Tensioner Assembly,Idler Pulley DIY*UPDATED*

[tipsymcstager]

ok! seeing we'll be pulling the pos jummper cover box start by disconnecting the battery! you'll need to get the car up in the air and on a jack stand,pull the passenger side tire and plastic well cover!


back top side, gon'a pull the washer tank,2 7mm bolts and one 10mm nut (red)
clamp (green) and jummper cover box two 7mm (white) now you can shove the two pos leads out of the way.







here it is out of the way,





get your jack stand on a sure spot under the cradle
you'll need a rollaway jack under the motor so you can lift and lower as needed,you'll need to get a lenght of 2x6 or the like to disperse the pressure DO NOT PUT THE JACK DIRECTLY ON THE PAN!!!and keep it off center (toward passenger side)





now you can pull the mount cradle bolt on the frame rail. use a 15mm wrench on the bolt, and an 18mm socket on the nut!
after you've got the nut off, pump the jack up a fuss and get the weight off the bolt, and it should slide right out.








now you can pull these four bolts!










after you've got the front part of the mount off, there's a nut you can't see in this pic. but it's on the idler stud pulley and will need to come off next!
(you'll be able to see it better in other pic's later)





and this nut next off the stud, after the plate is off you'll be able to get the stud out, and swing the bracket out of the way




the last bolt for that plate can be seen here, and next to it is a 10mm that holds a power steering line.


(under car shot)




(from the top)





heres where a canted wrench like this is your best friend, no point fighting it with the wrong tool! this will really make it breeze.




i got it from the top, but the bottom would be fine also!
then you can zip out that last bolt.




here's a shot of my greasy hand (lol) that bolt. AND the nut on the idler pulley stud you couldn't see in that last picture





well dandy the mount is undone, the face plate is unbolted!
now ya got to get them out!
a stout pinch bar useing the frame as a fulcrum, will be enough to shove the motor back a bit and you can slip the back plate off, up and out. then the mount will will have enough clearance to push toward the motor and will lift out

(careful where you push on the motor! never on any of the pulleys! push on the block)




ok we made it to the pulley's, yeaaaah!
get the belt off, the the idler pulley, and the Belt Tensioner Assembly!

for me i got the whole Tensioner Assembly (it was chattering a little) but it was the idler pulley makeing all the noise)

Belt Tensioner Assembly /GOODYEAR Part # 49240 ($45.79)
idler pulley /ACDELCO Part # 38001 ($17.77)


one bolt on the Tensioner, and the stud on the idler!

(comeing off)





(installed) both 37ft/lb or 50Nm (thanks guys)
with belt on





bonus info! belt routeing!




ok! getting the plate and mount back on, in the first picture you'll see the top stud on first! thats wrong!!! both the mount (in place first) then slide the plate behind that. and with the back plate tilted out. the stud can go on!
i made that mistake so you don't have to!

again you'll have to shove the motor back a fuss.
and they both go in at the same time.








get the motor plate bolted back in place, then you can bolt the mount to that!
after it's tight, you'll need to play the jack up and down, to line up the mount/rail bolt to slide in







get the pos jummper box hooked back up, the washer bottle,and your done up top! the power steering line bracket bolt back in, the plastic well cover, tire on, jack out, jack stand out, drop that be'och and 2.5 HR's later your done!!!!


now it sounds as good as it look's

[ntrenn]

Wow, and I thought the 2G was a little busy. That looks harder than my front mount, PS pressure hose, tensioner and idlers all rolled into one.

I would suggest replacing EVERYTHING when one is in there....

[nelson480]

Great write up!
Exactly what i did cept for taking the mount out, i just worked around it (PITA)
Prolly should have done tensioner, but funds were limited..

[roara]

Well done, lotsa pics, its like I was there!
If I may add one thing? Clean/sand/brush the jumper box connections and any other grounds in the area?

I did a ground connection maintenance exercise a few months back and it really seemed to help the delayed start I was having, which I thought was ground connection at the starter.

Nice job tipsy! ;D

[dens95olds]

How Did you get the plate out? It doesn't seem possible. Where did you route the pinch bar?.

[tipsymcstager]

May 1, 2011 14:55:18 GMT -6 dens95olds said:

How Did you get the plate out? It doesn't seem possible. Where did you route the pinch bar?.

LOL, anything's possible in life when you set yourself to the task

now mind you we're talking a 4 foot bar, jam it between the frame rail, and against the block and pull from the top! the motor and trans will slide on the wood under the pan on the jack!
all you need is about 1/4"-1/2" shove. slide the plate up and out and the mount then has plenty of room to remove!

