serpentine belt won't fit

i swapped a 96 4.0 into my 93 cherokee that had a hydro locked 4.0. they both had a/c. i used the 93's intake manifold and power steering pump. i don't remember either engine having a tensioner pulley. i have both of the old serpentine belts and one is smaller that the other. i have tried every way to make either belt fit but there seems like there is just no way for it to work. a pulley is missing or the thermostat housing is in the way. what should i do?

Belt tension is adjusted at the power steering pump. Unfortunatley, there is no spring loaded tensioner pulley like my other cars (Fords). Is that what you mean?

no it's not that. when i put the belt on the way it is suposed to go it hits the termostat housing, and not just a little bit, it rubs hard core. but looking at all the diagrams of cherokee serpentine belts they have tensioner pullys also. i have six pulleys on mine, the diagrams show seven. but i can't even find on my enigine where the tensiner pulley would even go. like i said i'm pretty sure i didn't have a tensioner pulley to begin with. would it be possible i need my old thermstat housing to make it fit?

You must mean idler pulley. That is different than tensioner pulley. Idler turns the belt a different direction, tensioner would be spring loaded.

ya thats what i ment. either way i don't see tis set up working and that breaks my heart cuz just dropped a new engine in there.:bawl:

Route a piece of string, cord, etc. around all your pulleys and measure it end to end to get a measurement. Then buy a belt of proper length/width from the parts store (not Autoyzone). Make sure you've adjusted the tensioner/adjuster at the P/S pump all the way IN (slack).

1. You may have to buy a specialty belt
2. Make sure the routing is correct
3. Make sure the offset at the water pump is correct, some are taller/longer/shorter. The "height" of the water pump (meaning when it's laying flat on a flat surface) is specified when you buy a new pump, so your new engine may be different (4.0 pumps specify 2 different heights)
4. Make sure the harmonic balancer isn't out of line and all your pulleys line up (with a square or straight edge)

This help? I'm thinking you're missing the idler pulley.
http://www.lookpic.com/files/rsz_img_new.jpg
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/Beltrun1.jpg

Ignore the red marks, from something else. This is a 96. The belt tension adjuster is the pulley below the power steering pump pulley.

Are you saying you don't have one?

The belt goes over the PS pump, under the water pump (smooth side of the belt against the pulley) and then up and over the AC compressor, down and around the fan (again, smooth side of belt to pulley,) then around the alternator, down to the crank, up around the tensioner pulley and over the PS pump.

Was the 96 motor from an XJ or a TJ? I believe the belt routing is going to be completely different for a TJ with the fan mounted on the water pump and the pulley is grooved (so turns the same direction as the crank.) XJ water pumps (and fans) turn in the other direction.

Posting a picture of your setup will help - everyone's confused.

X2 for pic.

http://s562.photobucket.com/albums/ss69/CrazyElijeep/?albumview=slideshow yes it is out of a cherokee. as you can see i had to use the old intake manifold so i had to re use the old power steering pump cuz the bracket is different. so the pulley that i need may not fit because of the different way the power steering pump is bolted on.

well i think i figured it out. i went to the junk yard and got a new bracket for the a/c condenser (off a 91) cuz it has the idler pulley on it. hoefully it will work.