RUU

Purchased a new serpentine belt for my 96 LT4. Should I put a new tensioner pulley on while I'm in there? Clearance looks tight - how long is the bolt on it? On my Focus, I had to use a pry bar between the tensioner & the frame to move the engine over the 1/2 inch required to R&R the pulley bolt
Thanks

techvette

Install it and press on the belt to see if the tension seems excessively loose. If it does and / or your belt squeals then replace it.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I can't see the tensioner spring going bad, only the bearing. Bearings will make noise when they decide to go...

MarkBychowski

you don't have to worry about the spring and as long as the pulleys turn freely and don't wobble, they're fine. The pulleys themselves (with bearings) are only around $25 each at pep boys or autozone.

To remove / install the belt you can just use a 3/8" breaker bar with a socket to grab the bolt head on the tensioner pulley. I don't recall exactly but it's somewhere between a 14mm-16mm socket. It will fit in there just fine. That way you don't have to worry about prying on the pulley or anything else.