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Adaption and install of a new serpentine belt tensioner

Saab 900 (1994-), 9-3 (-2003)

the serpentine belt tensioner for Saab 900 1994- is no longer available. We show in this manual on the example of a B234 n/a engine how you can install the tensioner for a Saab 9-3 (-03) in the 900. You only need to enlarge one hole in the console of the alternator and belt tensioner.

The procedure for the replacement of the tensioner is the same for the Saab 9-3, obviously the whole does not need to be enlarged in this case.

The belt tensioner has a pin on the back, that slides into the console and secures the tensioner against twisting.

On the Saab 900 this pin has 10mm diameter, on the 9-3 the diameter is 14mm. Otherwise the tensioners are the same.

So you just have to enlargen the 10mm drill in the console to 14mm with this procedure:

- put the car on a lift in best case

- disconnect the battery

- open the cover for the pulleys in the right hand side wheel arch, to do this loosen the two small self tapping screws

- unplug the air flow meter, take out the air flow meter with the inlet tube

- take out the air cleaner box, to do this loosen the three nuts on a rubber bearings a couple rotations, you do not need to unscrew them completely. Take out the air filter box to the top.

- unlock the intake pipe on the rear throttle blade section and take it off, make sure the two sealing rings above the throttle blade are in good condition, otherwise replace them.

Now you can loosen up the serpentine belt. With a bit of care a long 1/2" ratchet extension is suitable for this, the belt tensioner has a square hole, you can slide the ratchet extension directly into that.

Secure the belt tensioner through the two holes with a suitable pin, the diameter should be as close as possible to the hole, in this case we used a 5mm drill bit. 

Now you can take off the belt, make sure you take a photo of its routing. Especially on a/c cars it could get confusing otherwise.

To make more room, take off the pulley above the belt tensioner.

The next steps:

- Take out the alternator

- unscrew the console of the belt tensioner and alternator off the engine, it is not possible to enlargen the hole in the console when it is still attached to the engine.

- clamp down the console in a vice and take off the old belt tensioner, it is way easier to unscrew the 8mm Allen screws when the console is not attached to the engine.

- now enlargen the 10mm hole for the tensioner pin to 14mm with a drill bit.

Before reassembling everything it is recommended to check all other pulleys and the water pump for play and bearing noises and replace them if necessary.

The assembly is done in reverse order. Before youpull the grenade pin out of the new tensioner, make sure the serpentine belt is routed correctly along all pulleys and fits into the 6 grooves in the pulleys correctly. A misrouted belt will break very quick and make noise.

With this modification to the console you can always use the tensioner 1006067 of the Saab 9-3 for your Saab 900.