Tensioner Chatter
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 401
From: Palm City
St. Jude Donor '06-'11
Tensioner Chatter
Question......My 2012 GS has what I think is a little too much belt tensioner chatter on the serpentine belt. I already changed the tensioner with a new OEM one and it still has it. Harmonic balancer is perfect. Car has 20K miles Could it be the water pump? When I removed the belt I could slightly rock the pulley on it, just very slightly. Should that have any play in it? Any experience with this would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Regards
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 7,241
Likes: 1,546
From: Florida
If you have any kind of chatter on the tensioner pulley (tensioner bobbing) while the engine is running, some accessory along the belt path is causing it if you just replaced that pulley and assuming it is good new. It could be any other accessory with a bad bearing. Take the belt off and spin each pulley by hand - feel for a bearing drag. It will be subtle spinning by hand. It doesn't have to be real obvious.
You'll need to check the alternator, Power steering pump, idler pulley, water pump. If all spin freely with no sign of intermittent drag, then two other possibilities - check the inside of the serpentine belt for any degradation/wear, Make sure all the grooved pulleys including the HB pulley are clean and dirt free. Sometimes grime can get packed in the HB and can cause an interrupt like I think you're describing.
You'll need to check the alternator, Power steering pump, idler pulley, water pump. If all spin freely with no sign of intermittent drag, then two other possibilities - check the inside of the serpentine belt for any degradation/wear, Make sure all the grooved pulleys including the HB pulley are clean and dirt free. Sometimes grime can get packed in the HB and can cause an interrupt like I think you're describing.
Last edited by BlindSpot; Jul 30, 2018 at 09:23 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 401
From: Palm City
St. Jude Donor '06-'11
If you have any kind of chatter on the tensioner pulley (tensioner bobbing) while the engine is running, some accessory along the belt path is causing it if you just replaced that pulley and assuming it is good new. It could be any other accessory with a bad bearing. Take the belt off and spin each pulley by hand - feel for a bearing drag. It will be subtle spinning by hand. It doesn't have to be real obvious.
You'll need to check the alternator, Power steering pump, idler pulley, water pump. If all spin freely with no sign of intermittent drag, then two other possibilities - check the inside of the serpentine belt for any degradation/wear, Make sure all the grooved pulleys including the HB pulley are clean and dirt free. Sometimes grime can get packed in the HB and can cause an interrupt like I think you're describing.
You'll need to check the alternator, Power steering pump, idler pulley, water pump. If all spin freely with no sign of intermittent drag, then two other possibilities - check the inside of the serpentine belt for any degradation/wear, Make sure all the grooved pulleys including the HB pulley are clean and dirt free. Sometimes grime can get packed in the HB and can cause an interrupt like I think you're describing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 7,241
Likes: 1,546
From: Florida
No, there should be no wobble or lateral movement in the WP pulley, just a smooth solid rotation. Chances are good its the idler pulley. This and the tensioner pulley, which you replaced already, tend to be the culprits, but you just might have it in the WP.
I've taken several tension and idler pulleys apart. they're usually dry. I've also repacked these bearings and resealed/reinstalled and that solves your problem. they're woefully underlubed in assembly.
I've taken several tension and idler pulleys apart. they're usually dry. I've also repacked these bearings and resealed/reinstalled and that solves your problem. they're woefully underlubed in assembly.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 401
From: Palm City
St. Jude Donor '06-'11
No, there should be no wobble or lateral movement in the WP pulley, just a smooth solid rotation. Chances are good its the idler pulley. This and the tensioner pulley, which you replaced already, tend to be the culprits, but you just might have it in the WP.
I've taken several tension and idler pulleys apart. they're usually dry. I've also repacked these bearings and resealed/reinstalled and that solves your problem. they're woefully underlubed in assembly.
I've taken several tension and idler pulleys apart. they're usually dry. I've also repacked these bearings and resealed/reinstalled and that solves your problem. they're woefully underlubed in assembly.
