Drive belt seems to not fit 05 LeSabre limited

[ratkinganimations]

So i recently bought an 05 LeSabre limited and the have to replace a lot of parts. I replaced the belt tensioner and coolant elbows and when I try to route my new belt on its already pretty tight even before I go to pull it over the alternator pulley. I feel like the belt just isnt long enough but all my research led me to this belt (duralast 925k6). Did i get the wrong belt or am I just doing something wrong?

 

[02LTD2.0]

You put it around all of the pulleys and the alternator. You slide it onto the water pump last while you release tension on the idler pulley....15mm socket and push down(counter-clockwise).

 

[ratkinganimations]

You put it around all of the pulleys and the alternator. You slide it onto the water pump last while you release tension on the idler pulley....15mm socket and push down(counter-clockwise).

I tried all of this and there's just not enough slack to get it anywhere near the idler pulley, is there a chance that the duralast belt i got is just out of spec?

 

[HotZ28]

I tried all of this and there's just not enough slack to get it anywhere near the idler pulley, is there a chance that the duralast belt i got is just out of spec?

Either it was out of spec, or the wrong belt! AZ Duralast belts are made in China, so who knows what you got!

 

[RD_Atlanta]

This happened on one of my LeSabre's, it turned out I was sold the wrong belt tensioner pulley. In my situation, it was as you described, there was no way they new belt was going to fit. After comparing the new and old pulley diameters, it was obvious then and after swapping it out, all was fine.

 

[lilpoindexter]

I put a continental tensioner and belt on my 2000. The conti belts are now made in China. It was a really, really tight fit. I used a long bar to give me the most leverage when putting it on.

 

[ulycyc]

Duralast suck. Try and find a Dayco, Gates, Goodyear. Also the alternator may have been changed and now has a larger pulley. But first make sure you are doing the belt routing correct. Very easy to goof up or not have the belt in all the grooves on the crank pulley

 

[JGBuick]

Do you still have the old belt? Match them up! You may have received an incorrect belt. (Assuming everything else checks-out.)