Tensioner Pulley Question

[tnt31]

1994 Cevy C-1500 Silverado with 5.7L w/291K miles This morning on the way to work I heard the serpentine belt squeal for about 15 seconds then the battery light came on and temp gauge went to rising. Actually hit red line but never boiled over. I limped it to work and checked and the belt is shreeded and the tensioner pulley is seized. Due to finances just going to change the pulley and put the cheaper belt on for now. I know the best option would be new tensioner with the top of the line belt. To the question. Does the bolt on the tensioneer pulley have normal or reverse threads? I will be changing this in the parking lot this afternoon and do not want to make the issue worse. Thanks

 

[double vanos]

Every one on my Chevys that I have changed have been standard threads, ie righty tighty, lefty loosey. Hopefully others will chime in with confirmations of that....

 

[GMBoy]

It is a conventional bolt, left to loosen.

 

[Barkleymut]

good luck with the parking lot repair, i had to replace an alternator in a parking deck last Thanksgiving. Make sure you have all the tools you will need before you start! begging for a ride to NAPA in a grease covered shirt is no fun.

 

[abycat]

very easy change. done it a few times. 30 min job max.

 

[Bud_One]

If you have a long handle 3/8" drive ratchet.. it will help.

 

[eljefino]

Possible you might just be able to change the bearing-- pound it out of the pulley. Look for numbers on it. I got one for my F150 for $1.90, shipped. 6203 is a real common size, 17 x 40 x 12 mm.

 

[Mud]

^^ this. The amount of applications for the 6203 series is amazing lol. They are on everything from cars to trucks to mowers to boats. I've got a few on hand that I've ordered from McMaster-Carr.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

Possible you might just be able to change the bearing-- pound it out of the pulley. Look for numbers on it. I got one for my F150 for $1.90, shipped. 6203 is a real common size, 17 x 40 x 12 mm.

This is what I normally do. A quality bearing will generally be better than what you get in a parts store pulley. But the OP is doing a parking lot swap of the part. So clearly, swapping the entire pulley is the best option in his case.

 

[tnt31]

Took me 35 minutes. Most of it cleaning off the rubber that had caked on the other pulleys. Thanks for the help and encouragement. For those interested the bolt was reverse threads.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: tnt31

For those interested the bolt was reverse threads.

You mean left hand threads? Turn it to the right to loosen?

 

[tnt31]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Originally Posted By: tnt31

For those interested the bolt was reverse threads.

You mean left hand threads? Turn it to the right to loosen?

Yes, it was right to loosen and left to tighten. If I have used the term wrong I apologize. Installed the standard NAPA pulley which I believe is a Gates and a Power-Fit belt. Not sure who makes the Power-Fit (I believe Gates makes the standard NAPA belt) but it says Made in USA on it.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: tnt31

If I have used the term wrong I apologize.

No don't worry about it. In the future, if a fastener gets tight by turning it to the left, it's considered left-hand threads. You'll need to know that if you ever go shopping for taps and dies.