Tensioner pulley question

[critter905]

One of the pullies on my stang is squeeling real bad. This happened about two months ago and I couldn't figure out which pulley was bad. So I put a new belt on and that cured the problem until now, IT"S BACK!!!!
When I put pressure on the tensioner the squeeling will stop. Do yall know of a way to adjust the tensioner? Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[downsouthman1]

One of the pullies on my stang is squeeling real bad. This happened about two months ago and I couldn't figure out which pulley was bad. So I put a new belt on and that cured the problem until now, IT"S BACK!!!!
When I put pressure on the tensioner the squeeling will stop. Do yall know of a way to adjust the tensioner? Any help is greatly appreciated

Are you running Underdrive Pulleys?

 

[Avenger]

I had a bad squeal that was driving me insane. Change the water pump cause the bearing was making some noise when turning it by hand but that didn't solve the problem. I knew it was a pulley or the belt cause it stopped when I removed the belt. The new pump didn't solve the problem.

Ended up being the belt. Are you sure it was properly aligned before starting the car for the first time ? If the belt doesn't sit perfectly in its grooves, it will get scraped against the pulley (before taking back its normal spot) which will destroy the belt. I could feel a few rips in the belt after removing it.

Hope it helps

 

[critter905]

DownSouth.... yes I am running steeda pullies

 

[downsouthman1]

DownSouth.... yes I am running steeda pullies

Steeda pulleys are good, since the crank pulley is replaced by one that's underdriven & internally balanced. You shouldn't be having any problems. My only thought is that the crank pulley must either not be torqued to spec or there is no sealant behind the pulley & it's trying to come back off. Who did the install?

 

[critter905]

Downsouth.... me and my father-in-law did the install prob. about 1 year ago, i don't remember anything about sealant behind the crank pulley though.
We did use a torque wrench, can't remember the torque specs at this point.
When I put the new belt on a couple months ago it stopped. Now it almost seems like the belt has stretched a bit and the noise came back with it. This morning when i cranked the car up it was real loud, think I woke up all the neighbors. I popped the hood and sprayed some "Gunk" on the belt and that stopped the squeeling almost instantly, you could just barely hear it when I drove after that.

 

[COramprat]

One of the pullies on my stang is squeeling real bad. This happened about two months ago and I couldn't figure out which pulley was bad. So I put a new belt on and that cured the problem until now, IT"S BACK!!!!
When I put pressure on the tensioner the squeeling will stop. Do yall know of a way to adjust the tensioner? Any help is greatly appreciated

Get a new one. There is no way to adjust it since it is self-adjusting and has probably burnt the bearings. Most parts stores have them. Check your idler pulley to while you are at it. Might be a good idea to change both.

 

[COramprat]

My only thought is that the crank pulley must either not be torqued to spec or there is no sealant behind the pulley & it's trying to come back off. Who did the install?

The sealent is for the keyway and is to keep oil from leaking through the crank. If the crank pulley was torqued I don't think that's your problem. See my post above.

 

[danny g]

its the idle tensioner. Go to staus and get anew one for 50 and solve the problem once and for all. Ford tried to sell me one for 79 and it would take a week to get. Struass had it on hand. When i took my old tensioner off it fell apart. Washers and bearings all over. Everything was fried and there were metal shavings all over. Problem solved.

 

[46gtsblown]

You can knock out the old bearing and go to your local parts store and purchase a new bearing for around $7.

Dwayne

 

[critter905]

Well I finally cured the prob. It was the tension arm that was sitting at a slight angle. That in turn made the tensioner pulley that was attached to it sit at a slight angle which caused the bearings inside the pulley to squeel.
For a temporary fix I wedged a nickle into the tension are just enough to straighten it out, works great and didn't cost me anything (found the nickle on the driveway). Thanks for all your input guys.

 

[geegee]

Had the same problem on my '98. Ford changed the idler pulley with a different type of pulley (now stamped steel). Was quiet after that. Leads me to speculate that the original (plastic idler pulley) didn't live up to expectations. Its probably a recall item but Ford isn't going to say anything (replace under warranty if it goes bad during warranty, but don't acknowledge there's a fleet wide problem; might get expensive if they have to change a million pullies at their expense).

Jeff

 

[GinoGT]

I've had the problem on and off. Mine is the pulley on the spring-loaded tensioner. Usually only happens if it's REALLY cold outside (winter). After the car warms up, it's gone. It just comes and goes, oh well.