1997 Mercury Cougar

Here your go:

Hi,
Should have a diagram under the hood on the front cowl area, or inner fender well on belt side.
Can usually find one online, but you need to state if its a 4cyl or 6cyl., with or without A/C.....Mike

Fig. Water pump drive belt routing-2.5L (VIN L & G) engine




Fig. Accessory drive belt routing-2.5L (VIN L & G) engine with A/C


Hope helps (remember to rate this).

There is no adjustment on the serpentine belt. I'm assuming that you have a 4.6 since it's an XR7. There is a spring loaded tensioner that keeps the belt in proper adjustment. The tensioner may be bad, or just corroded in one position. If there's no diagram for the belt routing under the hood...draw one. Then remove the belt and carefully persuade the tensioner to move. Careful not to break it or it's mount. If it doesn't move, it's going to need replacing. It's the one on the little arm, the arm should move.

4 cyl or v 6?

2.5L V-6 with air conditioning built 01/99 onwards

Check your local library for repair manuals...

try autozone.com to see if they have your car listed for diagrams pictures and step by step instructions if your car is not listed then try your local library they have all the car manuals and even copy them for you

this is hard to exsplain without showing you a photo ,but i will try. first get the belt around the engine crankshaft which is the pully closest to the bottom and center of the engine. when standing in front of engine start to lead the belt to the right and connect to power steering pump then up to generator, next thare is going to be a smooth pully not groved like the others to the left,put the smooth side of the belt on bottom of this pully and continue left to the ac/compressor go around ac/compressor andstraight down to the belt tensioner , and then right over to the water pump which has a smooth pully not grooved. remember the smooth pullys will always carry the smooth side of the belt and the grooved pullys the grooved side of belt. the belt tensioner will half to be released by a serpantine belt tensioner tool sold at your local auto parts store. these instructions is for 3.8 liter engine, if you have a 4.6 liter engine it will be different, so repost stating that you have a 4.6 if this dont help

if you look inside the hood... probably a sticker on the underside of the hood... there should be a sticker that gives you the routing.

What size motor is in that ?

3.8L or 4.6? Do you why it came off?

4.6