drive belt tension pulley fails

[SmokeGrinder]

Ok Guys,
I went to get some gas last night.
Went to start the Explorer and there was a sound like somebody just dropped their tool kit all over the floor.
After looking closer I found the drive belt torsion pulley had been ripped off. I’ve not had much time to inspect the damage, but here are some photos of what I was left with.

Had to get a flat bed truck to tow her home.

Our UK explorers do not have a sticker which shows the route of the belt. Would it be possible for somebody to post a photo of the sticker.

And no I was not trying to grind smoke with it!

Tom


Photo One
Photo Two
Photo three Photo four
Photo five
Photo six

 

[Howard]

Thats a bummer. Hope you can get one over here.

 

[RickOTR]

Ouch..... Did you find out what caused it.

 

[Opera House]

I just made a bushing to fit in the well since it is concave and ground down the center post. I was stuck and couldn't get the part. Now I see no reason to put a new one in. Can't believe they used this poor of a design.

 

[SmokeGrinder]

Photos

Hey.
do you have any photos of what you did....

if anyone can post a belt routing diagram and a photo of how the unit looks new that would be great.

 

[ipozestu]

Just a tip on the belt. Start on the crank pulley, work from right to left keep the ribs on the ribbed pullies, and the smooth on the smooth pulley. You can't go wrong.

 

[Tony H]

It sure would have been nicer if it happened in your driveway BEFORE you left the house.
Isn't that always the way

 

[Opera House]

If one cares to look..........

There is a white plastic bushing between the tensioner arm and the mounting body. Usually there is only a very small amount of it can be seen. Way before they fail, there is about 3 times more visible on one side than the other. With a flashlight and even daylight this can be easily seen. Now that you know this there is no reason to have this happen if you just do an inspection once a month.

 

[SmokeGrinder]

how is this fixed to the car ayways.... do i need to undo the nut in the middle....it wont move at all...

 

[Opera House]

Thought you had it out. Only looked at 1 2/2 pictures. A complex background makes it take forever to download. Yes, there is just a center bolt that does at first appear a little snug. That steel section with the washer top is just pressed into the aluminum. Likely very worn down now. They uses a skinny plastic film washer to keep both metal pieces apart. For more than the last year it was just metal on metal till the aluminum broke. With a little grinding it isn't too hard to find something that will fit in there.

While you are at it, check the pulley bearings for noise. After you remove the pulley bolt, you can pry off the bearing dust cover from the center with a sharp object. then try to work some grease in. The cover will snap back on it you havent been too brutal. Mine were bone dry and rattled when my tensioner went.

 

[SmokeGrinder]

ive got it out.... well the whole unit fell out!!! just the bolt is left hard in there.

 

[RickOTR]

I just replaced the tensioner on the X, and am I glad I did. When I removed the bolt it feel apart in two pieces. Now, there is no more squeak and the voltage gauge is reading normal.

 

[sh'maal]

tensioner breakage

This happened to my 91 Mazda Navajo. It gave me fair warning for several months which I ignored because I thought it was the water pump. I was waiting for the leak before replacing. Eventually the tension pulley seized and wore through the belt. The belt broke, but not before wrapping around the water pump and breaking the shaft. I returned it to the shop that replaced the water pump for me earlier and complained about the water pump breaking and they should fix it under warranty. It was soon evident that the tensioner was the problem, but they had already ordered the pump and didn't charge me for it, just labor.