I just replaced my water pump and have everything back together except for the idler pulley that mounts to the alternator bracket. Not sure what I did but after I put that pulley on tight I can't spin it at all. This isn't normal is it? Shouldn't it spin some rather easily?

Any ideas what I did wrong? I tried flipping the back spacer the other way around and it still won't move? Took the bearing to autozone and the the guy there said the bearing seems fine to him and he's not sure what the problem could be.

 

Yes the idler should spin easily by hand. Something is binding, get a bright light and a mirror and start looking.

 

Cool. Thanks.

I have no idea, I've checked everything. I think I'm gonna go to the car graveyard tomorrow and check one out and see If I can see anything that looks different I guess.

If not I'll pull the pulley off of one and see if it works on mine.

 

it should spin twice by hand... if it doesnt spin at all or spins like a skateboard wheel.. then its bad

 

There is a washer that sits between the pulley and the bolt. The washer covers the bearing and closes the gap. If you're missing the washer the bolt binds the pulley

 

That explains it. I'm missing the washer then. All the diagrams and pictures I could find online I didn't see a washer of any sort and I looked around my floor to see if something may have fell but I couldn't find anything. So the washer goes in the back between the spacer and the pulley. Think any old washer that fits on there will do then or would I need a specific one?

 

Any washer that fits and does not cause the pulley to bind will work

 

The washer just needs to be the same diameter as the bearing. If you go to autozone again they sell the full assembly that comes with the tensioner and pulley and you will see the washer. The reason you can't see it in pictures is because the head on the bolt is bigger than the washer

 

I think I see what you are talking about. You're talking about on the front of the pulley and referring to what I'm calling a spacer if I'm not mistaken.

I have that piece. This pulley is a little different than the pulley on the tensioner as well. I just pulled the one on the tensioner apart to see how that one goes together so I could compare them and what I noticed is that the one on the tensioner doesn't have a spacer/washer in the back of it. This one has a black metal, almost like dust cover thing, that sits behind the pulley and mounts on the same nub that the pulley mounts on. So what I just did is tried it while leaving that black dust cover thingy off and now when I tighten it all the way down it seems to work normal. It's as if that back cover is binding the pulley.

Think it could hurt anything if I just leave that thing off. Here's a link that shows what I'm talking about.

http://www.rmsautoparts.com/proddeta...?prod=12564401

That black piece that goes in the back is the one that seems to be binding it. seems to work okay without it on.

 

Just to update this I ran about 20 miles without that back washer on it today without any issues. Quiet as a mouse.

I'll probably see if Chevy can sell me just the washer. If not, ill just keep an eye on it and see how it holds up.