Aftermarket Belt Tensioner Pulley Failure

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. I did check mine out last week after you posted and it seems okay. I’ll keep an eye on it just in case.


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[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by HAWAIIZR-1

Wow! Thanks for sharing. I did check mine out last week after you posted and it seems okay. I’ll keep an eye on it just in case.


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I have some wear on the pulley from the back side of the Serpentine Belt (must be from the belt flexing as it "bends" around the aluminum pulley). It appears the wear on Locobob's pulley is much more as it appears the back side of the Serpentine Belt has worn completely through the Aluminum surface as I can see ridges (Serpentine Belt is a bit narrower than the pulley riding surface between the two guides).

I am replacing ALL Billet Aluminum Belt Tensioner Pulleys with New Stock Belt Tensioner Pulleys immediately. Why wait

I am not sure why this pulley wears as it does and the vender says he has seen no issues with this pulley. I can confirm the Backside of the Serpentine Belt does wear on the Aluminum in this application.

How many miles on this failed Belt Tensioner Aluminum Pulley?

[BigJohn]

Air Cooled Pulley?

[Locobob]

The pulley probably had less than 15k miles on it. I mentioned it to Haibeck and he said he's seen two other failures of the aluminum pulley just like this one. So if you have this pulley you better keep a good eye on it. I have the pulley removed from the tensioner now, still no idea why it failed. It seems to spin about the same as the old Dayco pulley I have laying around - both on the shaft and on my finger, no obvious signs of bearing failure. By the way this "lightweight" aluminum pulley is actually 1oz heavier than the Dayco so there's really no reason to run it other than looks.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Locobob and Dynomite,

Noted!! I did see my pulley had some wear and I should be concerned too. I don’t have much mileage on mine and probably why minimal wear. I also understand that bearings can behave differently free-spinning with and without load on them.

It seemed like a good idea and nice mod at the time. Maybe just a bad pulley or bearing, but well noted to observe or replace with stock type. I’ll check mine with more detail when I return home. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and experience.

I guess the moral of the story is to leave sh#t alone!!!


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[Locobob]

Originally Posted by HAWAIIZR-1

Locobob and Dynomite,



I guess the moral of the story is to leave sh#t alone!!!


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Hahaha yeah this isn't the first time the modding disease has bit me in the ***, and it probably won't be the last. I am a little more cautious now about making non stock "improvements" though.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by Locobob

Hahaha yeah this isn't the first time the modding disease has bit me in the ***, and it probably won't be the last. I am a little more cautious now about making non stock "improvements" though.

Hey Robert,
There are a few of us on here that just won’t leave sh#t alone even if it’s working fine.


IMG_4499.JPG


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[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by HAWAIIZR-1

Hey Robert,
There are a few of us on here that just won’t leave sh#t alone even if it’s working fine.


Attachment 9708


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I have decided to replace all of my Aluminum Belt Tensioner Pulleys with New Stock Belt Tensioner Pulleys.
This in spite of the fact that Jim had a Stock Pulley Cut in half by the Serpentine Belt at 60,000 miles

I use a ratcheting 18mm Box combination wrench (no angle on ratcheting end and since combination I can use another box wrench on open end for leverage).
I can now replace that Belt Tensioner in 10 min more or less (without removing anything else).
I lift the Belt Tensioner (flipping it 180 deg) up between the Alternator pulley and coolant pipe crossover
I use a 14 mm wrench for the Pulley bolt itself.
I do NOT do this job when engine is HOT

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

I have decided to replace all of my Aluminum Belt Tensioner Pulleys with New Stock Belt Tensioner Pulleys even though Jim had a Stock Pulley Cut in half by the Serpentine Belt

So is this the official recall of the aluminum belt tensioner pulleys? LOL!!


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[Locobob]

I have a new Gates tensioner pulley and belt installed now. I went off Craigs info on the belt size but I found the Gates 815 belt to be a little loose... like I didn't even have to fight to get it on. So I went one size smaller and found the Gates 810 to be a better fit. This is with SRP underdrive pulleys btw, if you have stock pulleys disregard the belt info.