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Locate the adjuster bolt on the belt tensioner used to secure the serpentine belt, and adjust the tension by loosening or tightening the adjuster bolt with a racthet and socket while you simultaneously move the belt back and forth gently to find the proper tension.
How do you tighten a tensioner pulley?
Turn the adjustment bolt on the side, top or bottom of the pulley counterclockwise with the ratchet and socket until the accessory belt is loose enough to remove. Tighten the tensioner pulley by turning the adjustment bolt clockwise with the ratchet and socket until the belt is tight.
Can you tighten an automatic belt tensioner?
Not all types of drive belt systems can be adjusted. Cars equipped with an automatic belt tensioner adjust themselves over time and do not require adjustment. This article shows you the process to adjust drive belts on a pivot-style belt adjuster.
What happens when a belt tensioner goes bad?
Driving with a bad belt tensioner is unsafe since the tensioner is meant to guarantee ample tension that powers accessories. Wear on the belt tensioner will eventually cause the belt to slip, generate loud noise, and also create an unsafe level of heat along the accessory pulleys.
Is a belt tensioner supposed to move?
The tensioner arm should move smoothly and freely. Solution: If you notice a binding, sticking or grinding tensioner arm, the tensioner should be replaced.
What happens if serpentine belt is to tight?
If the belt is too tight, it will cause excessive side loads and overheat the bearings. This in turn causes noise, decreased output and even the seizing of the alternator. If the belt is too loose, it will cause the alternator to slip. This slipping can cause the alternator and the battery to work harder.
Can you over tighten an alternator belt?
Dear Anthony: A belt should never be over-tightened. An over-tightened belt can burn out any bearing that the belt rotates on, including alternator, power steering pump, A/C compressor, idler pulleys, etc. An over-tightened timing belt can ruin any pulley bearing it is connected with.
What can happen if the belt tension in a belt drive system is adjusted to be too tight?
If a belt is too tight in a system, it can add stress to your bearings. The added stress to bearings can result into over amperage of your motor and potential motor failure.
How do I know if my tensioner is bad?
Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. If the tensioner is loose the belts may squeak or squeal, especially when the engine is first started.
What are some potential problems if belt tension is too loose?
Improper Tension A belt that’s too loose on a pulley will cause slippage, which leads to heat build up from friction. This heat will damage your rubber belts and cause the belts to crack and break.
Can you change the tensioner?
Automatic belt tensioners that are easily accessible may not be required to remove from the engine if you’re just replacing the pulley. Once the belt is removed from the pulley, you can remove the pulley bolt and washer and then remove the pulley to replace the new one.
How do I know if my serpentine belt is loose?
The symptoms of a loose serpentine belt include a loud squealing noise when the engine is started or when the steering is turned all the way to one side. A serpentine belt that keeps slipping off the pulley is another symptom of a bad tensioner. The solution is to replace a serpentine belt and a belt tensioner.
Why is my belt tensioner shaking?
Causes of Belt Tensioner Wobbling In general, belt tensioners tend to get noisy when they fail. If your belt tensioner is chirping or makes other noises, it is often an indication that the part is old and needs to be replaced. You can even remove the belt, spin each pulley, and listen for rumbling or other noises.
What does a bad tensioner sound like?
Symptom 1: Squealing, rattling, or chirping. When the tensioner or tensioner pulley fails, the loss of tension can cause the belt and pulleys to make high-pitched rattling or chirping noises. If the pulley bearing completely fails, it can also cause a squealing or even a grinding noise.
Should a tensioner pulley wobble?
If the tensioner pulley wobbles on its shaft, it means the interior shaft bearings have worn. This will cause a pulley misalignment. Bad bearings cause an audible growling noise. An excessively wobbling pulley can throw the belt off, causing all the accessories to quit functioning.
Can a bad tensioner cause engine vibration?
Grinding noises – Grinding and rumbling noises are another common sign of tensioner or idler pulley failure, usually due to failing bearings. Excessive tensioner movement – Worn-out coil springs can also cause drive belt tensioners to loosen their grip on the drive belt, resulting in excessive vibration and rattling.
How do I know if my tensioner pulley bearing is bad?
Listen for a fluttering” noise while driving or while the car is idling. This indicates the tensioner is too loose. Other noises such as squealing or whirling from the front of the engine mean the spring inside the tensioner is weakening. In this case, the belt tensioner needs to be replaced.
How do you release tension from a lockdown tensioner?
If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw. Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt.
How do you adjust alternator belt tension?
Insert the pry bar above the alternator pulley. Apply gentle pressure upwards so that it adds tension to the drive belt. Once the drive belt is moved into its desired tension, tighten the adjustment bolt to lock the belt in place. Then, torque the adjustment bolt to the manufacturer’s specifications.
How do I know if my alternator belt is tight?
Hold the belt between finger and thumb at this point and move it from side to side. See how much it deflects at the centre of the run. If it moves more than 1/2 in. (13 mm) it is too slack – any less movement and it is too tight.
