belt tensioner

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 17, 2003

#1

• Dec 17, 2003

• #1

I have a 4.6 engine, and I'm trying to change the belt. I have done this on plenty of other mustangs and it was easy. This one, I can't get the tensioner to move to save my life! Has anyone else had a problem, if so, what did you do? Any tips or tricks? Thanks.

 

P

PSKSAM2

Founding Member

Feb 13, 2002

771

8

38

NJ

Dec 17, 2003

#2

• Dec 17, 2003

• #2

mustanggt said:

I have a 4.6 engine, and I'm trying to change the belt. I have done this on plenty of other mustangs and it was easy. This one, I can't get the tensioner to move to save my life! Has anyone else had a problem, if so, what did you do? Any tips or tricks? Thanks.

Click to expand...

A really big breaker bar? Stupider question, are you pushing the right direction?

-Jim

 

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 17, 2003

#3

• Dec 17, 2003

• #3

I know I'm suppose to rotate it away from the belt. But I was getting so frustrated I tried every direction. I was making the entire car move, but not the tensioner.

 

S

scheister

Founding Member

Jun 13, 2002

612

0

16

Indy

Dec 17, 2003

#4

• Dec 17, 2003

• #4

Just put the 3/8" ratchet end on the tip of the belt tensioner and move it i towards the center of the motor. Need pictures?

 

Dan_Soprano

15 Year Member

May 7, 2003

7,410

53

129

Jacksonville, FL

Dec 17, 2003

#5

• Dec 17, 2003

• #5

mustanggt said:

I know I'm suppose to rotate it away from the belt. But I was getting so frustrated I tried every direction. I was making the entire car move, but not the tensioner.

Click to expand...

not good brother........

 

'96&'01Stang

New Member

Feb 10, 2003

798

0

0

Georgia

Dec 17, 2003

#6

• Dec 17, 2003

• #6

mustanggt said:

I know I'm suppose to rotate it away from the belt. But I was getting so frustrated I tried every direction. I was making the entire car move, but not the tensioner.

Click to expand...

Try the other way

 

SmithAtlanta

Founding Member

Dec 27, 2001

1,111

0

0

Roswell, GA

Dec 17, 2003

#7

• Dec 17, 2003

• #7

Deifinitely towards the drivers side. Was just out doing the same thing...

 

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 17, 2003

#8

• Dec 17, 2003

• #8

Ya, if you have some pictures, that would be great. I feel like a dumba**... I tell everyone how easy it is, and show them, but no one has a 4.6. I can't even get my own belt off.... grr....

 

I

Isaac-1

Founding Member

Sep 8, 2001

824

1

16

SW Louisiana

Dec 17, 2003

#9

• Dec 17, 2003

• #9

On my 99GT there are 2 or 3 small bolts and a cover plate that must be removed to move the tensioner (the cover plate partly covers the hole where the socket goes. Newer GT's that I have seen don't have this cover, I am not sure exactly when the change occured or what year yours is. Also they changed the belt routing on newer models.

Ike

 

meajas12

New Member

May 25, 2003

15

0

0

Dec 17, 2003

#10

• Dec 17, 2003

• #10

The tensioner might be sezied and therefore unable to move. You might need to replace the entire tensioner.

 

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 18, 2003

#11

• Dec 18, 2003

• #11

If it has seized, that might explain what's going on. I can't find anything really bad about the belt (normal cracking, no gaps or verticle cracks), but it's almost time to change it anyhow. After the car has warmed up, it sounds like a teakettle (which is really rather embarassing). But the sound is definitely coming from the belt.

 

B

BILL_2001STANGT

New Member

Dec 18, 2003

4

0

0

Dec 18, 2003

#12

• Dec 18, 2003

• #12

Ok, I was having the same problem last week...... First on my 2001 Stang when you put your 3/8 wrench in the socket hole of your tensioner pulley it should move from right to left (driver side). This should not have that much tension. Once you get the belt off I found that the idler pulleys (2) both had a broken stand offs under them allowing the pulleys to get loose. On one of them I had to put new threads in. The other one I just tightened up and the noise went away. I am still going to take it back to the dealer and ask why this happened and see if there is a recall or so something. This should not have happened.

 

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 18, 2003

#13

• Dec 18, 2003

• #13

Sounds like I have something a little more serious than a belt. I appreciate all the help.

 

D

DC-GT

New Member

Nov 25, 2003

312

0

0

Dec 18, 2003

#14

• Dec 18, 2003

• #14

Keep us posted please! These things coming to a conclusion are valuable to us newbs!

Bo

 

B

BILL_2001STANGT

New Member

Dec 18, 2003

4

0

0

Dec 18, 2003

#15

• Dec 18, 2003

• #15

Serious maybe, maybe not, yours could be just a bad pulley or tensioner. less than $30.00 at Autozone. p.s. I stopped by Ford today and they want me to bring my car back after Xmas. I'll keep you posted.

 

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 18, 2003

#16

• Dec 18, 2003

• #16

I just meant more involved than a simple belt... I checked out Partsamerica, and the picture they are showing for a 97GT doesn't quite look like my tensioner.
Hmmm... ??
I will get to the bottom of this!
Please keep me posted on what you find out, and I will do the same.
Thanks again!

 

U

USMC_MuSTaNG

New Member

Mar 3, 2003

82

0

0

south carolina

Dec 18, 2003

#17

• Dec 18, 2003

• #17

i just got finished changing my belt. Could not do the socket trick mentioned above as the supercharger bracket was in the way. I used the back side of a hammer and pushed(from the passenger side) the tensioner foward(toward the drivers side) worked like a charm.

 

B

BILL_2001STANGT

New Member

Dec 18, 2003

4

0

0

Dec 18, 2003

#18

• Dec 18, 2003

• #18

Here is a pic of the front of my Stang. I hope it helps. p.s. My tensioner is removed by taking the (1) center bolt out.

 

Attachments

• tensioner.webp

  46.8 KB · Views: 380

mustanggt

New Member

Oct 13, 2002

15

0

2

Marietta, GA

Dec 19, 2003

#19

• Dec 19, 2003

• #19

Thanks for the pic... definitely not the tensioner that I have. Did you remove the bolt from the automatic tensioner, or the idler pulley? It looks like maybe the idler... ok, there's an obvious thought, remove the idler.

 

B

BILL_2001STANGT

New Member

Dec 18, 2003

4

0

0

Dec 20, 2003

#20

• Dec 20, 2003

• #20

I removed both the idler (top) and the spring tensioner (middle) and the other idler to the left of the spring tensioner. All three are only held on by one bolt each.