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What is a drive belt idler pulley and how does it work?
The rubber drive belt on your car or truck allows the engine to provide power for several vehicle systems. Attached to your engine are an alternator, power steering pump, A/C compressor, and (on some engines) a water pump. Each one of these engine components has a pulley on the front. The drive belt, often called a “serpentine belt”, snakes its way around all of these pulleys to make them spin when the engine is running. The idler pulley helps to route the belt properly so as to ensure contact with all of the other pulleys.
HOW IS THIS SERVICE PERFORMED?
How is a a Drive Belt Idler Pulley Replacement done?
To access the drive belt idler pulley, a technician must first remove any shields, guards, or accessories that are in the way. Once the pulley is in view, the drive belt must be removed. The following list is typical of the procedure to replace a damaged or worn idler pulley:
Release any tension from the drive belt tensioner by either loosening the tension bolt or turning against the tension with a special service tool
Taking care to note the routing of the serpentine belt in advance, remove the belt from the engine
Unbolt the old idler pulley and remove it from its mounting location
Install the new idler pulley and torque the mounting bolt(s) to the manufacturer’s specifications
Inspect all other related components for signs of wear
Reinstall drive belt and load tensioner
Reinstall any components that were removed for access
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Signs that a drive belt idler pulley needs to be replaced
When a drive belt idler pulley is going bad or fails, the following signs might serve notice of its condition:
Squealing noise coming from the front of your engine that raises in pitch with engine RPMs
The belt comes off of its pulleys
Your battery warning light comes on
The drive belt flutters or tracks in an off-centered manner
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Other questions customers ask
What’s the difference between a tensioner and an idler pulley?
The main difference between a drive belt tensioner and an idler pulley is its function. Both feature pulleys around which the serpentine drive belt snakes its way in order to power up engine accessories. But, where the tensioner pulley serves to maintain tension on the belt to keep it taught, the idler pulley serves to route the belt and keep it in proper alignment. The idler pulley might run along the flat side or the grooved side of the belt.
What happens if a drive belt idler pulley goes bad?
A loose or seized drive belt idler pulley can cause your drive belt to break or come off of the engine. When that happens, you will likely lose important functions of your vehicle. For instance, if you are driving, you could lose power steering assist, something that can be dangerous if you happen to be turning through an intersection at the time. Also, your alternator would no longer be operational, so your engine would eventually stall out for lack of electrical power. And your battery would die. Because the drive belt powers the water pump on some engines, dangerous overheating could be another result of a failed drive belt idler pulley.
Can you drive without an idler pulley?
If a drive belt idler pulley is going bad, the resulting damage - namely a broken or thrown belt - might not be immediate. But they might be. If you suspect that the idler pulley is going bad, or any other drive belt component, such as the belt tensioner, is failing, make sure to have it inspected and replaced as soon as possible to avoid a potentially dangerous loss of vehicle function.
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