94 7.3 idi turbo throwing belts?

[Vetter]

Just purchased this truck, and have had to do alot of maintenance on it so far, the PO just drove it and didn't maintain anything. Replaced broken rear spring hanger, front I-beam bushings, rear fuel tank, lift pump, glow plugs, made a new glow plug harness, fuel line to IP, water pump, idler pulley, tensioner, among other things. Actually the truck is just about were I want it to be. but now have a issue that is really making me scratch my head?
I've read many threads with people having this same issue, but just can't figure out why mine is doing this everything seems to be aligned and in working order. Some of the threads did mention a steel Napa tension pulley with a groove to help keep the belt in place,all I can get is a plastic smooth tension pulley, does anyone have a part # for the steel with groove? I did use a Napa belt on it last time, it was 112.5", but I was pressure washing the truck yesterday to get it ready to spray some rust converter on it, and apparently the belt got wet and slipped off the pulleys and destroyed another $40 belt.
I've also read about a vacuum pump guide, that Ford would use as a recall fix, but with not much information about this. Does anyone have anymore information or pics?
Thanks, sure I will figure this out, but just getting tired of throwing money at this issue, with the same results even on new parts.

 

[no mufflers]

I did the serpentine belt conversion on my truck and had to buy the motorcraft tensioner with the dampener and I don't have any problems.

 

[OLDBULL8]

This is what you need, it's off my 99 PSD, nothing wrong with it in good shape. Sell it to you cheap. PM me if interested.

 

[riotwarrior]

Bill jow does A POERSTROKE tensioner effectively work n fit an IDI

 

[93banksidi]

My tensioner seized up so I replaced it with an off the shelf Napa one and kept losing the first rib on the belt. Put in a motocraft one and still kept losing the belt. Did a lot of research, a lot of measuring and still couldn't find an issue. Sent it to a family friend who's a diesel tech and he found that the power steering pulley was slightly bent, very little runout but enough to tear the rib off. Found a replacement and haven't had an issue since.

 

[Vetter]

This is what you need, it's off my 99 PSD, nothing wrong with it in good shape. Sell it to you cheap. PM me if interested.

I don't think that would work on my idi, both the pulleys the tensioner and idler run on the back side of the belt, so both pulleys are smooth. Unless the belt is ran in a different way on that tensioner?

 

[Vetter]

My tensioner seized up so I replaced it with an off the shelf Napa one and kept losing the first rib on the belt. Put in a motocraft one and still kept losing the belt. Did a lot of research, a lot of measuring and still couldn't find an issue. Sent it to a family friend who's a diesel tech and he found that the power steering pulley was slightly bent, very little runout but enough to tear the rib off. Found a replacement and haven't had an issue since.

Interesting, I did notice my power steering pulley does move in and out about 1/16", but everything I've read says that is normal as long as it has no side to side movement, which it doesn't. Maybe I should look at replacing the power steering pump, I'm sure it's due.

 

[mccall52]

Recently my A/C compressor seized and tossed the belt, but that was a one time occurrence.

 

[typ4]

Interesting, I did notice my power steering pulley does move in and out about 1/16", but everything I've read says that is normal as long as it has no side to side movement, which it doesn't. Maybe I should look at replacing the power steering pump, I'm sure it's due.

A reman pump will likely be worse than the one you have. If its not leaking dont mess with it, flush the system and add some lucas conditioner and PS pumps last a very long time.
And this thread is exactly why I still have V belts

 

[IDIoit]

FWIW, i dont know why, but ford used 2 different styles of tensioners, a open spring, and a closed spring design.

the kicker, they have different mounting areas.

the cast color is a closed spring design, the open spring design is kandy blue.

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[Vetter]

Thanks everyone for the replys.
My tensioner does not have a damper on it, I wonder if that would help to get one with a damper? I did notice when revving up the engine the tensioner does move a small amount, acting like the belt tightens up with engine revs, but I am assuming that is normal.

 

[IDIoit]

i used the dampener to stop the squealing, and that it did.

 

[icanfixall]

Actually we have 3 different types of tensioners. An open spring. A closed spring and then the best is the tensioner with the shock absorber on it. What the absorber does is damper the jumping tension wheel. BTW usually the reason the tensioner jumps around is one of the pulleys is out of round or bent. That pulley is generally found to be the vacuum pump pulley.

 

[Cracker]

Check the alignment on the PS pulley, mine was out 1/8" and cut the first rib off the belt. I realigned the pully on the PS pump shaft and all was good.

 

[Vetter]

I just wanted to post a update.
I noticed that sometimes when I shut the engine off the belt would skip a rib on the AC compressor, which could be I didn't notice this when I would start it up again, and it would throw the belt. The power steering pulley moved in and out excessively, so I replaced the power steering pump, and the new pump doesn't move in and out nearly as much, and so far seems better.
The only odd thing I see, is with the vacuum pump, the pulley is on a different angle pointing upward than all the rest of the pulleys, I noticed when I give the engine gas, the belt walks outward on the vacuum pump pulley and the tensioner will move a small amount, I assumed this was all normal. I also noticed a bracket (looks to be a belt guard) under the two bottom bolts of the vacuum pump, which pushes the pump and pulley upward a lot, because this bracket isn't under the top bolt, this bracket almost looks like a added feature. Is this the bracket that was added as a fix afterward? Is the vacuum pump pulley suppose to be on a different angle as the rest of the pulleys?
So far the power syeering pump seems to have helped, but the vacuum pump hasn't been replaced yet, so maybe it needs to be next????