Belt Tensioner?
Belt Tensioner? My Belt tensioner is totally shot, it keeps throwing my belt off at WOT, I dont want to buy a POS tensioner, what one do ya'll recommend getting? Will one from discount auto or auto zone be ok? Let me know....Thanks
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Joined: Nov 2005
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for a nearly stock car a stock parts store replacement will be fine but if you plan to go with a underdrive pulley in the future go with the katech. with the katech you will have to set the belt tension your self.
I got a later model GM tensioner with the higher lip
plastic pulley, the tensioner body did not fit but the
pulley swapped over, needing a little sanding on the
back face is all. There's a guy on here selling high
lip aluminum pulleys and stronger-spring tensioners
too. But I got the tensioner for a fair bit less than
aftermarket guys charge. Think it was from a newer
'vette but I forget now.
But before you blame the tensioner, eyeball the
serpentine belt and make sure every loop is all
dead in-plane. Tensioner may not be the total
problem, something has to give the belt the
fore-aft kick besides the tensioner giving up the
slack. Things like a new alternator, A/C compressor,
etc. can put the belt out-of-plane if they are not
quite right.
plastic pulley, the tensioner body did not fit but the
pulley swapped over, needing a little sanding on the
back face is all. There's a guy on here selling high
lip aluminum pulleys and stronger-spring tensioners
too. But I got the tensioner for a fair bit less than
aftermarket guys charge. Think it was from a newer
'vette but I forget now.
But before you blame the tensioner, eyeball the
serpentine belt and make sure every loop is all
dead in-plane. Tensioner may not be the total
problem, something has to give the belt the
fore-aft kick besides the tensioner giving up the
slack. Things like a new alternator, A/C compressor,
etc. can put the belt out-of-plane if they are not
quite right.
