Serpentine Belt And Tensioner

[Charmet37]

Hello,

Replacing my serpentine Belt and would like everyone's opinion on if I should replace the belt tensioner? The current tensioner is in good condition, Some say while you're in there might as well replace the tensioner.... Replace the belt or both? Thanks

 

[Kira]

Really no excuse for omitting year, make, model, engine given the intimate nature of the question.
Do check the maintanace charts for your vehicle.
The spring in some rust and cracks develop.
Doubtless there are models of one-piece design. When the irreplaceable pulley bearing goes, it's new part time.

 

[Charmet37]

Really no excuse for omitting year, make, model, engine given the intimate nature of the question.
Do check the maintanace charts for your vehicle.
The spring in some rust and cracks develop.
Doubtless there are models of one-piece design. When the irreplaceable pulley bearing goes, it's new part time.

The vehicle is a 18 Mitsubishi outlander, The original Tensioner is in good condition, The mileage is 100K, More of a preventative maintenance situation.

 

[Charmet37]

The Outlander use a multi- V belt that drives the alternator, A/c compressor and water pump.

 

[Dave9]

How much trouble is it to replace the tensioner? If not bad, I'd wait unless you take the vehicle on trips longer than you'd want to pay to tow it home and don't have insurance or AAA towing coverage, AAA limit being something like 100 mi.

Then again the longer I thought about it, the more likely I'd just replace the tensioner while I'm at it. It's easy to spend your labor and money.

 

[Charmet37]

How much trouble is it to replace the tensioner? If not bad, I'd wait unless you take the vehicle on trips longer than you'd want to pay to tow it home and don't have insurance or AAA towing coverage, AAA limit being something like 100 mi.

Then again the longer I thought about it, the more likely I'd just replace the tensioner while I'm at it. It's easy to spend your labor and money.

Replacing the tensioner in this vehicle is not to bad of a job, Since it's diy probably just replace the serpentine belt and inspect all the pulleys.

 

[Kira]

And check for an idler pulley too. If bearing life is the criteria, the idler is likely on the same schedule.

 

[vavavroom]

I'm almost always in favor of the prophylactic replacement of wear parts at an opportune moment.

 

[Marcozi]

Change the tensioner and its pulley. Check all of the other pulleys, too. How to check a pulley? Spin each pulley and see how long it takes to stop spinning. If it takes more than a second or so to stop, it's time to replace the pulley. What happens is the bearing grease dries out.

 

[BrendanC]

my rule of thumb is 2 pulleys to one tensioner. i change belts and all consumable pulleys every 50k miles.