Is it normal for the tensioner to bounce slightly?

I've been trying to diagnose a squeak coming from my belt area for the last week--it sounded as if it was coming from the tensioner/tensioner pulley so I replaced the pulley but to no avail. It still squeaks at idle and at low speeds.

While checking to see if all the pulleys were aligned properly I noticed the tensioner was bouncing just slightly while the engine idles (maybe a centimeter or two tops in one direction or the other). Is this normal or an indicator of a bad tensioner?

Thanks fellas.

Also, are there any tricks to using an automotive stethoscope? I've tried placing the needle around different spots/pulleys but even while the car is squeaking I can't find a definitive source with the steth.

Hmm, perhaps the tensioner is fine then. Ugh, I'd hate to replace it without a full confirmation of its faultiness--dimes are thin this time of year, lol.

Thanks for your response.

Cool, thanks for the input, guys.


I picked up an idler pulley for peanuts so I'll replace that and see if the noise is eliminated before going any further with the tensioner. Merry xmas btw!