BELT TENSIONER TROUBLE

[Ironman03R]

I'm tired of the squeakin so I decided to replace the belt tensioner on my 94. The 3 chain stores I went to have a listing for it, but cant get it. The 93 listing is different and the only 94 part they had is a Powerstroke.
Its a 94 7.3 turbo VIN K. Whats the deal??? Is it FORD only? Why can they get all the other tensioners but not the 94?
So now what do I do?

 

[82fordtruck]

Go to ford with $200 in your pocket. If you want to mess with it - I have one with the little tab on the back broken off the case. I bet someone that wanted to could figure out a way around this. It's free if you want it....

It worked fine other than that tab.

 

[Ironman03R]

Thats what I was afrade of. That sucks. I'll stop in and see if any of my old co-workers would buy it at their cost for me.
I have never had any luck fixing tensioners, but I'll keep it in mind that you have one.

 

[82fordtruck]

I bought a new one for a reason as well.

I can get you about 20% off - but shipping might negate that.

 

[Magoo]

Just did it yesterday. The parts houses only list and sell the "open spring" design as far as I could fiqure. The 93 I did was enclosed spring. I went to ford and got the enclosed type.

Enclosed Factory Ford # F4TZ*6B209*A $97.08 ($77.66)

Open Spring Factory #F2TZ*6B209*D $66.17 ($52.94)

 

[Magoo]

Labor Guide gives .7 hr to change. Hardest part is rerouting that &*^*^% belt. The closed type used a 14mm socket the open a #40 torx. This is a good time to change the idler as well. The phenolic (sp) wheel wears weird and my expierence has been the wheel goes bad before the bearing.

Idler Factory Ford #F4TZ*8678*A $28.88 ($23.10)

Uses a #40 torx to replace. In fact I think it has to come off to get the tentioner off. Original unit from ford has a belt guide which blocks removal of tentioner but if it was replaced with the new version than no guides are used and you may be able to remove tentioner without removing idler. Very easy job. I give it a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the hardest.

 

[towcat]

magoo-
that's only half the story....
the open and two closed versions of the tensioner ARE NOT interchangable on the mounting bracket.
if you have bracket p/n F3TA-19E708-DC....you must use the open tensioner
if you have bracket p/n F4TZ-19E708-AA....you can use either of the closed tensioners.
i'll start with pics of the open tensioner and bracket...

 

[towcat]

here's what the closed style looks like. The one with the shock is ford's fix for the motors still throwing belts. personally, I think its more of a coverup to a larger problem. Most belt throwing trucks have either a) cracked or broken brackets causing pulley misalignment b)bent/distorted pulley(s) . Rather than shelling out $130 for the tensioner with the shock, locate the source of the problem and fix it. oh yea, if you do decide to upgrade to the closed style, the bracket changeout requires power steering pump pulley removal in order to get to the pump mounting bolts.

 

[pafixitman]

TC, are you saying the shock was never offered from the factory?

 

[towcat]

TC, are you saying the shock was never offered from the factory?

ford is more than happy to sell you the kit with the shock. What I am saying is that the shock is only masking another problem.

 

[Magoo]

Shock is new to me. I can see where its a good idea. The 93 I did came with the enclosed spring. Ford sent me out the door with the open spring "after" I gave them the truck Identification number and production date. Not an interchangeable part. Had to go back to swap for the closed unit. Our problem was not the throwing belt problem but the tentioner itself lost tention. The belt would squeek like loose belt. New tentioner cured it. Years ago I remember replacing the pullies on these trucks because of belt throw. Tought it was just a bad pulley design. No retainer on the pulley or bad bearings or something. Too long ago to remember.

 

[pafixitman]

ford is more than happy to sell you the kit with the shock. What I am saying is that the shock is only masking another problem.

Hmm...mine has had the shock since I got it. I wonder what other PRJ I have hidden!

 

[82fordtruck]

Mine has had the shock also since I bought it, I replaced it with the same thing that I pulled off.

I had more trouble than you would believe, but I was losing my belt too.

 

[pafixitman]

I just was doing preventitive maint. and went to change my belt and discovered my tensioner was stripped. You should have seen the looks I got trying to buy a replacement. (Ambulance package only!) Dropped it on the counter and told the guy I don't care what it is for, that is what I want!

 

[Agnem]

Hmmm... so the squeeking belt is caused by the tensioner pulley eh? Lady squeeks, but not all the time. Just seems to be when the weather is wet. I was thinking I should replace the belt before the rally anyway, but I know this truck threw a belt once before I got it. Now I'll have to see which tensioner I have. I know it DOESN'T have the shock on it.