Belt tensioner question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Mililani Hawaii
Belt tensioner question
I have some questions concerning my serpentine belt tensioner.
Is GM part #12568181 the right number for the belt tensioner? Does it come with a pulley? If not, does anyone have the part # for the pulley? I believe the pulley bearing is bad, causing my chirping noises.
I tried treating the belt with some belt dressing, but it didn't have any effect. I narrowed it down to the tensioner/pulley by using a stethoscope.
Any help/advice appreciated! Mahalo!
Steve
Is GM part #12568181 the right number for the belt tensioner? Does it come with a pulley? If not, does anyone have the part # for the pulley? I believe the pulley bearing is bad, causing my chirping noises.
I tried treating the belt with some belt dressing, but it didn't have any effect. I narrowed it down to the tensioner/pulley by using a stethoscope.
Any help/advice appreciated! Mahalo!
Steve
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,060
Likes: 3
From: Dublin CA
Originally Posted by EFI-4
I have some questions concerning my serpentine belt tensioner.
Is GM part #12568181 the right number for the belt tensioner? Does it come with a pulley? If not, does anyone have the part # for the pulley? I believe the pulley bearing is bad, causing my chirping noises.
I tried treating the belt with some belt dressing, but it didn't have any effect...
Is GM part #12568181 the right number for the belt tensioner? Does it come with a pulley? If not, does anyone have the part # for the pulley? I believe the pulley bearing is bad, causing my chirping noises.
I tried treating the belt with some belt dressing, but it didn't have any effect...
I have the new tensioner on my bench, but without a pulley.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Mililani Hawaii
Thanks a lot for the info, Blu!
Would you happen to know offhand if there are any differences between your 2000 and my 98 as far as the tensioner is concerned?
Looks like the right one to me.
Thanks again for the part#!
Steve
Would you happen to know offhand if there are any differences between your 2000 and my 98 as far as the tensioner is concerned?
Looks like the right one to me.
Thanks again for the part#!
Steve
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 264
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From what I have seen in my searches, it's the pulley that needs replacing, not the Tenshioner. There are several better then GM quality direct replacement aftermarket Pulleys for the LS1. I usually see them for sale on Ebay; Though they cost as much as the GM Tensioner and pulley together and make no claim that the squeek will never come back.
Nothing worse then having a nice ride that sounds like a beast but then *WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
Nothing worse then having a nice ride that sounds like a beast but then *WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
First of all you have two belt systems,,, the drive belt system..and the AC belt system...
the ac belt system has a tensioner with a sealed bearing and an Idler pulley with a sealed bearing.. and a belt..
the drive belt system has a tensioner with a sealed bearing and an idler pully with a sealed bearing.. the drive belt sytem also has an alternator with sealed bearing, water pump with sealed bearing, and power steering pump with sealed bearing.... anyone of these bearings can cause a problem..
you need to find out which belt system is causing the problem...
although many people have problems with the drive belt tensioner.. its a good idea if your going to replace the tensioner (two bolts ) replace the idler too ( one bolt.. )
drive belt tensioner #12559325 list price 66.05 jober cost 46.55
idler pulley #12564401 list price 42.04 jober cost 29.43
the ac belt system has a tensioner with a sealed bearing and an Idler pulley with a sealed bearing.. and a belt..
the drive belt system has a tensioner with a sealed bearing and an idler pully with a sealed bearing.. the drive belt sytem also has an alternator with sealed bearing, water pump with sealed bearing, and power steering pump with sealed bearing.... anyone of these bearings can cause a problem..
you need to find out which belt system is causing the problem...
although many people have problems with the drive belt tensioner.. its a good idea if your going to replace the tensioner (two bolts ) replace the idler too ( one bolt.. )
drive belt tensioner #12559325 list price 66.05 jober cost 46.55
idler pulley #12564401 list price 42.04 jober cost 29.43
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 439
Likes: 0
From: Framingham MA
Originally Posted by EFI-4
I have some questions concerning my serpentine belt tensioner. Is GM part #12568181 the right number for the belt tensioner? Does it come with a pulley? If not, does anyone have the part # for the pulley? I believe the pulley bearing is bad, causing my chirping noises. I tried treating the belt with some belt dressing, but it didn't have any effect. I narrowed it down to the tensioner/pulley by using a stethoscope. Any help/advice appreciated! Mahalo! Steve
Obviously, your mileage may vary. This just happened to work for me. It's clear now that the belt was making the noise. Whatever you do, do *NOT* spray a large amount and *DO* let it dry some before putting a heavy load on the alternator. If the belt starts slipping on the alternator pulley, you are dead!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!!
Monk
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Originally Posted by Monk
I had the exact same chirp. I thought it was the belt tensioner or the idler pulley (replaced both) or the harmonic balancer... or any/all of the above. But no matter what I did, it was still there. I also tried belt dressing... and it only made it worse. Then one day I happened to be using some Gunk silicone lubricant spray on my weatherstriping and... against all logic and rules... I sprayed a small amount directly on the serpentine belt. The chirp instantly went away and has never returned. Go figure.
Obviously, your mileage may vary. This just happened to work for me. It's clear now that the belt was making the noise. Whatever you do, do *NOT* spray a large amount and *DO* let it dry some before putting a heavy load on the alternator. If the belt starts slipping on the alternator pulley, you are dead!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!!
Monk
Obviously, your mileage may vary. This just happened to work for me. It's clear now that the belt was making the noise. Whatever you do, do *NOT* spray a large amount and *DO* let it dry some before putting a heavy load on the alternator. If the belt starts slipping on the alternator pulley, you are dead!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!!
Monk
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Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 439
Likes: 0
From: Framingham MA
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
OMG.. now Ive heard it all... silicone is a lubricant.. it doesnt dry...the only thing it will do is make the belt slip... lose amps from the alternator.. make the motor run hotter...make the power steering pump over work... and possibly get you stuck... if the belt is dry... change the belt.. but never put any Lubricant, belt dressing is not a lubricant.. even though it's wet going on... wax is good, but no belt dressing or wax, or a crayon will help a bad belt... its just a one or two day bandaide.
But the damn trick worked whereas nothing else would (including belt dressing, wax and soap). And there is/was no slippage whatsoever on any pulley with the small amount of silicone I used. Yes, replacing the serpentine belt with a new one would have likely accomplished the same thing... but I must tell you that this belt had been previously replaced and is not all that old. As a rule, I do not run worn belts in any of my cars.In partial defense of my "crazy-but-successful" action, the purported top Corvette mechanic in all of Taxachusetts once told me that spraying a small amount of almost ANY cleaning/lubricating fluid at a belt will determine quickly whether you have a tensioner/idler/balancer problem or simply a squeeky belt. As it turned out, I had the latter. Other folks probably have more serious problems and this will obviously not do anything for them. This trick is clearly not for everyone. As for as how long it will last before the infamous chirp returns... I'll have to let you know. So far, so good. Silence is golden!
Monk
Last edited by Monk; Jul 28, 2004 at 06:25 AM.
