Tensioner

[jharvey]

Under the hood today doing fuel filter and screen cleaning I noticed my tensioner pulley seems to be rather askew and not lined up with the other pulleys.

How difficult is this to fix?

Is it a Ford only part?

Any and all help is deeply appreciated

John

 

[gotdiesel?]

jharvey,
I did the tensioner on my buddy's '96 F350 about 5 or 6 months ago, but it should be about the same. If I remember, the tensioner and pulley were about $100 @ NAPA and throw in another $45 I think for the belt. Chances are, if the bushing is gone in the pulley, you've chewed the belt some, so you're best to replace that too. The job took me about 30 minutes on the side of the road in a snowstorm with limited tools. so in a shop (or at least summer outside), It shouldn't be a big deal. You might even get lucky and just have pooched the pulley bearing and that's it, but I don't like your chances. Good luck

Josh

 

[jharvey]

Josh thanks, I just replaced the belt due to the hassin frassin blinkety blankety no good, POS vac pump that siezed last month.

It looks like the pulley is coming off the tensioner arm so I may get lucky and just need to replace the pulley.

How does it come off?

 

[gotdiesel?]

You know its funny, my buddy's vaccuum pump took a right before his idler did too. I think the pulley is held on with a TORX headed bolt, for some reason, a number 27 TORX sticks out in my mind. I turn wrenches on a lot of things, from hay balers to tractors to Harleys to fuel pumps, so it's possible that someone will see this thread and tell me I am completely out of my mind, that I got it mixed up with the bail hook on a JD 327 baler!!! I am sure one of the Navistar gods will come by and verify my story or call it all I really hope I am not way of base, 'cause that will mean that there is probably a farm tractor out there somewhere with HD shovelhead parts in it!!!!

 

[geonc]

John, Deja Vu all over again?

LINKY




The repair/upgrade is easy....specially if you are at a shop or at home

The torx socket is a T-50

Hope this helps................:cheers;
GEO

 

[jharvey]

Thanks GEO

Gives me an excuse to get that new cordless dewalt sawzall I've been droolin' over

John

 

[geonc]

Thanks GEO

Gives me an excuse to get that new cordless dewalt sawzall I've been droolin' over

John

Well don't drool too much......I went thru all 8 of my 18 volt batteries and had a 1 in the charger hooked up to the converter......just in case :Sly

Of course they were not all fully charged either....I use my cordless stuff daily and don't allways get the chance to fully charge them properly.

You may get lucky ......but why push it ;p

The CarQuest tensioner I KNOW does not require any milling to clear the spring boss....unlike the FORK factory unit that also costs twice as much

You might as well do it in your own garage and use an electric sawzall.....
with a 14-18 TPI metal blade and spend a couple $ for a tube of paste lube- it comes in a cardboard sleeve and you just place the blade at the edge and cut into the tube.

Go slow, watch for blade deflection--shouldn't be too much an issue as the majoirity of metal cutting blades max out at 6" long- The blade will get a little grabby as the cut progresses and you really can't get a real soild point of purchase for the swazall....so you are essentialy cutting freehand....just let the saw work and don't force it...the result will be worth it in it's smoothness and that = less time with a grinder smoothing it out and more time to enjoy that cold drink of your choice

Hope this helps.....
GEO

 

[jharvey]

Geo you're not understanding me here my man......even if it takes all day to cut thru "I still NEED the sawzall :Sly

Now I have an excuse that the wifey can't argue with like why not use the jig saw or circular saw or can't you just dremel it......no honey I can't, I must have this specialized equipment to effect the repairs of the truck in the correct manner within the time alloted to me, so if you want the truck out of the way so you can get your car out to meet your mother at the mall then I must have this tool and I must have it now.

See from whence I am coming from

John

 

[geonc]

See from whence I am coming from

:Sly :Sly :Sly :Sly

 

[jharvey]

Ok fixed/replaced tensioner this am........

CarQuest part number 38119 direct bolt on.

Worst part was getting the pulley off the stock tensioner, it has reverse threads, loosened the idler pulley below just enough for the old one to come out, bolted the new in, put belt back on and presto back in bidness. Took all of 15 minutes.

Unfortunately I did not get the new sawzall dang it!!

John