Fan Belt Replacement

Remove and replace the serpentine accessory drive belt on the 2005 Dodge Viper 8.3L V10, including tensioner operation and belt routing verification.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Serpentine belt × 1 — Gates K080968 or equivalent for 8.3L V10

Preparation

1. Ensure engine is completely cool to the touch.
2. Park vehicle on level ground and engage parking brake.
3. Open hood and secure in raised position.
4. Locate the belt routing diagram on the radiator fan shroud or underside of hood. If faded or missing, photograph or sketch the current belt path before removal.

Procedure

1. 1

   Locate belt tensioner and confirm belt routing
   The serpentine belt tensioner is located on the passenger side of the engine block, below the alternator. Identify the tensioner pulley and the drive fitting on the tensioner arm (either a square drive hole for a ratchet/breaker bar or a hex boss for a socket/wrench — confirm the actual type and size on your vehicle). Verify the current belt routing across all pulleys: crankshaft, water pump, power steering pump, A/C compressor, alternator, and idler pulleys. Note the direction of the belt ribs. The ribbed side engages the grooved accessory pulleys (crank, water pump, alternator, etc.), while the flat backside typically rides on smooth idler and tensioner pulleys.
2. 2

   Relieve belt tension
   Insert a 3/8" drive ratchet or breaker bar into the 15mm square drive opening on the tensioner arm. Rotate the tensioner in the direction that unloads the spring to relieve belt tension (confirm the correct direction for your tensioner — it will move against spring pressure). The tensioner will move approximately 1-2 inches. The tensioner will move approximately 1-2 inches. Maintain steady pressure on the tool throughout the next step.
3. 3

   Remove serpentine belt
   While holding tension relieved with the ratchet, slip the belt off the nearest accessible pulley (typically the alternator or idler pulley). Once the belt is free from one pulley, carefully release the tensioner and allow it to return to its rest position. Remove the belt from the remaining pulleys and extract it from the engine bay. Inspect the belt routing path for any debris or obstructions.
4. 4

   Inspect pulleys and tensioner
   With the belt removed, spin each pulley by hand to check for roughness, binding, or noise. The tensioner pulley and idler pulleys should rotate smoothly without wobble or grinding. Inspect the tensioner arm for smooth spring-loaded movement when manually rotated. Check all pulley surfaces for damage, glazing, or contamination from fluids. Clean any dirt or debris from pulley grooves using a clean rag.
5. 5

   Route new serpentine belt
   Beginning with the belt tensioner, route the new serpentine belt around all pulleys except the final pulley (typically alternator or tensioner pulley itself) following the routing diagram. Ensure the ribbed side of the belt contacts all pulley grooves properly. The belt should sit centered in each pulley groove, not riding on the edges. Leave the tensioner pulley or one easily accessible pulley for last. Note: Route the new serpentine belt around all pulleys following the routing diagram, saving the tensioner (idler) pulley for last so the spring-loaded tensioner can provide the slack for final installation.
6. 6

   Install belt onto final pulley
   Insert the ratchet or breaker bar into the tensioner arm and rotate in the direction that relieves tension (same direction confirmed during removal). With tension relieved, slip the belt onto the final pulley while maintaining pressure on the tensioner. Verify the belt is properly seated in all pulley grooves. Carefully release the tensioner, allowing it to apply proper tension to the belt. Remove the tool from the tensioner arm.
7. 7

   Verify belt installation and alignment
   Visually inspect the entire belt path to confirm the belt is properly seated in all pulley grooves with ribs fully engaged. The belt should run centered on each pulley without riding on pulley edges. Check that the belt routing matches the diagram exactly. Manually rotate the crankshaft 2 complete revolutions clockwise (using a socket on the crankshaft bolt if needed, or by hand if accessible) and verify the belt tracks properly and does not slip off any pulleys.

Reassembly

1. No reassembly required beyond belt installation steps above.

Verification

• Start the engine and let it idle. Listen for squealing, chirping, or abnormal noises from the belt area.
• Observe the belt operation while idling. The belt should run smoothly without flutter, slipping, or mis-tracking on pulleys.
• With engine idling, turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock to load the power steering pump and verify belt does not slip.
• Turn on the air conditioning to maximum and verify the A/C compressor engages without belt slippage or noise.
• Rev the engine briefly to 2000-2500 RPM and confirm belt remains stable and quiet under load.
• After test run, shut off engine and perform a final visual inspection of belt alignment on all pulleys.

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