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Replacing Serpentine Belt and Idler /Tensioner Pulleys

D

Dennis

Guest
My 06 has about 65000 miles on it and I'm beginning to hear more noise than usual from the Belt end of the engine, especially on start up and until it warms up a little...Nothing serious like metal to metal grinding, or squealing, but a noise like rough bearings or something not running smooth (hard to explain) but it isn't normal or as quiet as it use to be..

My question: I'm guessing it's either the Tensioner Pulley or the Idler Pulley, or both making the noise..the belt looks okay but it is showing it's age too..Wondering if I should do a wholesale change out of all three items; Belt, Idler and tensioner Pulley..and I see the tensioner arm and pulley are pretty simple to get to to relieve the tension on the belt, But How hard is it to replace the two Pulleys? do I need to remove the fan shroud, etc?...Otherwise I'm thinking about letting the dealer do it all..

any advice or insite appreciated
 
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telemike

Hummer Enthusiast
Messages
466
Location
Greensboro, NC
Easy to change out. No need to take fan or shroud off. It is right with fingers but patience will get it done.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2
 

f5moab

Mr. Beretta
Messages
1,986
Location
Hiding in a potato patch in Idaho
If it sounds like loose metal being shaken, then it could be either the bearings in either the tensioner and/or pulley. Best is to try and determine what side of the engine the noise is coming from. If driver side, it is the pulley and it is a pain to access the bolts which are installed from the side. (SM recommends the removal of the wheelhouse liner, radiator hose to access the bolts...never tried it so can't say for sure). The tensioner is a heck of a lot straight forward and easy to do. But either should be easy to anyone with some limited mechanical experience.
idlerpulley.jpg

SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE IDLER PULLEY:
•Remove the drive belt. Refer to Drive Belt Replacement .
•Remove the left front wheel . Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation .
•Remove the left front wheelhouse liner. Refer to Wheelhouse Panel Replacement .
•Drain the engine cooling system. Refer to Cooling System Draining and Filling .
•Remove the radiator outlet hose. Refer to Radiator Outlet Hose Replacement .
•Remove the drive belt idler pulley bolts.
•Remove drive belt idler pulley.
Install torque:
Tighten the bolts in sequence to 50 N·m (37 lb ft).
PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO DO A COMPLETE DRAIN/FLUSH OF THE COOLING SYSTEM IF THE HOSE IS REMOVED.:thumbs:





belttensioner.jpg


SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE - TENSIONER:
•Remove the drive belt. Refer to Drive Belt Replacement .
•Using a wrench, loosen and remove the drive belt tensioner bolt.
•Remove the drive belt tensioner.
Install torque:
50 N·m (37 lb ft).

Belt R&R
SERPENTINEBELT.jpg


•Install a 3/8 inch breaker bar into the drive belt tensioner (7).
•Rotate the tensioner (7) clockwise, in order to relieve the tension on the drive belt (1).
•Slide the drive belt (1) off of the water pump pulley (2).
•Rotate the drive belt tensioner (7) counterclockwise, allowing the tensioner to return to the relaxed position.
•Remove the drive belt (1) from the remaining pulleys.
 
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D

Dennis

Guest
If it sounds like loose metal being shaken, then it could be either the bearings in either the tensioner and/or pulley. .
Thank you so much Doug for your illistrations and input here on the subjuct..(much appreciated:thumbs:)...I think I can remove the idler pulley alone without taking the bracket off too....I just got back from the auto-part store and got everything including a loan of a special long pry bar tool for the tensioner...I'll report back when I get it all done.
 

Mr_Rich

Well-Known Member
Messages
636
Location
High Desert & Santa Maria
You shouldn't need a pry bar for the tensioner. There's a square hole designed to fit a 3/8" breaker bar perfectly. A long-handled 3/8" drive ratchet works well also since you can put the handle in a better leverage spot.
 
D

Dennis

Guest
All Done and whisper quiet again like new!:thumbs:

I replaced the Entire tensioner and it's pulley, also the Idler Pulley and the Belt..with new.

Mr Rich..the pry bar was really a long (2' long) flat bar stock with a 3/8" square socket thingy on the end..this tool is invaluable..The auto parts store lent it to me...it comes in a tool kit with 5 or 6 different shallow metric sockets and some crow's feet, a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adapter.......basically designed for Tensioners of all sorts and types...

Again Thanks to Doug as his belt circuit diagram was very useful.

If anybody wants further details let me know..otherwise it's pretty easy like Mike said...No shrouds needed to be removed.

The tough thing was getting the Idler pulley off and on...there isn't much room for a fat hand between the fan blade and the pulley bolt..a few layers of flesh later, I was off and on with the new pulley...Both the Tensioner bolt and the Idler pulley bolt are 15mm...I re-torqued them to 40 lbft.
 
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D

Dennis

Guest
Thanks Alex...

LOL..This is what my hand and wrist looks like after wrestling with that Idler Pulley bolt....:beer

MVC-001F-31.jpg
 
D

Dennis

Guest
Called the Dealer today for S&Gs, just to see what the labor only cost would have been for what I was able to do myself yesterday..

Prices may vary depending on locality;

R & R

Serpentine Belt ...........$32.00

Idler Pulley..................$173.00

Tensioner/pulley assy....$62.00

Total Labor costs savings:........$267.00:whaa:
 
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