tensioner??

[blackbird]

howdy yall! hope everyone is doin good. i need more info, my serpentine belt sqwealed when i hit the gas. i checked it and the belt wasnt torn up but it was shiny, so i swapped it out with a new one. as soon as i started it up i heard a knocking sound (WTF??) i watched the belt for a while and noticed that the tensioner was twitching! is this normal or is it the source of my problem?? also the buick dealer quoted me 130 clams for the replacement, is this reasonable?? thanks for any guidance

 

[PaulRV6]

That is about right for the complete tensioner. Maybe you just need the brg which is replaceable. Some on here knows what the P/N is since I have seen it posted. Do a search on pulley tensioner and I'm sure you will find it.

paul

 

[GSthunder]

I too had a tesioner that jumped and had a strange knocking from that area. After I swapped out the tensioner I still had the noise. Turns out the entire accessory bracket was loose! I only found this after I had to replace the AC compressor last year. All the bolts behind the compressor were finger tight! Tightened them up and no more noise.

 

[Red Regal T]

You can purchase the whole tensioner pulley with bearing at most parts stores for under $20. I had a really noisy situation up front and couldn't figure what it was. Changed the tensioner pulley.....no help. Suspected the alternator but it turned out being the surpentine belt. Had this noise for quite some time. Replaced belt with the same brand budget belt from Discout auto and had the same noise. I still didn't know the cause. Tried dressing the belt but the noise continued. Replaced it again with a Kelley-Springfield belt from Auto Zone and surprisingly, had no more noise. Kelley belt cost about the same.

 

[blackbird]

i shooda known

thanks guys, i just wanted to make sure i didnt spend alot of cash and find out there was no need for the part. im gonna check the tightness of the bolts as soon as i get home.

 

[GSthunder]

I dead give away to a loose accesory bracket is take a wrench and pull down on the top alternator bolt as if you were tightening it. If the noise goes away, your bracket is probably loose to some extent.

 

[Richard Inglett]

Had Similar Experience

Originally posted by Red Regal T
You can purchase the whole tensioner pulley with bearing at most parts stores for under $20. I had a really noisy situation up front and couldn't figure what it was. Changed the tensioner pulley.....no help. Suspected the alternator but it turned out being the surpentine belt. Had this noise for quite some time. Replaced belt with the same brand budget belt from Discout auto and had the same noise. I still didn't know the cause. Tried dressing the belt but the noise continued. Replaced it again with a Kelley-Springfield belt from Auto Zone and surprisingly, had no more noise. Kelley belt cost about the same.

Had the same experience with an Advance belt. Problem is the belt length. Should be 63.5 inches and not 63". Kelly Springfield part number is 635K6.

Best regards,
Richard

 

[Kenny E]

tensioner

if it turns out to be the bearing its a 6203C3 you can press it out with a vise and a socket same for the install cost me 3 bucks at the local bearing supply house.

 

[blackbird]

pulley

will the pulley come off just by taking the nut off?? i still havent checked the bolts for looseness...im waiting till it gets a bit warmer out today

 

[salvageV6]

Yes, not too hard to replace.

I did the same thing with the tensioner, and the alternator, and then I found out my problem was a bad belt.

Live and learn.

Got lost of spare good parts now however.

 

[GSthunder]

Just for your info, the tensioner pulley bearing is the same bearing as the alternator front bearing.