When to replace serpentine belt, tensioner and idler pulley?

Replacing the idler pulley and tensioner can fix a grinding or whining noise that increases with engine RPM. Replacing the serpentine belt or even the tensioner can solve a squealing or chirping noise that occurs on startup, when the AC is engaged or even when a power steering load is placed on the pump.

What causes a belt to slip on an idler pulley?

A tensioner is used to maintain tension and when it seizes up or wears, tension is lost. The belt may start slipping off the pulley or slip off completely. In both cases it causes the belt to wear out faster. To solve this problem, replace the serpentine belt and the tensioner.

When do I need to replace my serpentine belt?

Generally, if the belt breaks, the car will stop running. Regular wear and tear: Wear and tear is inevitable. Your serpentine belt will need to be replaced at some point. Exactly how long you have depends on what material it is made from and how old your car is.

What to do if your idler pulley is frozen?

This is a frozen pulley. To confirm if your idler pulley is frozen, you have to slip the belt off the pulley. Before you start, make sure the engine is off and the keys are not in the ignition, just to make sure no one attempts to turn on the engine.

When to replace the serpentine belt, tensioner, and idler?

It’s recommended that the belt be changed every 80,000-miles, and that the belt tensioner and idler pulley should get replaced along with it. If either of the bearings in the pulleys seizes, the belt can snap and get sucked into the engine.

What do you need to check serpentine belt?

Get the belt looped onto all but one pulley. You’ll need your ratchet to turn the belt tensioner enough to get the belt around the last pulley. Once the belt is in place, check it at each pulley to make sure it’s properly seated to avoid abnormal wear. Now you can remove your ratchet.

When do you need to replace the idler pulley?

If it doesn’t, you probably need to replace the pulley. If you look at the belt when the car is running at idle, it moves quite smoothly along the system. When there is significant deterioration of pulley hardware, the belt moves from side to side. You will notice that it shakes or wobbles as it moves.

How do you remove the idler from an alternator?

Use a 16mm socket to remove the idler pulley that bolts to the alternator. Then, use an E14 socket to remove the tensioner’s only mounting bolt. Take the new idler pulley and thread it into the alternator by hand to prevent cross-threading to the bolt.

Where is the serpentine belt tensioner located on a car?

This is a pulley that is either mounted to an adjustable pivot point or a spring mechanism. If you open up the hood of your car, you’ll see that the serpentine belt is on the front of your engine. It is the long one. The pulley itself is found on the outside of the belt, which is how it adds tension or pressure.

When do you know you need to replace your belt tensioner?

If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.

What causes a serpentine belt pulley to squeak?

The serpentine belt in your car powers the accessories such as air conditioning, power steering, the alternator, and waterpump. Tensioner pulley wear will cause your pulley to squeak.

How often should you replace the serpentine belt?

Serpentine belts can last for years and might only need to be changed once or twice over the life of the vehicle. The recommended industry standard is to inspect your belt at 60,000 miles for wear & tear and replace if necessary, and replace every 90,000 miles regardless of the appearance in order to reduce the chances of a breakdown.

How do you remove a serpentine belt?

To remove the serpentine belt, release tension off of the tensioner. Then grab the serpentine belt between the a/c compressor and alternator just pull it off. You do not need to take it far off.

What are the symptoms of a bad serpentine belt?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Serpentine/ Drive Belt . Common signs include a squealing noise from the front of the vehicle, power steering and AC not working, engine overheating, and cracks on the belt.

How do you change the serpentine belt?

How to Change a Serpentine Belt Step 1 – Get Out Your Cars Diagram Step 2 – Turn Off Your Car and Keep It on Idle Step 3 – Pop the Hood Step 4 – Note How the Belt Functions Step 5 – Relieve the Tensioner Pressure Step 6 – Slide the Belt Off the Pulley Step 7 – Remove the Motor Mount Step 8 – Replace the Belt Step 9 – Clean Up

What should I do before replacing my serpentine belt?

Make sure your pulleys are clean before installing your new serpentine belt. Inspect and clean all the accessory pulleys to ensure no oil or grease is on them. A greasy pulley will contaminate the belt as soon as you start your vehicle. Soap and water works great for this.

How much does it cost to replace idler and tension pulleys?

The tensioner will cost about $40 to $50 depending on where you buy it and shipping costs. The idler pulleys cost between $15 and $30. A serpentine belt can cost between $35 and $50 depending on the brand of belt you’re buying. If you take it to shop, expect to pay another hundred dollars or so for installation.

What happens if you have a bad idler pulley?

Bad spring-loaded automatic belt tensioner: Tension is essential to proper working of the serpentine belt. A tensioner is used to maintain tension and when it seizes up or wears, tension is lost. The belt may start slipping off the pulley or slip off completely. In both cases it causes the belt to wear out faster.

How to replace the serpentine belt, idler, and idler?

Then, fit the new tensioner into position on the front of the engine and thread in its mounting bolt. Use a 16mm socket and a torque wrench to tighten the idler pulley bolt to 40Nm. After that, use the E14 socket to torque the tensioner’s bolt to 25Nm. Then, because the tensioner’s bolt is aluminum, tighten the bolt another 90°.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from a pulley?

Use your ratchet and socket to rotate the belt tensioner to relieve tension on the belt. Then slip the serpentine belt off one of the pulleys. If you need more leverage, use a breaker bar.

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