my serpentine belt just broke, doing a search I see people talking about having to go into the "service position" to fix it, what's that? Also, how big of a job is it to replace the belt?

 

This is for a B6 timing belt job, but it has lots of pictures and detailed instructions about getting the carrier into the service position. That said, I don't think you need to do all that JUST to change the serp belt.

 

you basically have to take the front bumper off and pull the radiator out a little bit, you dont really have to take the radiator all the way off just for the serp belt. its not as much work as it sounds like, it's like ten boltsish

youll get good at it fast lol

 

looks to be a little different if it's on the 1.8t. i'll know tomorrow though

 

Forgot to mention, mine is the 1.8T, a 99.5 model. It certainly looks like you would have to take the bumper off and tilt the radiator just to get at the belt, there's like less than 1 inch of room to work with in there and I don't know how you would get the belt around all of the necessary parts as it is now.

 

From looking at the guide that CCA4 linked to, the bumper isn't that hard to get off, I'm wondering too what you need to do to move the radiator a bit. I just can't see how you would change the belt without doing this, there's just no room!

 

Theres a few retaining bolts that hold the radiator in around the fenders and such, youll see them if you look for them, other than that you can just lean the radiator out without disconnecting any of the hoses as far as ive seen, of course i do have the 2.8...

 

on a 1.8t there is no need to remove anything i replaces all 3 belts last month

edit: not sure what belt each one is but if its one of the 3 right behind radiator they can be done from under the car

 

let me get this straight, you broken the largest of the 3 belts right?

 

mine broke last night too...luckily i was only a mile from a buddys house with all the tools so i left the car there last night and went to work on it this morning with the help of Hiwords, Tim (the BMW guy), Keith with the 96, and Bill with the Passat. we tilted the radiator forwards but not off... had to take off the A/C belt by loosening the tensioner on that then the belt pulls right off...from there just put the belt on and put everything back together.