Wanna maybe save $80? LS1 idler pulleys.
07-17-2006, 03:26 PM
#1
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Wanna maybe save $80? LS1 idler pulleys. I've worked with bearings a lot as a tech in industry, and have pulled a few middle of the night repairs on equipment with squealing bearings by popping seals off, stuffing them with grease, reinstalling them till a replacement could be found, just to get a machine back in production.
The bearings on LS1 idler pulleys have a rep for going bad. So while I changed the oil today, I thought I'd pop one off and see if it had removable seals. Sure did. With ~ 21k miles on my Z, I expected the grease inside to still be in decent shape.
WRONG! The bearing was completely dry, the (no doubt) cheap grease the maker of the bearing used had completely cooked off, was just a dark powder here and there in the bearing. A few spots on the seal still had bits of some uncooked light yellow grease:
The ***** and races themselves were still in good shape, no damage yet. So I decided to stuff them with a quality high pressure wheel bearing grease. On one side, the bearing cage is closed, if the 1st seal I removed was this side, I would just pop off the opposite side to get to the cage side with openings that could be packed with grease:
I used a fine tip flat blade screwdriver to carefully remove the seals, dig out as much as I could of the cooked grease and to pack the fresh grease into the bearings. After packing, I reinstalled the seals, making sure the inside and outside diameters fully seated in their grooves. Good to go, and only added about an hour to the oil change.
If your bearings aren't screaming yet, might be something to consider doing.
Of course you could just buy the 4 pulleys if/when they go bad, but that costs money... and can you be assured the replacement manufacturer used a top quality grease, or the cheapest stuff they could get by with? Like the company that supplied GM with the original bearings?
:edited to add pics and update:
Just did it on my 3rd LS1. Changed liftoff method. Now I hook it near inner part of the seal. Seal has a metal insert, grab it by there. Lift carefully, pops right up. You can't see metal ring when seal is still on, but you can feel it with screwdriver. Just make sure screwdriver isn't sharp so you don't damage seal. Mine was nice and dull from many years of use. Pic of liftoff:
To reinstall, I apply pressure with my thumbs on opposite sides of the seal, press down, and it pops right in. Make sure metal ring of seal is towards bearings. Pic of grooves where seal pops into:
If a spot on seal doesn't slip in, use screwdriver to press it into groove. Pic:
This is what it looks like when you take off bottom 3 pulleys. 2 had backing slingers, just left them in place so they wouldn't grow legs and wander away:
5-10-21 edit:
I got a warning from photobucket that I was illegally hosting pics on their service.
So I figured I'd upload the pics here before they wiped them. See post 50.
The bearings on LS1 idler pulleys have a rep for going bad. So while I changed the oil today, I thought I'd pop one off and see if it had removable seals. Sure did. With ~ 21k miles on my Z, I expected the grease inside to still be in decent shape.
WRONG! The bearing was completely dry, the (no doubt) cheap grease the maker of the bearing used had completely cooked off, was just a dark powder here and there in the bearing. A few spots on the seal still had bits of some uncooked light yellow grease:
The ***** and races themselves were still in good shape, no damage yet. So I decided to stuff them with a quality high pressure wheel bearing grease. On one side, the bearing cage is closed, if the 1st seal I removed was this side, I would just pop off the opposite side to get to the cage side with openings that could be packed with grease:
I used a fine tip flat blade screwdriver to carefully remove the seals, dig out as much as I could of the cooked grease and to pack the fresh grease into the bearings. After packing, I reinstalled the seals, making sure the inside and outside diameters fully seated in their grooves. Good to go, and only added about an hour to the oil change.
If your bearings aren't screaming yet, might be something to consider doing.
Of course you could just buy the 4 pulleys if/when they go bad, but that costs money... and can you be assured the replacement manufacturer used a top quality grease, or the cheapest stuff they could get by with? Like the company that supplied GM with the original bearings?
:edited to add pics and update:
Just did it on my 3rd LS1. Changed liftoff method. Now I hook it near inner part of the seal. Seal has a metal insert, grab it by there. Lift carefully, pops right up. You can't see metal ring when seal is still on, but you can feel it with screwdriver. Just make sure screwdriver isn't sharp so you don't damage seal. Mine was nice and dull from many years of use. Pic of liftoff:
To reinstall, I apply pressure with my thumbs on opposite sides of the seal, press down, and it pops right in. Make sure metal ring of seal is towards bearings. Pic of grooves where seal pops into:
If a spot on seal doesn't slip in, use screwdriver to press it into groove. Pic:
This is what it looks like when you take off bottom 3 pulleys. 2 had backing slingers, just left them in place so they wouldn't grow legs and wander away:
5-10-21 edit:
I got a warning from photobucket that I was illegally hosting pics on their service.
So I figured I'd upload the pics here before they wiped them. See post 50. Last edited by angel71rs; 05-11-2021 at 05:58 AM. Reason: Upload pics to site, see post 50.
10-23-2007, 03:10 AM
#3
I didn't figure sealed bearings were serviceable. Always learning on here. Keep posting cool stuff.
You shoulda just soaked it in gas or another solvent. Quick and helps you get all the gunk out. Good job. I have this really super extensive metallic grease that seems to last a long time. I love it. Wonder if that would last the bearings really last.
You shoulda just soaked it in gas or another solvent. Quick and helps you get all the gunk out. Good job. I have this really super extensive metallic grease that seems to last a long time. I love it. Wonder if that would last the bearings really last.
04-29-2008, 11:30 AM
#7
Which one? Sorry I don't have photos. It's simple though...you just remove the serpentine belt, the main idler pulley comes off with a 15mm bolt. To get to the a/c idler, remove the a/c belt, and that idler comes off with a torx bolt, pretty sure it's a T50.
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02-14-2009, 04:01 PM
#14
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My 98 service manual lists torque for idler pulleys as 50 n-m, 37 ft lbs.
02-14-2009, 07:40 PM
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I forget what brand I used at that time, but my current tub of wheel bearing grease is Valvoline extreme pressure with moly. Any quality wheel bearing grease from the parts store will do, and will be lots better than the cheap garbage the idler pulley supplier used.
My 98 service manual lists torque for idler pulleys as 50 n-m, 37 ft lbs.
My 98 service manual lists torque for idler pulleys as 50 n-m, 37 ft lbs.
02-15-2009, 01:41 PM
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Wow this just saved me a lot of money. I just made this thread:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ng-insane.html
And was just about to buy a new pulley. Thanks for the information, I greatly appreciate it.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ng-insane.html
And was just about to buy a new pulley. Thanks for the information, I greatly appreciate it.
02-16-2009, 01:02 PM
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I'm doing this today, I just have to pick up some grease and a T50. I pulled off two of the three pulleys(only had Torx up to T40) and they both had no grease in them, even the top idler pulley. The two seals come out easily with a small screwdriver as long as you're careful and don't bend them, and I just cleaned out the gunk inside with brake cleaner.
Last edited by wht01ws6ta; 02-16-2009 at 02:34 PM. Reason: typo