Car is coming up on 140k miles, 12 years old. Serpentine belt looks slightly used and abused but not bad for 140k miles but I'm guessing I should replace it. Question is should I also replace the tensioner and idler pulley? There is absolutely no noise or squeeling coming from it. My finger once got caught between the belt and idler pulley LOL!!
Belt, tensioner, and pulley
- Thread starter PhuongFU
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Are URO tensioner and pulley any good?
Originally Posted By: PhuongFU
Are URO tensioner and pulley any good?
No. What kind of car are we talking about here?
Are URO tensioner and pulley any good?
No. What kind of car are we talking about here?
Originally Posted By: PhuongFU
Car is coming up on 140k miles, 12 years old. Serpentine belt looks slightly used and abused but not bad for 140k miles but I'm guessing I should replace it. Question is should I also replace the tensioner and idler pulley? There is absolutely no noise or squeeling coming from it. My finger once got caught between the belt and idler pulley LOL!!
If the pulleys are quiet and without visible wear why would you replace them? I would also hold off on the tensioner until its needed, but I guess that depends on how much work you would have to do twice. Does your tension exhibit good "springness" and recoil when you move it manually (as when you would to remove the belt)?
Car is coming up on 140k miles, 12 years old. Serpentine belt looks slightly used and abused but not bad for 140k miles but I'm guessing I should replace it. Question is should I also replace the tensioner and idler pulley? There is absolutely no noise or squeeling coming from it. My finger once got caught between the belt and idler pulley LOL!!
If the pulleys are quiet and without visible wear why would you replace them? I would also hold off on the tensioner until its needed, but I guess that depends on how much work you would have to do twice. Does your tension exhibit good "springness" and recoil when you move it manually (as when you would to remove the belt)?
It is a wear item. The bearings obviously wear in use, but the tensioning mechanism also wears. The tensioning mechanism is in constant vibration while the engine is operating. I had a tensioner pulley fail around 115K and replaced the whole assembly.
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I have replaced belts alone only to have the darn tensioner give up a short time later. I replace both at the same time now. They are wear items and cost little for an item that can leave you stranded. I replace belts at the 60-70k mile mark even though they can easily go 100k+. Just cheap insurance.
A new tight belt will put additional strain on both parts. Put a new belt in many a time to be welcomed with a squealing or failed tensioner assembly before.
All this discussion of tensioners has me considering the tensioner on my truck. I have replaced the tensioner pulley because it developed a bit of play in its bearing but did not replace the entire tensioner.
Do tensioners fly apart leaving you stranded? Do they give you some warning that they are about to fail, like excessive play at its pivot?
Do tensioners fly apart leaving you stranded? Do they give you some warning that they are about to fail, like excessive play at its pivot?
Originally Posted By: PhuongFU
Has anyone ever heard of koolman parts?
http://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Benz-Tens...#productDetails
So it's for a Mercedes?? Why are you going cheap then??
URO is a brand of parts (bad ones), KOOLMAN is a vendor on Amazon. Two different things. You have no clue who made the tensioner KOOLMAN is selling.
Instead of posting junk why don't you look for a tensioner made by the OEM vendor? Again, what kind of car is this?
Has anyone ever heard of koolman parts?
http://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Benz-Tens...#productDetails
So it's for a Mercedes?? Why are you going cheap then??
URO is a brand of parts (bad ones), KOOLMAN is a vendor on Amazon. Two different things. You have no clue who made the tensioner KOOLMAN is selling.
Instead of posting junk why don't you look for a tensioner made by the OEM vendor? Again, what kind of car is this?
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: PhuongFU
Has anyone ever heard of koolman parts?
http://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Benz-Tens...#productDetails
So it's for a Mercedes?? Why are you going cheap then??
URO is a brand of parts (bad ones), KOOLMAN is a vendor on Amazon. Two different things. You have no clue who made the tensioner KOOLMAN is selling.
Instead of posting junk why don't you look for a tensioner made by the OEM vendor? Again, what kind of car is this?
+1, it really depends on the car.
On most Japanese cars, the pulleys and tensioners last a long time; if they check out fine, i would not hesitate to only replace the belt.
But on BMWs, I usually install a "service kit" from ContiTech that includes a new belt, idler pulley, tensioner and bolts. You can get these kits from Rockauto for a very good price (usually around $100).
Originally Posted By: PhuongFU
Has anyone ever heard of koolman parts?
http://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Benz-Tens...#productDetails
So it's for a Mercedes?? Why are you going cheap then??
URO is a brand of parts (bad ones), KOOLMAN is a vendor on Amazon. Two different things. You have no clue who made the tensioner KOOLMAN is selling.
Instead of posting junk why don't you look for a tensioner made by the OEM vendor? Again, what kind of car is this?
+1, it really depends on the car.
On most Japanese cars, the pulleys and tensioners last a long time; if they check out fine, i would not hesitate to only replace the belt.
But on BMWs, I usually install a "service kit" from ContiTech that includes a new belt, idler pulley, tensioner and bolts. You can get these kits from Rockauto for a very good price (usually around $100).
Originally Posted By: George7941
Do tensioners fly apart leaving you stranded? Do they give you some warning that they are about to fail, like excessive play at its pivot?
Well it depends. Most tensioners are simply spring loaded, so they should last quite a long time and keep a consistent tension.
But there are some, like I've seen on VWs, that have a gas shock. If that gas shock is worn out, the tensioner will start bouncing on the belt and will cause premature wear.
Do tensioners fly apart leaving you stranded? Do they give you some warning that they are about to fail, like excessive play at its pivot?
Well it depends. Most tensioners are simply spring loaded, so they should last quite a long time and keep a consistent tension.
But there are some, like I've seen on VWs, that have a gas shock. If that gas shock is worn out, the tensioner will start bouncing on the belt and will cause premature wear.
I will leave the tensioner in in my truck since I do keep an eye out for anything unusual. If the tensioner starts bouncing around I will surely notice it.
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