Belt tensioner on 8.1

Woody1 · November 28, 2003

Anyone got any tips / proper procedures for doing this? I need to replace mine along with the belt tommorrow. Belt hasnt broken and pulley hasnt seized, but pulley was making noises, squirted it with wd-40 and it would go away for a little while then return. Started this noise about a year ago, but is getting worse, so I figured I better do it before the pulley seized and burnt the belt and disaster happened.

tbyrne · November 29, 2003

Very easy install. Just loosen the tensioner (15mm bolt), take off the belt, unbolt the tensioner and replace with the new one then install the new belt. The whole install might take about 10 minutes if your not used to working on it.

Tom

Woody1 · November 29, 2003

thanks for the reply T. It doesnt look very hard, I just didnt know if there was/would be a secret to it.

tbyrne · November 29, 2003

Once the belt is off just loosen the bolt that holds the tensioner and it will come right off. Just watch how the belt is routed so you can install the new one easily.

CMNTMXR81 · November 29, 2003

What Tom said although they do have a routing diagram for the belt on the radiator shroud.

May I ask why you need to replace the tensioner on a new truck? It shouldn't need to be replaced.

Woody1 · November 29, 2003

CM, its not a new truck. its an 01 and its got close to 55k miles on it. Reason for replacement......cause it sounds as if its bearings are going out. I can squirt some lubricant on it, the noise will go away, then it comes back after the heat has burned out the lubricant. I asked the stealer to replace it last winter, and they replaced the idle arm pulley instead. said it was ok. yaya, ok I let it run during the summer, and its been getting worse over time. sounds like sand or something in the pulley. I just figured I would replace it before it freezes and then burns the belt.

CMNTMXR81 · November 29, 2003

Gotcha. I thought perhaps it had lost some of the tension in the arm itself and wobbled as the belt drive rotated.

Woody1 · November 30, 2003

got it replaced today. As you said, it was easy. The old tensioner didnt really have much tension left on it anymore. The belt had a few small cracks in it as well. Still dont understand why you cant just replace the pulley and not the whole assembly tho. Did find tho, that when I opened the hood, some lil varmit had decided that it wanted to try and make a home on top of the valve covers. The truck has only been sitting for 4 days! There were lots of broken acorn shells scattered around on one valve cover and some fur mixed in with it. Folks, its that time of year where critters are trying to find a place for the winter! If you let your vehicle sit for any length of time, or if you havent checked under your hood lately, you might want to look into it. I blew all the garbage out and then changed my pieces/parts. Have fun all/be safe.