Topic: Drive Belt Tensioner Failure! (Read 2046 times)

Humpy · « **on:** 23 March 2010, 19:34:41 »

As the title suggests, SWMBO came in this morning in tears as her car'd filled up with smoke when she started it! On closer inspection, the drive belt tensioner has disintegrated, and the belt was running around the remains on the spigot that the pulley runs on

The lucky bit was the spigot had neatly trimmed the outside 4 or 5mm of the belt which was then wrapped around everything in site under the bonnet

Got the car to work where I looked closer and saw that the tensioner had disintegrated big time. I managed to get one from my local dealer, at £67 'cos it's not a trade club item? I asked the guy (as both our cars are the same sort of vintage) if they have a history of failing, he reckoned not.

So, are they a trade club item? Are there cheaper pattern parts that are ok? Are they a problem? If so I don't mind changing the one on my car, just in case.

Humpy

dad1uk · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:36:37 »

Don't know what state yours is in but people usually just change the pulley...

Elite Pete · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:38:44 »

You can just buy the pulley which is a lot cheaper

Humpy · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:40:15 »

Well, I presume there is a bearing in there somewhere but it's not there now. Can you buy the pulleys seperately? They are plastic which is a shame as the rest of the assembly is built like the proverbial brick outhouse.

Sorry must type faster!

Humpy

Elite Pete · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:41:42 »

Quote

Well, I presume there is a bearing in there somewhere but it's not there now. Can you buy the pulleys seperately? They are plastic which is a shame as the rest of the assembly is built like the proverbial brick outhouse.

Humpy

Yep, but the dealer won't tell you that. The bearing in the pulley runs dry, gets very hot and melts the pulley but the tensioner itself is fine oh and its only a few minute job to replace the pulley.

Andy B · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:42:45 »

Quote

Well, I presume there is a bearing in there somewhere but it's not there now. Can you buy the pulleys seperately? .....

Yes.

I did look at pushing the old bearing out & replacing it but the pulley is moulded around it. It is available seperately.

dad1uk · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:43:30 »

You can buy a pulley but unfortunately I did not keep the bearing number but I'm sure someone will be along soon with the number.
If I remember correctly it was less than £10.

Humpy · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:43:37 »

Go on then, ruin my day, how much are the pulleys?

Again, must type faster!!

Humpy

Humpy · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:46:51 »

Quote

If I remember correctly it was less than £10.

FFS! No wonder stealers are called, well, stealers. I'll keep the old one and see if I can get anothe pulley for it. At least it's a spare then. I'll have a look at changing mine then, for a tenner you can't go wrong. You live and learn.

Humpy

Entwood · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:47:24 »

22/03/2008

Part no : 9157962
Description : 44L3 Pulley

Unit Price £23.05

Trade Price ( flashed me TC card) £20.75
VAT £3.63

Amount Paid £24.38

dad1uk · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:51:09 »

Quote

You can buy a pulley but unfortunately I did not keep the bearing number but I'm sure someone will be along soon with the number.
If I remember correctly it was less than £10.

Sorry more than I thought!

Andy B · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 March 2010, 19:55:07 »

Quote

.... I did not keep the bearing number but I'm sure someone will be along soon with the number. ....

The actual bearing is a 6203 2RS, but as said, I didn't try too hard to remove the old bearing from the centre of the pulley.

dad1uk · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:02:51 »

If that's the right bearing number from Andy then this might interest you.....

http://www.bearingshopuk.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=2679&kw=6203-2rs&fl=108419&ci=904089877&network=s&gclid=CL-g0OvTz6ACFRM_lAodfk58Pw

or this

http://www.western-towing.co.uk/acatalog/Ballrace_bearings.html

Andy B · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:05:28 »

Quote

If that's the right bearing number from Andy then this might interest you.....

http://www.bearingshopuk.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=2679&kw=6203-2rs&fl=108419&ci=904089877&network=s&gclid=CL-g0OvTz6ACFRM_lAodfk58Pw

or this

http://www.western-towing.co.uk/acatalog/Ballrace_bearings.html

Of course it was

I got the bearing for nothing, but you'd have to be really careful getting the old bearing out without breaking the pulley, as said, the plastic is moulded around the very edge of the bearing outer. It's not just pressed in.

Abiton · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:05:58 »

Some good info here.

Just wondering; anyone know if the pulley is the same on a 4-pot?

Could be worth acquiring a scrappie pulley and re-bearing-ing it to have as a spare??

Entwood · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:07:56 »

Quote

Some good info here.

Just wondering; anyone know if the pulley is the same on a 4-pot?

Could be worth acquiring a scrappie pulley and re-bearing-ing it to have as a spare??

If worried for the sake of £25 I'd just buy another !!!

Abiton · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:13:37 »

You calling me tight?

As it happens, I have a brand new 6203-2RS bearing kicking about, so if it is the same pulley/bearing on a 4-pot it would be an 'almost free' exercise, assuming the 2nd-hand pulley could be had for £not-a-lot.

dbug · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 March 2010, 20:47:13 »

Quote

You calling me tight?