[dens95olds]

Thanks Tipsy, I broke down and called a friend to help me with it. You're right ofcourse, nothing is impossible, it fact, he used a pry bar and a very large screw driver in ways I would be afraid. I wouldn't have been able to yank as much as he did for fear I would break something..... Thanks again!

[cobrabobby]

Well done, T-man! Gonna use all this primo info when I do the
job later on this summer, that is, if the 95 is still on the road.
I never predict out much more than a day with these "cars".
Thanks for the great info and pics. You'll save me and a bunch
others a few busted knuckles.
Bob T.

[tinner73]

i have a problem with the hardware that holds the idler pulley. the stud that actually mounts it has a "cupped" washer that is actually fixed to the mounting bolt. what happened is the old one scored that washer badly and i need a new one. does anyone have any idea where i can buy one? part number?

[tipsymcstager]

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!
lol, blasting home in the rain and hail fri night!
and the tensioner assembly, done did blowed up!

fought every turn, fogging windshield, continuously dimming lights. for 5mil's, yeh what fun!
stuff happens i guess, and "it" happend to this part!

swaped it out this afternoon, in about an hour.
getting real good at this, "we do it nice,because we do it twice"




obviously a defective part, shame!






you can see where the bolt caseing let go, and sprung it into the plate!










cheap Canadian parts, LMAO
(just kidding.............NOT)













maybe this NAPA part will last longer then a month & a week










didn't even have to shove the motor over this time, after jacking it up (more then i did the first time), figured out how to turn the mount, so it pops right in and out

have a look.


(i'm a video, click on me!)




"the mighty Tipsy".LOL

[nelson480]

I wonder if theres a way to do what cadillac did and not use that stupid motor mount that covers the serp belt side??

[tipsymcstager]

ever work on a caddy, with them front mounts?
they may not be as much in the way of the belt, but they certainty are in the way of most everything else!

the aurora mount is much more user friendly (in my option)

(and you'ed need to change the front valve cover)







not to mention the mounts you don't see in the back

[wireless]

I'm planning on doing this tomorrow or Sunday morning.

I already purchased the tensioner assembly, should I replace the Idler Pulley while I'm in here as well? It's only around $20, and I'm quite fond of getting as many things done at once as possible, especially when it's quite the long job. lol

[tipsymcstager]

Dec 9, 2011 15:30:40 GMT -6 wireless said:

I'm planning on doing this tomorrow or Sunday morning.

I already purchased the tensioner assembly, should I replace the Idler Pulley while I'm in here as well? It's only around $20, and I'm quite fond of getting as many things done at once as possible, especially when it's quite the long job. lol

absolutely! and don't scrimp on good parts, i got a cheap tensioner and look what happend!

[wireless]

Still haven't done it -_-; had the parts for about 3 months now.

However, the car is already jacked up, gonna do it tomorrow

[nelson480]

I couldnt seem to gain as much clearance as you did, on mine or the engine the car I'm doing the swap on!!!

[wireless]

FINALLY doing this.

Did my water pump tensioner/belt very recently, now doing this.

I hate the motor mount so much. Well, okay, it's not that bad, lifting up the motor more & more made it easier & easier. The hardest part was getting the mount off of the stud.

My tensioner was in horrible shape - freely spins like a hot wheels car, sounds awful, and the springs are a little shot so it wouldn't hold tension perfectly.

My idler pulley is grinding a lot too - so, of course, off it comes also. Just bought a new one, gonna relax for the night and get 'er finished up early in the AM =)

[nelson480]

Just be careful not to jack the motor so high you send the CV axle into the frame rail and damage the boot folks!

[groomlaketested]

Im curious if is worth changine out the motor mount while your there. I know some vehicle then others and if your there and you can feel the motor rocking a bit might as well change it out right.

[wireless]

You will know really fast if you have to change the motor mount just by looking at it once it's out.

It's no fun to get out, lol

[sall]

Jul 14, 2012 7:06:06 GMT -6 groomlaketested said:

Im curious if is worth changine out the motor mount while your there. I know some vehicle then others and if your there and you can feel the motor rocking a bit might as well change it out right.

The mount is probably shot. The thing is unless you find a low mileage junker it's probably shot too. Your only option is to reload the torque-axis mount with one from a Bonneville mount. I am still in progress on this... slacking... You cannot buy the mount new anywhere.

