15Reinstall the water pump and crankshaft pulleys using the proper size socket and ratchet and make sure they are tight.
16Put the alternator in place and secure it with its bolt loosely.
17Reinstall the accessory belt over all the accessory pulleys.
18Pull the alternator toward the front of the car and tighten it when the accessory belt is drawn tight. Be caul not to make the accessory belt too tight. You should be able to push the belt about a half inch.
19Reconnect the battery cable and start the car to test the installation.
