Serpentine belt tensioner problem

[amc49]

X2 you two. Just make sure both studs about same height, you don't want one not screwed into the aluminum enough. I don't car how they come apart, not a problem. Correct way would be breaking nuts loose and re-installing stud alone first.

The middle pic given there is the crap tensioner and sailor killed one just as mine did, the anti-friction insert is paper thin and crap. Once it wears through or tucks under to wad up things start sticking quick. Thinking the plastic used there not the best either, it gives in to wear and distortion like lightning, there are much tougher soft plastics out there.

Gates is full of crap, a spring is a spring as long as tension high enough, the flat one is actually quite a bit more robust than the Gates springs I've seen, I like the stronger ones better. They do not bounce erratically nearly so much and that stops most noise and possibly breaking the tensioner arm in half from impacting. Lighter weight springs sometimes produce a knock on engine startup that will have you thinking dry start rod knock quick. Have someone crank car while you have a flashlight trained on tensioner and watch it go apesh-t at start, it knocks. Stronger tensioner spring stops that instantly. I have rebuilt the top Hayden/Dayco tensioner, flat spring but stout and works good BUT some come with a stupid teflon tape insert that runs between the spring rounds to prevent coil to coil abrasion, it wads up quick to DNF the part in maybe a month or two. I remove that tape and seal up the unit OD best I can with foam tape after lubing inside generously with powdered graphite, it runs forever. The front aluminum swedge is easily ground off to allow the front plate to come off and the center hole easily drilled through for a throughbolt with self locking nut on back, a couple of spacing washers and back to a viable running part. I handtest all tensioners at the parts store, I don't want it unless it takes close to everything I've got to budge the arm off its' stop, on some parts that can be moved fairly easily, not enough spring there, will cause trouble. I have one of the new Gates redesigned parts like the bottom pic, the longer center post will stabilize it better. Grind that rivet head off and drill and tap the end of shaft for hardened 1/4"-28 bolt and washers to shim tight and that one rebuilt too. Got one done like that and already running. $50+ part for say $2 and twenty minutes work again.

[Tiger-Heli]

Wealth of info on this site - kinda makes me wish I'd asked first instead of taking the advice of getting a "later Gates design".

From your reply - I'm actually better with a flat spring design, but I'm not keen on disassembling a brand new part to check for and remove teflon tape.

What is your experience with the Dorman Tech Choice? - it looks like a flat spring design and is almost double the cost of the Gates and lifetime warranty - but I'm a bit leery of a tensioner with three bolt mounting lugs when the OEM only uses two bolts (I suppose it could work for multiple applications that way, though.)

Thanks again!

[amc49]

All I was saying is that Gates is talking crap when it came to the spring. The late design they make may be fine, better looking than what they sold before.

Don't know anything about the Dorman and probably will not find out. Dorman has made so many absolutely horrible quality parts that I avoid them whenever possible. I used to have to warranty everything they sold. The three bolt thing just so they can most likely make one part serve in more than one application, you just wouldn't use one bolt position there. Lifetime warranty there means nothing at all, they make parts so cheap they actually plan on giving you more than one. A very cynical way of bringing you into the worthless parts fold, if you will. They don't care if you have to yank the part 5 times.

[finalfantasy]

my tensioner just cracked, i think its motorcraft, all i can see is made in china. had the hardest ass time getting the belt back on.





the belt read 98BB-6C301-CA, 6PK2120EL -- i THINK that means 2120mm or about 83.46 inches.

Just checked the motorcraft website and it says part 8620 (JK6-842-A) for 2.0 DOHC With A/C ('01). 84.2 inches?

These shops must just throw any damn thing they can monkey on there. Have I lost tension with it like that?