Here is the link:

aurorah.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=1stgen&thread=20184&post=282352


I would say definitely worth it. Get as much done in there as possible at once.

[gazj83]

I need to do my belt tension assembly at some point, mainly because it's noisy. The "to-do" list never end, but is part of the fun!

[02540ico]

Hope the failed one wasn't a Gates, will be installing one tomorrow night.
Great write up!!

[sall]

So, it is a nice 70* low humidity day today. Awesome weather for this project. This is what I found when I removed the positive cable junction:



Someone hacked the ******* out of the mount area. I have a suspicion it was from when I bought the car I requested the serp belt be changed. Did these idiots really hack the metal and remove the mount to change the serp belt?! I think they did. I had no problems changing the belt w/o out removing the mount and I know everyone else hasn't done that haha. I am not too happy about it to say the least, but what can I do now. As long as I have had it I haven't had any problems. Maybe it will make it easier to remove lol. Some people...

Anyways, see ya when I'm finished!

[wireless]

I wish we had nice, 70 degree days here in Texas this time of year.
Lucky you - we get nice 86 degree nights (at 4am!) =)

Weather aside, WTF. Good god, that's horrible.. It's hard to get out, but not hard enough to hack it... jeeze...

[sall]

Well it's unusual weather for sure for even here.


I ran into a problem during the project. Turns out my tensioner was fine. Still replaced it anyways. The idler bearings were bad. No grease in them I assume. Spins freer than free, but makes noise.

I order new idler pulley from Amazon couple months ago. Yes been putting this off for some time. I ordered ACDELCO Part # 38001 ($17.77) Idler pulley as listed here and checked other sources as well. This is definitely either the WRONG pulley or they packaged the wrong one! It has the right number on it and everything. It didn't even spin. The pulleys are completely different except for height and diameter.





You can clearly see the AC Delco pulley is not the same!! I end up using the Dayco, had I used the AC Delco the belt would have snapped for sure first start up.

I am also uploading a video to show you guys the difference while on the stud and trying to spin. I'll update when the video uploads.



Pulley #1 OEM - Bad. You can hear bearings.
Pulley #2 AC Delco 38001 - Does not even turn. Wrong Pulley!
Pulley #3 Dayco - 89006 - Turns Fine. Will Loosen up a bit.

I know it's not the best vid but you get the idea. Didn;t have anyone to hold the camera for me.

[ntrenn]

Sorry about your troubles with the idlers. Seems to be really common. The really disappointing thing is that the AC Delco one is using an NSK China bearing and the Dayco is using a ZXY China bearing. Both far lower in quality than anything made in the USA or Canada. It's getting increasingly tougher to find an idler with North American manufactured bearings.
I would put those idlers on a 50,000 mile change interval. I have ones with USA bearings on 100,000 mile change interval.

[sall]

Not your fault brother. Had the dealer been open I would have checked them but I am sure their AC Delco part would have been the same. Yeah, I know. China I was in a pinch though. The Aurora is really only nice weather ride so I really do not put many miles on it. I don't have a problem changing them again in 50k again. I am not even sure if gates or goodyear use bearings made in USA. The project isn't that difficult only time consuming.

What I don't understand is tipsy said he used that exact idler that would not work for me, but never saw the new installed in his pictures... or anyone elses for that matter. Anyone else use the AC Delco pulley?!

[ntrenn]

I ordered 3 of the same Dayco number from Rockauto and got 2 NTN Canada and 1 YYZ China in the same shipment.....I know times are tough, but they really don't understand how poor the reliability can be.....

IIRC, some of the Classic idlers are the same as 2G, but some are different too. Good luck getting it fixed....

[sall]

Thanks it is already done and buttoned up! See how long these Chinese bearings last!


I wanted to add some supplemental info to the write-up...


Of course I had to use a pry bar to remove the plate off that bottom stud. Even with the motor jacked up as much as possible without sending the boot into the frame rail there was still about an extra 1/16" of clearance needed hence the use of pry bar.

That plate has a lip on the side facing the passenger fender. Once it was removed I took my pneumatic die grinder and ground a little over a 1/16" off the lip and hit with a couple coats of black paint so it didn't rust. Now the plate slips in and out without use of a pry bar with no structural damage to the plate! Perfect! Make a it a bit easier next time.

I didn't get any pictures but if you have been in there or will be in there you will know what I am referring to. Happy motoring!


EDIT: Also wanted to add it is much easier to insert the mount back in before bolting it the plate. This way you can insert the bolt through the mount and then maneuver the motor up/down as necessary to align the mount to the plate.