There's no real consensus on how "easy" it is to replace the drive belt on a 2003 Saturn LW300 V6/3.0L. It's not easy, but not difficult either.

Special Note... If the drive belt breaks on the interstate (highway) your vehicle will lose momentum rapidly and your power steering system will likely not function. Turn on your hazard lights, press the horn on your steering wheel repeatedly, and coast the vehicle over to a shoulder. While on the side of the interstate, leave your hazards on. In some states there are special roadside assistance numbers (Illinois is star-999). You will need to have the car towed to your home or to a mechanic. Do not attempt to replace the drive belt for this vehicle on the side of a roadway.

Disclaimer... This guide is intended for persons comfortable working on engine components and in the engine compartment. Read this guide before beginning the process. If you are not comfortable performing the actions in this guide, see a mechanic. Never attempt to do this alone.

What this Guide is... This guide specifically covers the replacement of a drive belt for a 2003 Saturn LW300 V6/3.0L. This type of maintenance/repair should take about one hour for a novice, no more than 30 minutes at home by an experienced person, and about 20 minutes at a mechanic shop.

Step One... Block the rear tires and then position your floor jack under the support beam that runs just behind the roadside jack point on the vehicle. Raise the jack enough to position a jack stand under the support beam. Lower the jack so that the support beam rests on top of the jack stand. Repeat on opposite side of vehicle.

Warning... The next steps require you to support the engine using a jack and then remove the passenger side engine mount, mounting bracket, and bolts. Never put yourself under the car, under the engine, or in the wheel well once you remove the engine mount. You can be seriously injured requiring emergency medical treatment. Perform the next steps slowly and cautiously. Do not rush.

Step Two... Position the jack under the oil pan of the engine where the oil pan housing has three circular indentations. Place a 2x4 piece of wood between the jack and the oil pan housing. Raise the jack so that the 2x4 is snugly against the oil pan housing.

Step Three... Remove the air filter housing by removing the clamp on the throttle body, the small screw between the strut mount and the air filter housing. Once the air filter housing cover is removed, remove the filter, and pull the housing unit towards the strut mount.

Warning... You are now about to remove the passenger side engine mount and bracket. Make sure you have blocked the rear tires and applied the parking break. Do not get under the vehicle for any reason.

Step Four... Loosen the three retaining bolts that connect the mount to the bracket. Do not remove them. This is best accomplished using an impact wrench with a 5/8 inch socket, or, alternatively with a 1/2 inch breaker bar and 5/8 inch socket. Then loosen and remove the three mount bolts.

Step Five... Remove the three connector bolts that connect the mount to the bracket. Lift out the mount. If there is ANY movement of the engine, STOP removing the bolts, and secure the engine using additional jack stands or an engine lift. The bracket has FOUR bolts, which can now be removed. The bracket then should come off easily. If the bracket does not come off easily, you missed a bolt.

Special Note... The belt runs on the outside of the front pulleys, across the top to the tensioner, down to the rear pulley (on the outside), up to the center pulley, and then between the center pulley and the crankshaft pulley.

Step Six... Attach your breaker bar to the nut on the tensioner and push downwards (clockwise). You should see looseness appear on the belt. Remove the belt from the tensioner and let the tensioner move back into position. Remove your breaker bar and belt.

Step Seven... Position your new belt on the pulleys, place your breaker bar on the tensioner under your belt and press downwards to relive the tension. Slip the belt onto the tensioner. Release the breaker bar. Make sure that the new belt is on the pulleys as required to avoid slippage.

Step Eight... Reattach the mounting bracket to the engine. Then reattach the mount. Tighten everything to torque specifications.
Step Nine... Lower the jack under the engine. Raise the vehicle on each side of the vehicle and remove the jack stands.

Step Ten... Reinstall the air filter housing and filter.

Try to start your vehicle. If it runs smoothly you have completed this guide. If it does not, immediately stop the engine and go back over the belt to ensure it has not slipped off the pulleys. If it has slipped off, repeat the entire guide again.

If you have any questions, please post them in this thread. I will revise the guide as necessary and answer any questions not answered by anyone else.

 

If you plan on using this forum go to the new member sub forum and introduce yourself to the rest of the gang. Take a few and fill out a signature. Put in your first name, location, and car. Find it top right, the drop down next to your user name. Open the user CP.

When you get that done start posting add a photo of your Saturn. You want to get a minimum post count of 10 asap. Once you get 25 posts get a hold of me about an avatar.

 

Very good set of instructions. Definitely on this engine when the drive belt goes, it is not a fix by the side of the road.

They could have designed the engine mount bracket so that it is not attached to the engine block within the loop of the drive belt, but then you could easily replace it even by the side of the road.

On previous occasions, I was very satisfied with Goodyear Gatorback belts, so that's what I wanted to put on our L300. Continental seems to have bought the drive belt business from Goodyear, because now the Continental Elite Poly-V Belt with Quiet Channel Technology seems to be the exact same design. Part number 4060795 (6PK2020) is what I am about to put on. On other engines this belt design was very noticeably quieter.

In short, if anyone reads this before a drive belt replacement, do not put a cheap belt on (cheap meaning of questionable quality or reputation).

 

I am replacing my waterpump and these instructions are good. The reference to the belt around the mount are not accurate. You need to remove the mount to access the belt easily, not because it goes around the mount.
Thanks