Tensioner pulley moving too much

[tarik]

I took a couple of videos of the bottom tensioner pulley and it is moving/vibrating a lot. Is this normal? What is wrong?

 

[BG1988]

normal
looks like the belt has a weak or more stretchy part and has not caught up i'd replace it before the tension goes bust = cost more money
I can see a pattern it goes in = weak spot in the belt



also it looks like the idler in the top left has a wobble as well.. in the second video


mine slips upon start up cold start only , the belt is garbage

i have a spare belt when it goes bust (It only runs the Water pump though ) not super worried as it has a electrical Auxiliary water pump.. i'm sure the cluster will light up like a Christmas tree
when it fails(or audible noise )




sometimes i think about just getting a small belt and cut out the middle man idlers (it would increase MPG by 0.1MPG lol )

 

[Big Mama]

As BG said either get 2 belts or keep the old one where your jack is. Might help to toss the wrench you use in there too.

 

[tarik]

okay well that's good news because i was worried.
I just noticed the idler wobbling now. Could it be a bad bearing?

Thanks for the help

 

[thompsoj22]

if you want to make yourself really freak, watch the tensioner as the ac cycles on/off. as others have stated it looks normal but they are approx $40 and for preventive maint you could replace the tensioner at the same time as the belt.

 

[Kraig]

okay well that's good news because i was worried.
I just noticed the idler wobbling now. Could it be a bad bearing?

Thanks for the help

It could be. Take the belt off and give it a wiggle.
While you’re there, you can remove the pulleys and pop the seals off the bearings in the idler and tensioner pulleys with a pick or the pointy edge of a razor blade. Dab some grease in there and snap the seal back in place and reassemble. You’ll probably be surprised with how dry they are.

 

[tarik]

if you want to make yourself really freak, watch the tensioner as the ac cycles on/off. as others have stated it looks normal but they are approx $40 and for preventive maint you could replace the tensioner at the same time as the belt.

Video was actually taken when the AC was running

 

[drakon543]

belts pulleys and tensioners are a good preventive replacement part. they are generally fairly cheap and easy to change. you can regrease the bearings if you are short of funds but the pulleys are cheap just change them if they are failing. remove the belt and check for play on the tensioner arm and pulley. check your play on all idler pulleys and give them a good spin by hand. if they make any squeaks just replace them. ive dealt with enough in the past where a pulley or tensioner will pop right off. now you have a wheel or a hunk of metal that wants to get launched around the engine compartment.

 

[Kraig]

I’m not against replacing pulleys, but i’m more ‘for’ maintaining them before they go bad. I pull the seals and grease them when they’re new—there’s not much grease in there to begin with—and they last a LONG time with enough grease.

 

[drakon543]

I’m not against replacing pulleys, but i’m more ‘for’ maintaining them before they go bad. I pull the seals and grease them when they’re new—there’s not much grease in there to begin with—and they last a LONG time with enough grease.

nothing wrong with any of that they probably do that just so they dont last a long time. they probably use cheap junk grease. ive just never got a bearing seal to reseal properly once its been removed. ive done it countless times to get more life out of bearings and such at work. larger bearings i dont have a problem with little bearings i dont have the hands and such to play with those.