As it happens, I have a brand new 6203-2RS bearing kicking about, so if it is the same pulley/bearing on a 4-pot it would be an 'almost free' exercise, assuming the 2nd-hand pulley could be had for £not-a-lot.

yep - buy a new tensioner pulley for £24

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 March 2010, 22:05:15 »

Quote

Some good info here.

Just wondering; anyone know if the pulley is the same on a 4-pot?

Could be worth acquiring a scrappie pulley and re-bearing-ing it to have as a spare??

The pulley on the 4 pot is different.

In the case of the 2/3 engine, the pulley is metal and secured around the bearing with 3 rivets....these can be drilled out and the bearing replaced and then suitable bolts with nylocks used to re-assemble the 2 halves

Humpy · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 March 2010, 15:29:24 »

Right, after returning from a few days away, the lads in my local workshop who were going to do the job can't as the belt that I had is too short! My local stealer hadn't got one so I ordered one but today I was near another stealership so I called in on the off chance that they had one. They had but guess what, I offer it up to the old one and it's too short

How hard can it be to get a f**king fan belt

Does anybody know what part number a fan belt/drive belt is for a 3.0 Elite '95? The one they've given me is 93181720
Please save me from tearing out what little hair I have left!!

Humpy

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #20 on:** 31 March 2010, 15:39:40 »

93181720 is the correct part......what year is the engine?

Humpy · « **Reply #21 on:** 31 March 2010, 16:41:17 »

Marks DTM,

'95 3.0 Interestingly, I've rung my local dealer and they've come up with the same part no.!

The existing belt is 2260mm which is what that 93181720 part number says it is but when you look on the new belt it says 2020mm!!! Just had a long conversation with the local dealer who has looked at their new belt, which has the correct part number but again has 2020 written on it.

Like I said, how hard is it to get a flippin' fan belt? I wish I'd gone to the local motor factors now

Humpy

neilr · « **Reply #22 on:** 31 March 2010, 16:49:56 »

perhaps gm have a wrongly labeled batch. A gates rep once told us you can normally get away with a belt 10mm bigger or smaller in most cases as adjusters will compensate. dont know if its right but ive got out of trouble a few times with this. as yoy know the size as you do go to a factors and get the same size belt.

Humpy · « **Reply #23 on:** 31 March 2010, 16:58:36 »

Quote

as yoy know the size as you do go to a factors and get the same size belt

I'm on my way! This is ridiculous, the car's laid up for want of something so stupid...

Humpy

Humpy · « **Reply #24 on:** 31 March 2010, 17:44:42 »

Got one, £12

Humpy

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #25 on:** 31 March 2010, 17:55:34 »

Ok, this is an easy one.

I suspect you have the early engine which has the additional pulley to the right of the crank pulley as per the lower one of the 3 pics below

You need to bypass it as per the centre pic:

Humpy · « **Reply #26 on:** 31 March 2010, 18:27:21 »

Mark,

So a; how come the dealer couldn't tell me this and b; why did that part number say that it was a 2260 mm belt as opposed to the 2020mm belt that it really is!

Ay curramba! I just want a running Omega

Humpy

PS I'm not doubting what you say mate, it's just so frustrating!

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #27 on:** 31 March 2010, 18:29:04 »

A) Because they probably forgot, the engine with the extra idler was discontinued in 1995

B) Was it your old belt that said 2260....as the correct later belt (which is retrofitted) is 2200

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #28 on:** 31 March 2010, 18:39:43 »

I should add that Vx have not supplied the longer belt for about 15 years.....so if it was a GM one then its done BLOODY well

Humpy · « **Reply #29 on:** 31 March 2010, 22:07:39 »

Mark,

Yes the old belt was 2260 so it may be the original which is impressive!!

Humpy

Humpy · « **Reply #30 on:** 01 April 2010, 23:28:21 »

Job done, new genuine shorter belt fitted, SWMBO's happy which means I'm happy

Humpy

Andy B · « **Reply #31 on:** 01 April 2010, 23:34:57 »

Quote

Job done, new genuine shorter belt fitted, SWMBO's happy which means I'm happy

Humpy

Did you remove your 'extra' pulley?

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #32 on:** 02 April 2010, 11:16:32 »

Quote

Quote
Job done, new genuine shorter belt fitted, SWMBO's happy which means I'm happy

Humpy

Did you remove your 'extra' pulley?

You normaly just leave it there

Andy B · « **Reply #33 on:** 02 April 2010, 12:00:10 »

Quote

Quote
Quote
Job done, new genuine shorter belt fitted, SWMBO's happy which means I'm happy

Humpy

Did you remove your 'extra' pulley?

You normaly just leave it there

OK
I didn't know if they did, or if the extra pulley sat in the path of the shorter belt.

Humpy · « **Reply #34 on:** 03 April 2010, 09:21:51 »

Yup, still there but freewheeling in the wind!

Humpy

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Author Topic: Drive Belt Tensioner Failure! (Read 2046 times)

Abiton

Abiton