Serpentine Belt Tensioner not matching up

[fainter]

I have a 1993 Ford Explorer V6 4.0L engine, and am having trouble finding the correct serpentine belt tensioner.

Every place online and every local auto parts store is telling me it is this one. I bought it the first time and returned it shortly after. the mounting brackets on my engine require 2 bolts, this tensioner only has 1 in the middle.


This is the belt tensioner on my truck and it looks nothing like everything is telling me what it should be. the other hole for the bolt is on the bottom, covered by the pulley and you cant see it in this picture.


im confused and really need to replace it before it fails. thanks for any help!

 

[BobWiersema]

Is this the one you are looking for?

This one is for a 92 Explorer.

Bob

 

[fainter]

I found that one listed at advanced auto parts and bought it from there and tried putting it is also wrong. the mounting part of it is correct, but the pulley is placed in the wrong spot. That one from the '92 is kind of off center to the side, but the one on my truck is off centered to the bottom(covers one of the mounting holes). I tried this one also and it did not tighten the belt at all, regardless of which way i mounted it on.

 

[BobWiersema]

I found that one listed at advanced auto parts and bought it from there and tried putting it is also wrong. the mounting part of it is correct, but the pulley is placed in the wrong spot. That one from the '92 is kind of off center to the side, but the one on my truck is off centered to the bottom(covers one of the mounting holes)

If it mounted to the engine, its the correct one. The pulley is spring loaded and moves when you put your belt on. Did you try to install it and put the belt on? The two may be from different manufactures and have different end stops on the pulley spring but that doesn't mean it wont work. As far as I know those are the only two that were ever used on the 1st gen Explorers. You may want to try it again.

Bob

 

[Equnoxe]

i would suggest going to ford with your Vin, and tell them your problem, and get a product number. also, ford isn't ALWAYS more expensive then other places. usually tho.

 

[fainter]

I edited my post but you may not of seen it. I tried this one also and it did not tighten the belt at all. the belt just loosely went around it. Thanks Equnoxe, i'll try driving by ford and giving them a try. never actually thought of going to a dealer about the problem.

 

[BobWiersema]

Sounds like you may have the same problem I discovered with my Sons car.
At sometime someone changed something and the stock belt is now to big. I had to go two sizes down to get a good fitting belt. I bought the car used so I have no idea why. When you put on the 92 tensioner are you putting the same belt back on? Did you try a new belt? They were the same in 92 and 93.

If the tensioner fits ok you may just need to find the correct size belt.


Bob

 

[Carguy3J]

Sounds like you may have the same problem I discovered with my Sons car.
At sometime someone changed something and the stock belt is now to big. I had to go two sizes down to get a good fitting belt. I bought the car used so I have no idea why. When you put on the 92 tensioner are you putting the same belt back on? Did you try a new belt? They were the same in 92 and 93.

If the tensioner fits ok you may just need to find the correct size belt.


Bob

It's possible someone may have installed an underdrive crank pulley, and/or an overdrive alternator pulley. In both cases, they would smaller then the stock equivalent.

 

[fainter]

I removed my A/C Compressor so my belt is already smaller than standard. I am putting the same belt back on and it fits loose right over where the '92 tensioner sits. A little bit of a smaller belt would make it work, but I was just under the impression that the tensioner was wrong because my current belt is working with the the original. I didnt think that you could just put any belt size that fits? I thought it was either just "A/C" and "Non A/C" Belt Options available?