About to lose my mind :(

[JustinMetallicA]

Hello everyone,
I have been reading threads on here for the last hour or two. I am new to owning a Mazda Protge5. I hate to be a newbie and immediately ask for help but I cannot find a Haynes Manual for this vehicle. (boom06)
My alternator belt (the manual I have has two belts, I am not sure if the automatic is one or two) was squealing for a little while and didn't have the time to get it fixed then finally it gave out.

For the life of me I have taken off the side tire, had it on the jack, took the weather proofing off the side, and still can't get the serpentine belt off. I rented a tool to pull it..which doesn't even fit I must add.. no cigar.
I cannot find the water pump on this vehicle. I have tried every visible bolt I can see and no luck. Is there any reference guide or diagram to this vehicle I haven't found yet ? Note this is the first time I have changed a serpentine belt but it can't be this hard, can it ?

 

[Fresco]

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123744855-3rd-Gen-Workshop-Manual-(P5-MSP-MP3-also)

There is no shop manual available however the one in the link above is a free one, your going to have to loosen the alternator and power steering pump to get the belts to come off

 

[JustinMetallicA]

Thanks for the link. I will give it a look here in a minute.
Does anyone know if there's a special tool besides a standard serpentine belt puller needed ?

 

[nlinesk8s]

What serpentine belt? I'm doing a timing belt change on an '02, and the water pump and a/c belts aren't what I'd call serpentine. There is no puller needed for the timing belt. In any case, the online link to the manual is great for finding part numbers, but the diy forum is the best resource for repairs.

 

[NRRfrogmanP5]

i replaced both the belts last summer on my p5. let me tell you it is a b****...make sure you have someone with small hands and when u think you have loosened the alternator enuff, turn it a few more times. there a bolts you cant even see that you have to losen. so feel around and good luck,

 

[KMac]

Thanks for the link. I will give it a look here in a minute.
Does anyone know if there's a special tool besides a standard serpentine belt puller needed ?

There are two belts and take the serpentine belt puller back, its useless. The on line manual does not cover this removal or install. It only says remove belt.

i replaced both the belts last summer on my p5. let me tell you it is a b****...make sure you have someone with small hands and when u think you have loosened the alternator enuff, turn it a few more times. there a bolts you cant even see that you have to losen. so feel around and good luck,

Exactly, the alternator bolts are crazy hard to reach. I had my 11yr old daughter help me turn the backing nut because I couldn't get my hands in enough to loosen it more. She thought it was cool I asked her for help so it was a win win situation. The AC belt was the easiest of the two. I have little mirrors just for this car because Mazda feels they need to hide bolts. Mazda must forget that some of us Americans are 6'ft 5" and have pretty big hands in order to work on these damn things... LOL

 

[planefreak]

They aren't that difficult if you are some kind of contortionist. When I did mine, it took me about as much time to do the entire timing belt, as it did to do the two belts. As mentioned, there are no special tools required just a metric set of wrenches, preferably ratcheting wrenches. To do it you need to loosen the alternator, and I think power steering pump and use the special bolt that slides to relieve tension on the belt. (I would start by loosening the sliding one first, then do the others, just be careful because the alternator/power steering pump will move suddenly and quickly)