I have felt various power loss and rough idles along with a slight tapping noise. Various members listened and Chrism told me its probably the belts


My question is what's the best way to replace the belts. I saw the DIY for the AP pulley install. But I am not sure if that works for this as well to replace the power steering and alternator belts

thanks

 

I've noticed(never changed the belts) but taking the stock airbox out give you pretty easy access to the belts

 

I changed my belts while installing the AP pulley.
Not hard at all.

These are from the service manual:

 

thanks, thats what the AP install says so I wasnt sure if there was a way to remove belts without that

 

How does one know they need new belts? The belt "looks" fine to me. I'm at 86,000km.

 

In the service manual, it says to adjust tension the bolt C to a certain torque spec. Are they tightening it to the some tension on the belt itself, or so I just set the bolt C's torque and stop when it clicks?

Mazda seems to have some sort of belt tension test tool that applies force downwards onto the belt, I don't have a tool like that.

 

I change the belts when their are signs of cracks or they are tight and they still squeal. I don't have a tool to test the tension, but I just go by feel for how tight it is.

 

The "torque spec" is for the A & B bolts.

The C bolt is what you turn to get the required deflection at the specified pressure. I don't have the tool either, just do it by feel.