My belt vibrates between 1k and 2k RPMs. Not so much when driving as when idling down when braking or starting the car, but you can visibly see it doing so when popping the hood.

I am assuming it's the tensioner pulley I have read about on the forum. It looks pretty simple to replace. The belt is fine with no cracks or rips but I'd replace that while I'm at it.

Can you take the belt on and off and replace the pulley without any special tools? I have thin arms so I think I can get a socket wrench in there to take the pulley off. Just wondering how complicated it is to know whether to order the part(s).

 

Check to make sure you have the correct size torx key for the new tensioner (the new ones no longer use the nut on the pulley)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just did mine and it was not that hard. I moved the coolant and power steering reservoirs, took off the timing belt cover (side) removed the belt and judging by the new tensioner you will be able too "see" where the 2 bolts are located (the top one you can't see but it's actually the easiest one to take out ). The top nut I just used a socket and a ratchet, whereas the bottom one I had to use a universal link as well. Take it out, put the new one in and away you go (see point at beginning of message which I just thought I should put there). It took me a couple of pieces skin and eventually grinding down a 10mm Allen key to get it done and all just because I wasn't paying attention.

Cheers.

 

Thanks for the info! So the actual bolts holding the pulley on are under the timing belt cover? I thought you'd be able just to pull the belt off and remove the pulley without having to take anything off.

Is the belt tensioner the only thing that needs a Torx wrench? I'm assuming you just use it to apply pressure to remove and reinstall the belt.

 

You can pop the plastic cover off the pulley itself and use the 14MM head on the pulley bolt to move it to get the belt off.

 

I removed the timing belt cover to have a look at the timing belt tensioner which I replaced a week ago, but it does create a little more space to work. The bolts are on the other side of the tensioner (front of the car).The old tensioner had a nut/bolt on the pulley/roller which you put a wrench onto and then torque it to one side to slacken of the tension on the belt. On the newer ones they no longer have that bolt/nut, instead they made a torx hole in the "body" of the tensioner (I suppose the older ones put to much strain on the roller's bearings). I have no idea as to the size, all I know is that it's slightly smaller than a 10mm allen key.

 

I saw that on the picture at FCP. It looks pretty simple to do.

I didn't realize until last night when I started digging around that you can just lift up the coolant and power steering fluid resevoirs without any tools.

I have 2 more ?s.

A) Can you move the resevoirs out of the way enough to work and keep them connected? It looks like there's just enough slack to do so to pull them away enough to work.

B) I saw a clip on the front and back side of the engine that holds the timing belt cover on. Are those two the only clips, or is there another one on the bottom somewhere that you can't see from the engine compartment?

Thanks guys. I appreciate your advice. This car seems so much easier to work on then the asian imports I've had in the past, even the American cars I've owned. I like doing the repairs myself so I appreciate the help tremendously.

 

I can't see the bolts that hold the pulley bracket on. Are they hidden underneath the timing belt cover or is the alternator in the way and I need to take that out too?

 

I'm assuming you didn't get my message

If I'm lucky, the forum will finally let me post again.

When you are standing next to the engine bay looking at the tensioner they are on the right. The bottom one will be visible (with the ECU cover off) and top will be slightly obscured, but it's easy to feel it out (in line with the bottom one).

 

OK Thanks. I'll take a look. I was going to replace the belt while I'm at it but the belt has no visible signs of cracking. It doesn't really look that old either.

I'm probably making this harder then what it really is, aren't I?

 

Try looking closely and feeling and it shouldn't be that bad from there.

 

As long as I'm going to be replacing the tensioner, I thought I'd ask about performance pulleys.

Does anybody make a lightened performance crankcase pulley for this car, or any performance lightened replacement anything for the surpentine belt drive path (or whatever you would call it)?

I know IPD has the tool to hold it in place while you remove it, and I thought somewhere I saw one before, but I can't find it now. If I'm going to do this I'd like to try to upgrade all the things on the drive I can while I'm taking the rest of it apart.

 

I saw a few aluminum pulleys on e-bay at times but haven't seen them lately.

 

That's probably where I saw them. I buy alot of stuff off eBay, but I'd be a little hesistant to buy something like that.

I'll do some digging and see if I can find some brand's names and so forth. Maybe you guys can point me in the right direction. The crankcase pulley looks like a piece of cake to remove and install if you have that pry bar tool they sell.

 

If you have an impact no tool is needed. Remove the nut and 4 10mm screws. Tap the pulley with a brass hammer or a heavy rubber mallet and it will fall off.

 

I don't have an impact wrench, yet. It looks like you can get to some of that drivetrain stuff through the wheel well, but there is a piece of metal covering the crank pulley. The wheel well covers come off I assume and it makes it easier to get to stuff when it's jacked up?

 

Yes take the small metal cover off then fold the plastic and you can see the lower pulley.

 

I have the new, updated tensioner with the Torx bit hole in my possession. I'll let everybody know how it works out and if it solved the belt vibration issue. The pulley seems smooth and well built.

And I did find the bolts feeling around for them. Should be a piece of cake. I don't know how much torque should be applied when tightening the bolts though.

 

I always just tighten them up good. Sorry but you kind of get a feel for it when doing it for over 10 years.

 

Well, I've only over-torqued something once on a car, and unfortunately it was a caliper bolt that snapped.

Since then, I learned my lesson years ago which has always made me more paranoid, especially doing belts.

 

Been there done that a long time ago!!