Question Belt Tensioner

[Tman123]

Just recently my truck as started making a squeaky noise. I think I've narrowed it down to the belt tensioner...


can that mean its going out? It does seem to go away after driving around for a while (about 10 to 20 mins).


If its going out... have any of you replaced one before, and if so, how hard is it to do?


Thanks in advance!


Travis

 

[JRNOLL]

I seem to remember that someone ,on one of the forums i go on, changed the bearing in the tensioner, but I don't remember where I saw it. Maybe someone else can help. Sorry. Joe

 

[Dieselpwrdredneck]

When belts get wore out they sometimes squeak, check your belt. I think u can get the pulley by itsself but more times than none, in my expirience, the whole tensioner goes bad. they are easy to change and not too bad on the price

 

[BIG JOE]

[When belts get wore out they sometimes squeak, check your belt.] I think u can get the pulley by itsself but more times than none, in my expirience, the whole tensioner goes bad. they are easy to change and not too bad on the price

X2. Try a little Belt Spray FIRST. You can get it at most any Auto Parts places, or Wally World. Ivory soap works too.

Joe

 

[Tman123]

Thanks for the replies guys! I don't think its the belt... I replaced it no more then 10k miles ago. I'm betting its the tensioner. It does have 226k+ miles on it... lol

Travis

 

[BIG JOE]

Yer call Travis.. but.. New belts can squeak. Acouple'a bucks for some belt dressing, as the first.. Non-fender humping troubleshoot.. verse's the new (maybe unneeded) tentioner bucks ??? Yer call.

You say the squeak goes away in a few ? Smacks of a new, still stiff, serp. belt... to me.

Joe

 

[WD40]

Try a bar of soap first, if that stops it then get the belt dressing, it last longer than soap.
Doug

 

[Tail_Gunner]

If you have over 226,000 miles on the tensioner, replace it. The biggest area of concern with them isn't the pulley bearing, it's the pivot bushing. Over time the pivot bushing goes bad and the pivot gets VERY SLOPPY AND LOOSE. That causes the tenioner pulley to go out of square with the belt, eventually causing uneven belt wear and failure. It happened to me. Cords from the shredded fan belt whipping around broke off the handle on the dip stick. Want a fun project? Try getting your oil dipstick out without a handle to pull on. It sucks in a major way!!

I can replace a tensioner and a belt on a 99 7.3 in less than 5 minutes. Considering the repercussions of not doing so, to put it bluntly, is stupid.

 

[JLDickmon]

I seem to remember that someone ,on one of the forums i go on, changed the bearing in the tensioner, but I don't remember where I saw it. Maybe someone else can help. Sorry. Joe

You can change the pulleys on the tensioner...

 

[Tman123]

I think I've narrowed it down to my A/C clutch. I removed the last washer to it this summer and it made it a pretty tight fit. I think its rubbing a little until it warms up and expands away.

I haven't driven her since Friday, on account of the boot(s) being in the state they are. Hopefully the boots don't cost too much and aren't too hard to remove/install.

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Travis