Bent belt tensioner....

[JohnC76]

So you understand why I ask this here, I have a 2004 Explorer aluminum block 4.6L SOHC PI in my 97 GT.

So the last day Beech Bend was open, I threw my belt going down the 1/4 mile at 103mph! Hardly any brakes or steering at that MPH sucks! :thumbdwn:

Anyway, I found out that my whole belt tensioner is bent. I suppose it's from all the dragstrip passes tqing it up.

But my question is, did Ford have an updated tensioner for the 03/04 Explorer 4.6L SOHC?

I know they had updated tensioners for the Mustang GT, but they do not work on this Explorer timing cover because of the bolt pattern.

Have you V8 4.6 guys ever had a tensioner bend on you?

This is a new belt, but see how far the tensioner is bent out?

Here is an updated Mustang timing cover with a supposedly stronger tensioner, but note the 3 bolts are not in the same location as the below explorer tensioner.

Here is the Explorer crate motor before it went in my GT for tensioner comparison sake.

 

[rocket 5979]

I might have my stocker tensioner from my 03 X still. I swapped to an 8 rib setup for the Kenne Bell. Might sell it if you need it.

 

[JohnC76]

I might have my stocker tensioner from my 03 X still. I swapped to an 8 rib setup for the Kenne Bell. Might sell it if you need it.

I may resort to that, but first I want to see if there is a stronger part out there.

I make tons of 1/8 and 1/4 mile drag strip passes (between 8-12 a day almost once a week during race season) and the stocker will just bend again like this one did. It's a weak design and would be a temporary fix at best. I killed the last tensioner in under 6,000 miles (but lots of drag racing).

 

[rocket 5979]

I may resort to that, but first I want to see if there is a stronger part out there.

I make tons of 1/8 and 1/4 mile drag strip passes (between 8-12 a day almost once a week during race season) and the stocker will just bend again like this one did. It's a weak design and would be a temporary fix at best. I killed the last tensioner in under 6,000 miles (but lots of drag racing).

Move to the 8 rib tensioner then. It will fit just fine but will be beefier then the stock Explorer one. Allot of us 4.6 2v guys are running them in our street/strip Kenne Bell cars and have many many passes on them.

 

[JohnC76]

Move to the 8 rib tensioner then. It will fit just fine but will be beefier then the stock Explorer one.

Sweet, got a PN#? Linky to website? Pic of your 8 rib tensioner?

 

[rocket 5979]

Sweet, got a PN#? Linky to website? Pic of your 8 rib tensioner?

I posted a build thread for the KBX Phase 2 build a while back. I got pictures of the engine going in within that thread. There were a few front shots that I took so you could get a good view of the 8 rib tensioner. It will fit onto your Explorer engine cover without any bracing or modification needed (unlike the Mustang front covers).

PM me tomorrow and I will get out to the garage and take a look at the P/N. I forget what it is off the top of my head.

 

[JohnC76]

I posted a build thread for the KBX Phase 2 build a while back. I got pictures of the engine going in in that thread. There were a few front shots that I took so you could get a good view of the 8 rib tensioner. It will fit onto your Explorer engine cover without any bracing or modification needed (unlike the Mustang front covers).

PM me tomorrow and I will get out to the garage and take a look at the P/N. I forget what it is off the top of my head.

Cool! Thanks, mang! +1 rep for you!

(edit) ehh, no rep system!