The serpentine belt tensioner pulley is going bad on my '88 260e (noisey bearing). Rather than replace the entire tensioner, could I just replace the tensioner pulley? I see that Fastlane sells the pulley separately and it seems that it would be easier and cheaper just to replace the part that's bad.

Anyone have an experience with this. I am familiar with getting the belt off but have never taken the tensioner off.

Thanks,
John

It's a little easier because you don't have to remove the tensioner, but you should still release the tension. When retensioning the tensioner, run it to the end of the triangle and STOP TENSIONING. If you continue to crank on the tension bolt on an old tensioner after it has reached the position you could ruin the tensioner.

Hope this helps,

Watch the pointer on the tensioner while you release the tension. If it does not return to the start position, the tensioner is shot and must be replaced.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I had the serpentine belt off about a year ago and the tensioner worked fine but the pulley seemed to spin a little rough. I tried taking the pulley off then but the bolt seemed really tight (to the point where it felt like something might break) so I left it alone. Is it possible that the the pulley bolt has a left-hand thread or should I lean on it a little more?

My recollection is the pulley has an allen-head bolt retaining it - perhaps something covering that. Anyway, at the age of your car, if the tensioner has not yet failed, it is due. Tensioner uses torsion on a rubber bush that deteriorates with age. Bet you'll replace the pully and the rubber will fail when you try to adjust it.

Steve

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'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

I might as well buy the whole tensioner because with my luck I will probably break the rubber part trying to get the pulley off.

Thanks!

John:

Painful but true....

The tensioner on the TE worked fine, but I bought a new one anyway. When I took the old one off, it didn't return to the initial position, so would have been impossible to re-tenstion. I think the rubber "sets" at the tensioned position, and since it really doesn't take a huge amount of tension to make the belt work well, it doesn't slip. When you go to re-tension, you break the tensioner bolt trying to rotate the sleeve too far.

Good luck!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!