Replacement Serpentine Belt So Tight Topic is solved

[wanderdüne]

If in doubt count the teeth. Take a marker, crayon, piece of tape as your zero mark and start counting. New belt should have a mark you can start at.

It is that simple. No guessing and ordering another incorrect part. If the teeth count is the same you have a problem elsewhere, something is installed wrong, routing wrong or you are doing it incorrectly.

Thanks, there are no teeth to count because it's the accessory belt. I didn't order the incorrect part, route it wrong, nor did I install it incorrectly. I refit the old belt with the new tensioner without issue. My working theory based on cn90's link above is that possibly the PS pulley was replaced with the older, larger size prior to my ownership, in effect changing the recommended part to the (earlier) 1841mm belt. I will fit the new Gates (1843mm) belt in the next day or so and will post up what I find.

[cn90]

I don't recommend installing the belt by cranking the starter (with ignition coils wirings disconnected).
It is very dangerous and not necessary.

- Measure the belt, measure the belt and measure the belt.
- Then order the correct PN.
- Better yet, relax, install the longer belt and see what happens.

[RickHaleParker]

- The way to measure belt is to have a second person to help hold the other end.
Otherwise, put both of them on a straight pole (drive a straight rebar into the grass as a pole) and pull/measure.

Get a flexible Sewing tape measure. Tape one end down on the belt, then work your way around the belt. Or lay the belt down on the ground and lasso the belt with the Sewing tape measure.

[wanderdüne]

- The way to measure belt is to have a second person to help hold the other end.
Otherwise, put both of them on a straight pole (drive a straight rebar into the grass as a pole) and pull/measure.

- My 2005 XC90 2.5T uses the longer serp belt.

- I think different belt lengths come from different PS Pump Pulley diameters.

- Yes, get the longer belt and see what happens...

https://www.swedespeed.com/threads/serp ... on.627541/

I have to think that maybe the PS pulley on my 2006 was replaced with the larger one. I installed the 1843mm Gates belt without issue, and it matched up just longer than the old belt when I took it off. For sure I ordered the right (1825mm) belt originally according to VIDA and all the usual parts websites, but it wasn't even close. So I'm going to throw the old belt in as a spare and hopefully the 1843mm (actually 1841mm is stock) is correct.

Thanks all