Drive belt tensioner

[aldive]

How can you tell if the drive belt tensioner needs to be replaced on a SOHC?

Thanks ....

 

[aldive]

bump

 

[LOGJOCKY]

hopefully before it blows up, such as mine did a few days ago

 

[BradE.]

If you can move it without the use of a ratchet or breaker bar, the spring is shot. If it moves side to side, sorta looks like a hop, more than 3/4" while the engine is at idle I'd suspect it needs replacement as well.

It's hard to tell sometimes, if you believe it's suspect just go ahead and change it. They love to snap at the worst possible time.

 

[stubborn1]

When mine was going bad (on an OHV not SOHC), I noticed damage to the serpentine belt. The bottom piece of the tensioner was probably about 10 degrees out of vertical alignment. This caused the belt to rub on the edge of pulleys and slowly wear away. I discovered this one day when I found a chuck of serpentine belt about 1/4 of the total width hanging from under the vehicle.

 

[Rhett]

How can you tell if the drive belt tensioner needs to be replaced on a SOHC?

Thanks ....

How many miles do you have on your truck now? In my opinion, anything over 100,000 to 120,000 and I would probably replace it just as preventative maintenance. Better to have a new one on there than to have it go out when you're on the road.

The way I have always tested a tensioner is:
1) remove belt from tensioner.
2) spin the pulley. If you hear excessive bearing/other noise then its time to replace.

But be warned that some tensioners make noise even when new. You might notice this if you change tensioners.

Also the comments by others above are good, relating to the side-to-side movement of the tensioner pulley and belt damage.

 

[IZwack]

The bottom piece of the tensioner was probably about 10 degrees out of vertical alignment.

I 2nd stubborn1's comment about the alignment offset (i have a SOHC).

 

[Rodeo Joe]

What kind of noise will these make when they start to go bad? Mine just started making a whirring noise over the weekend, it comes and goes right now.

Joe

 

[Opera House]

If the design hasn't changed, you should see a white plastic spacer between the body and the arm. If you see more white on one side than the other it is worn too much. I saw this and put a wrench on it to remove belt tension for further inspection. The moment I did that, BOING, it flew apart. Cheap as I am, I made a new bushing and that has been working for more than 40K.

 

[WDP]

While you are there, replace the idler pulley. While not spring driven, it has the same mileage on it. Cheap, 6-8 bucks. You can bet a week after you do the tensioner the other will start making noise.

WDP

 

[Rodeo Joe]

If the design hasn't changed, you should see a white plastic spacer between the body and the arm. If you see more white on one side than the other it is worn too much.

I checked mine and saw the spacer you mentioned. There's a gap and the arm seems to be a bit at an angle by the way the gap looks. I think I know what I'm doing this weekend!

Joe

 

[Rhett]

While you are there, replace the idler pulley. While not spring driven, it has the same mileage on it. Cheap, 6-8 bucks. You can bet a week after you do the tensioner the other will start making noise.

WDP

Not $6-8 bucks here. About $20 with tax...
and that's from a parts warehouse (i.e. not a dealership).

The idler pulley is a lot easier to remove than the tensioner, too...
10 minute job. Tensioner = 30 min job, 28 mins of head scratching and 2 minutes of wrenching.

 

[WDP]

Done 2 so far, $8 each. Napa for one, Pep Boys for the other. If you were really frisky, you can press out the bearings and replace them, the rest is just an expensive pulley. Wouldn't go near the stealership for anything I can get elsewhere.

 

[Rhett]

$8 each??? I bought mine at Napa too. Must have been gouged for $20.

 

[ve4ron]

I just paid $31.82 canadian today for one .Part number Dayco 89026.

Replaced the bearing in it to have for a spare .

Bearing number is 6203LU NTN bearing it cost $5.00

Don't forget mine is a first gen .

 

[410Fortune]

$8 is to replace just he bearing, $20 is to replace the pully and bearing.

I agree 100K miles = replace it. Keep the still semi good one for a spare.