How do you tell if you belt tensioner is bad? I have a 99 OHV Cavalier. There is a squeaking sound when we drive that I did not hear before, and the belt looks like it has moved on the tensioner by about a half inch toward the engine block. I can see were the belt was on the tensioner by the wear pattern, and it is note even close to the original line now. The sound is not high pitched or anything its just a odd revolving squeak like a pulley turning as I drive.
Also, the best way to replace it if possible.
99ohvs dont have the auto tensioner, you can try to tighten it up but if it untightens then just replace it, also replace the belt and the tensioner at the same time
even before that, tryin taking the belt off and spinning every pulley seeing of one of them are loose or make noises
95LsCoupe wrote:99ohvs dont have the auto tensioner,
since when? they turned it over, put a 3/8 square drive in it, but it's still spring loaded and fully automatic.
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Can anyone tell me the steps needed to replace the tensioner? It looks pretty tight in there. I have a long wrench that will reach but if I get the tensioner unbolted will I be able to get it up and out without taking the engine out of the car? For such an easy part to replace it's in a very bad spot.
need a belt tens tool. We rent em at where I work. Thin bar with a 3/8ths on it and a real slim socket. Also I can provide a new tensioner as I parted tje motor out 20 pls shippin. Pm if interested I'll send a new belt too.
Jason
I already have the belt and tensioner. Thanks for the offer though. So if I can get the bolt undone from the tensioner will I be able to get it out of the engine bay without unbolting anything else? I have seen where some people have to unbolt the whole engine and lift it with a jack. I'm not sure If I will be able to do this. ???
Well its not the same "auto tensioner" as the 95-97s, that one is sort of adjustable i think, also for that engine would be a big help to unbolt the power steering which is an easy 4 bolts and just move it out the way, 3 "inside" the pulley and one behind
95LsCoupe wrote:Well its not the same "auto tensioner" as the 95-97s,
no @!#$? A different engine takes a different tensioner?
Quote:
that one is sort of adjustable i think,
nope. Also spring loaded and automatic.
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95LsCoupe wrote: that one is sort of adjustable i think,
You thought wrong, why even bother to post if you have no idea?
There is no sort of adjustable, either it is, or it isnt.
Imports still use adjustable belts on some models, American vehicle have been using auto tensioners for a long time
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
thats why i said "i think" since when does "i think" mean that i am 100% sure
95LsCoupe wrote:thats why i said "i think" since when does "i think" mean that i am 100% sure
Okay, well I think that Chrysler makes the F150, but i could be wrong
Doeent make any sense to say what you "think", facts are what makes sense to post. This isnt an opinion forum, it is a forum to help people fix their cars, not for your opinion. If you want that type of forum you are fishing in the wrong pond.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Update. Changed the belt tensioner, idle pulley, and belt and WOW what a pita. Seriously if you know it's a part that normaly goes out why not just make it easier to get to. Tip, once I got the bolt out for the tensioner I cut the nub off the tip and grinded it down now I can get it out with out haveing to jack the engine. Same for idle pulley. Thoses bolts are too long anyway. Thanks for all the help
I just changed the tensioner in my daughter's '98 Sunfire. The tensioner was going bad to the point that the pulley was about a half inch offset so that the belt was running on the edge, cutting a groove in the belt (and squealing like heck!).
There is a video at 1aauto.com that shows how to change the tensioner for a '97 Sunfire that helped. But, on the '98 the tensioner is farther down on the engine and in a tighter spot. I didn't jack up the engine, but I did remove the engine mount after supporting it, to give me more room. There was no way to get a wrench on the bolt, though, since the space is too tight for a ratchet, and the bolt head is recessed somewhat on the tensioner so you can't get a regular wrench on it. An offset wrench might have worked, except the opposite end of the wrench hits the sidewall. I don't think they make offset wrenches with only one side offset. Anyway, what I did was pry the engine as far from the sidewall as I could using the handle from a floorjack, then used the socket from the tensioner tool I had which was shallow and open all the way through. But, as noted above, the bolt is too long, so after it bottomed out in the socket, I cut the bolt with a reciprocating saw. Then I installed the new tensioner with a new (shorter) bolt.
This was way harder that it should have been. Cars shouldn't be designed so that the engine must be jacked up to perform relatively minor repairs.
