uh oh....serpentine adjustment pulley quit moving..

Long story short....had some chirping in the belt. Used 303 Protectant to try and quiet it down. Didn't work. Chirp turned into a squeal. Adjustment pulley isn't rotating. I can't even get a wrench long enough to take the tension off to try and spin it. Bearing shot? Thx

 

Yeah, sounds like bearings. But if you can't get the tension off, how do you know it won't spin? You can get a whole new tensioner with idler pully and belt from RockAuto. Check the correct part for your year.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=9118632&cc=1426935&pt=10660&jsn=839

 

Ha - funny you mention this. I had the same weird noise on my F250. A year later, the pulley fully separated and the outer surface was running against the seized inner. Threw some sparks but actually ran fine until I replaced it.

You should change the idler, tensioner, and belt at the same time. Many here recommend also changing the fan hub while in there.

 

With the engine running I can see it's not spinning. Belt still goes around...but squeals going over that pulley.

 

If it ain’t spinning then yes it is shot. Replace and enjoy

 

I just did mine today. The pulley is and easy job but watch utube for changing the whole assembly. Kind of a big job. I second changing the fan clutch while your there.

 

*sigh*....I'm only tightening the nut tighter...it's not swinging down to release tension. Any tips?

 

Tensioner pulley bolt is left hand thread and to take tension off of belt rotate it down or towards the air filter.

it may be frozen which point towards replacement of the whole assembly. Sorry

 

I'm aware...counterclock-wise releases tension...also tightens the bolt

 

Do not change the fan clutch, they are very reliable, and heavy duty and are well capable of 500k plus.

 

I can't do shit....tension won't release.

 

You could always cut the belt, but then you are committed. Did you look at the kit that I linked? I think that is what you are looking at replacing. Yeah, check out yousetube to see how it's done. Good luck!

 

Use 14mm socket on a breaker bar, set on the nut in the center of the tensioner pulley. If counter-clockwise doesn't release tension then the tensioner assy is frozen. No sense replacing just the pulley in that case. Clockwise to remove the bolt and pulley. There's no conceivable reason why this won't work unless you don't have the right tool.

 

yup...I toitally understand the proceedure. Just bummed it's not the simple fix. It's the more involved one. Thx

 

I had the more or less the same issue and am also dealing with it as we speak. I have the chirping and squealing of the belt, but also a hard whapping sound upon each rotation. I saw the tension pulley was responsible for the ‘whapp’ sound as it would get forced down and snap back up with a whapp as the belt came around. It would sound with a continuous rhythm. Whap whap whap whap.
What i just did this afternoon was:
standing on a milk crate, one knee on the bumper, got my palm on top of the tension pulley and full weight leaned on it. Got enough movement to get the belt off. When i replaced the pulley, and went to replace the belt, the bolt just kept tightening and tightening as opposed to relieving tension on the belt for installation. I ended up bending the washer with the bolt and had to remove it again and hammer the contact point of the big tapered washer back to flat as it was drawn out to an almost rounded point. Now im in here looking for answers as well. Are there supposed to washers on either side of the bearing? Or some kind of bushing. I have the large tapered washer and a bolt. Thats all. I have to assume this specific washer is designed for the the previous pulley and must be contacting the replacement pulley differently. The replacement I bought was a Dayco 4” and my previous was a Canadian bearing with 4” pulley.(all i know). Should I be looking for pulley specific hardware? Should the washer make contact with the bearing or seat against the face of the pulley?
Apologies for jumping into the thread like this, however there is quite a bit of overlap going on here

 

Oh. Also im curious as to where these indicating marks should line up? Does this look correct? Because this morning the single indicating mark visible on bottom was well to the right of the 3 indicators above. Now they line up…

 

so, you have an off center pulley? Fan pulley tight? Why would it fluctuate?

 

I believe the bearing was seizing in the tension pulley at a specific point in rotation that would force the belt past and cause the tensioner to spring. ? Possibility?
@Sirfive

 

Id say possible. Pull the belt and make sure everything spins.