Replacing idler pulley - 2006 Silverado 6.0L

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pacem

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The idler pulley has apparently seized as it's not turning at all when the engine is running. The belt is being shredded with rubber thrown around the engine bay. But is still functional. I realize I have very little time until the belt breaks.

How do I loosen the tension of the belt so I can replace the idler pulley? What socket size does the idler pulley take?
 
I believe it is 13 or 15mm. You should do the tensioner while you are in there. You can get a kit that comes with a new Tensioner, idler pulley and belt. They sell it on Rock Auto. All AC Delco mad in the USA. I used it on my 02.
 
To remove or install the belt, put a socket with breaker bar on the bolt on the pulley end of the tensioner. This bolt does not unscrew but you use it for leverage to pull the tensioner away from the belt to slacken the belt. Take the belt off of one of the pulleys while it is slack then let the tensioner back down.
 
Like IsImike says, do the complete tensioner. The pulley with its bearing is available I'm sure but the new complete unit is only a few bucks more.

I say this because mine went out and an old salt told me the spring gets rusty and can break just like any other spring. My unit was 185K old so I didn't need much convincing.

I needed it quick so I bought a NAPA unit made by Gates in Canada.

I feel good when I spend local, USA, north to Canada and west to Europe. I don't hate anyone but I feel too much goes east too fast. Multi-trillionaires moving industries overnight simply isn't fair. You gotta fight it. Kira
 
Originally Posted By: mk378
To remove or install the belt, put a socket with breaker bar on the bolt on the pulley end of the tensioner. This bolt does not unscrew but you use it for leverage to pull the tensioner away from the belt to slacken the belt. Take the belt off of one of the pulleys while it is slack then let the tensioner back down.


this is one case where a pic would be great. I will try to find one.

what size bolt?
 
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I would also replace the entire tensioner. I recently had a tensioner pulley become noisy (and rough when I spun it with the belt removed). I thought about changing just the pulley, but I got the whole tensioner, and was glad I did when I started the engine. With the engine running, the old tensioner was flopping a little bit back and forth. The new one stays perfectly still. That proves that the old one not only had a pulley bearing going bad, but the spring had lost some tension over a few years.

(El Camino in my signature has the serpentine belt system from an '88-'92 Camaro/Firebird. I do not miss the original '84 V-belt system. The serpentine belt is quieter, does not need adjustment, drives the alternator better when I hit a puddle, and Just Works.)
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Like IsImike says, do the complete tensioner. The pulley with its bearing is available I'm sure but the new complete unit is only a few bucks more.

I say this because mine went out and an old salt told me the spring gets rusty and can break just like any other spring. My unit was 185K old so I didn't need much convincing.

I needed it quick so I bought a NAPA unit made by Gates in Canada.

I feel good when I spend local, USA, north to Canada and west to Europe. I don't hate anyone but I feel too much goes east too fast. Multi-trillionaires moving industries overnight simply isn't fair. You gotta fight it. Kira


Not sure I have a few days to wait for rockauto, I need one today.

who carries it, NAPA, Advance Auto, Autozone?
 
There are two different "threads" of suggestions in response, here, and I think there's a misunderstanding of the problem. I think the OP's tensioner (and pulley) is fine. He's talking about the idler pulley, which is not connected to the tensioner at all. The idler pulley is simply bolted to the front of the engine, and provides a means to change the direction of the routing of the belt, or a means for more belt contact on certain accessories.

pacem, yes, anyone will carry the idler pulley. While you're at the store, rent one of their serpentine belt removal tools -- it's just a long bar with a selection of socket sizes you can use to relieve tension on the serpentine belt so you can take it off one of the pulleys.

Here's a video of replacing an idler pulley, and he's using one of the long serpentine belt tools. The belt tool is not required, but it sure makes the job easy:



I think he's working on a Ford, but the concept is identical.
 
I have a long breaker bar, and also sockets. I just need to watch a video how to do it. Once I loosen the tension, it seems like an easy job.

the serpentine belt is somewhat stripped but still holding. I just hope it holds enough for 3 miles for me to make it to the store. I am parked at the minute.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
There are two different "threads" of suggestions in response, here, and I think there's a misunderstanding of the problem. I think the OP's tensioner (and pulley) is fine. He's talking about the idler pulley, which is not connected to the tensioner at all. The idler pulley is simply bolted to the front of the engine, and provides a means to change the direction of the routing of the belt, or a means for more belt contact on certain accessories.




GM recommends when the belt is replaced the the tensior assebmy be replaced also. This is the time to do it as he had another pulley failure and it will stress the tensioner. If the ilder seized chances are it was bad for awhile and was causing the tensioner to jump around. They snap easily with a new belt. I have seen it happen. It is a couple of extra bolts and one extra part. Is is pretty common on the LS motor if you don't swap the tensioner for it to have problems once a new belt is installed.

OP how many miles on the truck?
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
GM recommends when the belt is replaced the tensior assebmly should be replaced also. This is the time to do it as he has another pulley failure an it has stressed the tensioner. They snap easily with a new belt. I have seen it happen. It is a couple of extra bolts and one extra part.


I agree that it's good practice to change it all if one part is suspect, and I'll yield to your experience, here. I was thinking in terms of getting the OP unstranded.
 
I think I will replace the idler pulley in the parking lot of Autozone as it seems straightforward and later tonight do the tensioner when I have the luxury of time.
 
Originally Posted By: pacem
I think I will replace the idler pulley in the parking lot of Autozone as it seems straightforward and later tonight do the tensioner when I have the luxury of time.


Thanks for saying that better than I did. It wasn't my intent to step on the valuable experience of others, just to suggest where you can minimize your time under the hood in the parking lot of the AutoZone to get you home -- where you have the comfort of space and more tools to complete the job.
 
I did it. Took me 3 hours.

About 2 hours of walking to and from the auto place - actually two auto places, Autozone didn't have the right part in stock and sold me the wrong one. By the time I figured out, I spent 45 min easy on it. Had to walk to NAPA and they had it, but not cheap. 38 bucks. I spent 30 minutes trying to take apart the old idler pulley since the new one didn't come with a bolt and I thought I had to recycle the bolt. By the time I figured out I had the wrong part, I spent half an hour on it, easy.
Stay away from Autozone.

Well, I was stranded and had limited options.

Then another half hour of getting the tools organized and removing the fan protecting cover and only about 20 minutes of wrenching.
Luckily I had the breaker bar with the sockets which made the job easy. Not sure I could have done it without it.

Footnote. People don't like giving rides in this area. So I was in the walk mode most of the afternoon.
 
The belt is chirping a bit from time to time, any idea what that may be? The idler pulley is moving a little from front-to-back, could this be the cause?
 
There should be no front to back movement of the idler. Remove belt and investigate.
 
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