Hi I've just noticed on the service schedule that i needed the ancillary belts replaced a few thousand miles ago, as far as i know these belts are for air con and power steering, correct?
Can i do this myself or is it best to just take it into the garage?
Thanks

 

The front belt operates the AC, the rear belt operates the Water Pump & Alternator; change them yourself if you are up to it.

 

How difficult are they to change? Will i be taking half the engine bay apart basically?

 

Pretty easy, took me less then .5 hour. Here's a link to the manual:
http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdarx8/

 

Yea, download that ^^

the only thing u need to pay attention to is the belt's tension.

too loose, the belt might come off at the wrong time.

too tight, it might snap and it might take whatever it comes in contact with (example, the engine harness) to go down with it. plus it might bent ur shaft/pulley bolts.

there are couple ways to check it, the old school way is to use a belt tension-er, but I usually just feel it with my hands now.

after couple hundred miles of service, new belts will stretch a bit, keep that in mind and re-adjust it a bit.

 

Jackson, talking of ribbed Belts...

What do you think about the fabrication of some sort of Bracket or Brace to prevent a broken Belt from belting/hitting Ignition Coils, it looks like the first Coil will cop the brunt of a slapping Belt, and damaging wiring loom plug.

I know a member posted his issue with a broken belt and the damaged it caused...

Is it worth getting a number of these fabricated from plate or ?

Anyone interested?

See his pic...

 

Thanks for all the help, especially the whole online manual thing, it should tell me everything about my car!

 

Ash, i thought about that b4 but honestly, there is not much room at that area to install a shield of any kind. Not to mention if we put a piece of shield there i think its going to block the air flow even more ...

 

Yeah, really....OK....

I was only thinking of a small "L" shaped piece of galvanized steel plate, or a 90 degree plate..
Or perhaps even a longish Bolt/Nut which would at least protect the Coil and Wiring Plug from the first or second initial slap/hit from a flapping broken Belt.!!??!!

Just don't like it being exposed like it is, and again WHY has Mazda not rectified this?

I know I also have to find a way of fixing said Bracket or Bolt?

Then there appears to be slight differences between S1 and S2.

??..dunno...worth a try?

 

I can try to fab something like that, but can't do it till next year. have been working pretty much 12 hrs a day these days (explains why I don't lure on the forums as much as I used to ... )

 

OK...see how we go..I will let you know when I get around to it..