Can a tensioner be removed from an engine?

Automatic belt tensioners that are easily accessible may not be required to remove from the engine if you’re just replacing the pulley. Once the belt is removed from the pulley, you can remove the pulley bolt and washer and then remove the pulley to replace the new one.

Where is the belt tensioner on a car?

Obtain the belt routing diagram from the repair manual if you’re replacing the belt as well. Locate the automatic belt tensioner on the side or front of the engine. Inspect the tensioner to use the right tool to release the tension on the belt so you can remove it from the pulley.

How do you change a pulley on a belt tensioner?

Place the automatic belt tensioner into a bench vise, being careful not to overtighten the clamps. Many tensioners are made of lightweight aluminum and can easily crack. Position the tensioner in the vise so you can access the pulley bolt. Turn the pulley bolt counterclockwise with a ratchet and a socket.

How do you remove a pulley from a tensioner?

Position the tensioner in the vise so you can access the pulley bolt. Turn the pulley bolt counterclockwise with a ratchet and a socket. Remove the bolt, the retaining washer and the pulley.

What should I do if my tensioner is not loosening?

Put a socket on the bolt and turn the bolt counterclockwise to break it loose. If it will not break loose because the tensioner wants to move, keep the tensioner from moving by holding it in place with a pry bar; then you will be able to loosen the bolt in the pulley.

How do you replace a belt tensioner on a car?

Locate and remove the automatic belt tensioner retaining bolt (see Tips). Remove the belt tensioner and inspect the rear of it for an aligning dowel. This dowel needs to be set into an inlet on the engine properly to position the tensioner correctly. The new tensioner, if applicable, will provide a new molded dowel.

How do you remove a belt tensioner Assembly?

You can save yourself time and money by removing the belt tensioner assembly on your own. Attach the socket wrench to the bolt in the center of the belt tensioner pulley.

What’s the best way to loosen a tensioner?

If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw.

How do you loosen a tensioner on an alternator?

To loosen an AI tensioner, such as an alternator, loosen the main mounting bolt, usually on the engine, and the locking bolt, usually on a bracket or arm. If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt.

When do you need to loosen a tensioner pulley?

Sometimes, maintenance or repair will require tightening or loosening a tensioner pulley. Replacing a drive belt or timing belt, for example, would require you to loosen a tensioner pulley to make room for the new belt, as the new belt is smaller than the worn drive belt.

Can a pulley be replaced on a tensioner?

The tensioner’s job is to apply the correct amount of tension to the serpentine belt by employing an internal coil spring. The pulley is then attached to the tensioner and acts as a guide for the tensioner to function. In most vehicle applications, the pulley can be disconnected from the tensioner and then replaced.

How big is the inlet on a tensioner pulley?

Inspect the tensioner to use the right tool to release the tension on the belt so you can remove it from the pulley. Some may feature a 3/8-inch square-drive or 1/2-inch square-drive inlet that an appropriate-sized ratchet or serpentine belt tool adapter will fit into.

Where can I buy a serpentine belt tensioner?

Take a look at our selection of belt tensioners sourced from top aftermarket brands such as ACDelco, Dorman, Duralast, Continental and URO. Our inventory includes tensioners and belt component kits containing serpentine belts along with the idler pulleys or tensioners you need to make a full replacement and get back on the road.

How do you remove a belt from an auto tensioner?

Hold the tension from the belt, and slip the belt off the auto tensioner pulley to remove the belt and pulley system. Slowly release the tension to avoid damage or injury, and then remove the tool from the belt auto tensioner.

What’s the best way to replace a tensioner pulley?

Install the proper tool into the square-drive inlet or bolt head provided with the chosen tool and then pivot the tensioner. The repair manual will illustrate which way the specific tensioner needs to move to release the tension.

What’s the best way to remove a serpentine belt?

Its pulley is usually smooth while the other pulleys are grooved. The way to remove tension will be to pivot the tensioner using a tool (1) on the nut of the tensioner pulley, or (2) a special tool-lug outcropping from the tensioner or (3) in a square opening in the bracket of the tensioner pulley, cover or cap that protects the spring.

What’s the best way to remove a belt tensioner?

Avoid over-rotation to prevent any damage to the belt tensioner’s spring inside. Once the belt is off the pulleys you can move it out of the way and focus on removing the belt tensioner. Use a 15mm wrench to remove the bolt counter-clockwise.

How do you get a belt tensioner out of a Saab 9-3?

Use a ½” socket + ratchet to remove the 4 bolts securing the alternator and move it out of the way to make room for the belt tensioner to come out: With the alternator out of the way you now have enough room to get the belt tensioner out.

How do you remove a serpentine belt from a car?

Using the serpentine belt tool, rotate the tensioner to remove belt tension. Remove the old belt. Slowly release the tensioner. Rotate the tensioner and slide the belt off any smooth pulley. Then release the tensioner and finish removing the old belt.

What causes a belt tensioner pulley to squeak?

Tensioner pulley wear will cause your pulley to squeak. A worn out pulley bearing or a worn spring in the tension pulley can also cause squeaking or a chirp. I show you how to use water to identify what type of squeak problem you have and then how to find the problem.

When do you know you need to replace your belt tensioner?

If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.

What does a loose belt tensioner sound like?

If the drive belt noise resembles a squeal or a squeak, it is possible that the belt tensioner is loose. This is especially the case when starting the engine first thing in the morning. Since the tensioner is not able to maintain the correct tension on the belts, it produces a squealing or squeaking sound.

When to replace a serpentine belt tensioner?

Repair Topics > Belts Serpentine & Timing > When to replace serpentine… Let’s get this straight from the get-go, a serpentine belt tensioner doesn’t last the life of the vehicle. In fact, most start to show serious wear right around the 100K mile mark. You may think a worn tensioner just means your belt loses tension; you’d be wrong.

Where is the tensioner on a drive belt?

It is the long one. The pulley itself is found on the outside of the belt, which is how it adds tension or pressure. The problem with the drive belt tensioner is that once it goes, it usually means replacing the pulleys and sometimes the drive belt itself. It’s not usually a one-part replacement job.

When to replace timing belt and tensioner bearings?

When the timing belt is replaced, other parts, including the tensioner, should be replaced at the same time. This is because these components wear out at essentially the same rate as the belt. For instance, the tensioner bearings could dry out or even seize.

Can a worn belt tensioner damage an alternator?

It’s just the opposite. A worn tensioner actually increases tension on the belt and that increased tension can damage the nose bearings on your AC compressor, power steering pump and alternator. Here’s why.

Can a tensioner be removed from an engine?