Installing a new serpentine belt, is it difficult to do? Driving home last night and mine shredding...I am hoping it was due to old age and not one of the pulley's freezing up

The top small pulley backed it's self out. The problem is in most cars the pulleys are reverse threaded so this wont happen, in ours not so much. The pully spins loose with the turn of the belt so it has to be tightened way down. IT's a pain. Here is a diagram I found and You need a 15mm wrench, which doesn't just come in most sets. Good Luck

The book says "Using a 15 mm socket or wrench on bolt attaching drive belt tensioner pulley, rotate drive belt tensioner clockwise. Make sure spring keeper engages into slot." I would put a socket on the 15 mm pulley bolt and a long handle for leverage. Thats one tight spring.

http://www.ehow.com/video_2327530_reinstalling-serpentine-belt-air-conditioning.html

i wold pay particular attention to the age and springiness of the tensioner. if the tensioner spring, not just the pulley, gets old it will not keep adequate tension on the belt, it will get too much slop in it and jump ship.

Sounds like you may have busted your Serpentine belt. The serpentine belt runs your water pump, alt, and ac. You can pick up an serpentine belt for about $35 at almost any auto parts store

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Check your power steering fluid when hot. If that's ok, then I would suspect the belt slipping. Check the condition of the serpentine belt. If it's loose or shows signs of wear or aging, replace it with a new one.

Recommended replacement interval for 1999-2002( 105,000 miles )
for the3.3 v6 single over head cam or ( SOHC ) which is what your vehicle should have. And ( 60,000) miles for 3.0 v6 (SOHC ) but this is for 1995-98

What is your question? If it is how to wrap it around everything,any parts store should have a diagram,tell you what tools are needed.

take the belt off and carefully check to see if any of the pulleys are out of line and check to make sure they spin smooth and true check for bearing wear and noise in any of the pulleys cause it sounds like simply there is a pulley out of line

is the a/c working ok??? shredding the belt may be cause by the a/c compressor problems. the "chunk" maybe not, but shredding tells me something does not spin when it should. I dont know why the mehanic put a new pump on that had a problem with the pulley, it should be smooth. anyhting that the belt runs should be smooth and east to turn, make sure that all of the grooves are clean, no remnants of the old belt.

Remove the serpentine belt and see if it cranks over. Something in that area screwed up to cause all that to happen. Breaking power steering pump pulleys is rare. I am assuming from your description that the starter won't crank the engine. If I am wrong please clarify.

I have the same car and last night my belt slipped off. The top small pulley backed it's self out. The problem is in most cars the pulleys are reverse threaded so this wont happen, in ours not so much. The pully spins loose with the turn of the belt so it has to be tightened way down. IT's a pain. Here is a diagram I found and You need a 15mm wrench, which doesn't just come in most sets. Good Luck

The book says "Using a 15 mm socket or wrench on bolt attaching drive belt tensioner pulley, rotate drive belt tensioner clockwise. Make sure spring keeper engages into slot." I would put a socket on the 15 mm pulley bolt and a long handle for leverage. Thats one tight spring.