[dolo]

Aloha!
My son has a 2002 Focus w/ a zetec engine w/ a bad tensioner pulley. I did a search and this seems to be a common problem but in my search I wasn't able to find a step-by-step. I'm unfamiliar with front wheel drive vehicles so, like a wise man once told me, I'm seeking help and doing research.

I went over to his house this morning to take a look and the pulley has cracked off the bearing. He and his friends tried to remove the pulley but the bolt holding the pulley on hits the frame before it's able to come off. I didn't want to pry on it, fearing I would make things worse so we decided to put it off until next weekend when we had more time. Has anyone changed this pulley without having to drop the engine? I checked for clearance and it seems that I have to drop the engine about two inches to get that @!!*^&!! bolt off and in order to drop the engine that far, I have to drop the suspension as well. All this for one f'ing bolt???

There has to be an easier way to do this!

Also, is there another problem that we should be addressing that would cause the pulley to fail or are they just crappy pulleys??

TIA!
Ed

 

[iminhell]

They are about the same quality as any factory tensioner, they will all fail at some point.

One trick you may try to get the bolt out (though I'd just replace the whole assembly, only ~$10 more), is to loosen the passenger and drivers motor mounts and push the engine to the drivers side. It should move just enough to wiggle the bolt and slide it out. It's only the 4 visible bolts on the driver's side and the 3 under the coolant expansion tank you have to loosen. Sometimes it works. It's a little trick I picked up while doing an alternator, about as big of a PITA.