After determining that the rata-tat-tat noise coming from the passenger side of my engine is not my timing chain. I think I need to replace the serpentine belt tensioner. Anybody have any experience with this? This is a link to a guys car on youtube that makes the exact same noise. I have replaced the timing chain twice and the last one was with the kit from cloyes that eliminates the timing chain tensioner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fg3etZm6r4

I think you can get at the tensioner through the wheel well pretty easy.

If not; I know i used to use a small pipe (or the tire iron even) fed down through the top motor mount at the right angle to push the tensioner down to loose the belt and id pull it off the alt pulley.

Then its just 1 bolt to get the tensioner out. Not terrible to do.




"A car just isn't a car without a little blood, sweat, and beers." -- Shadowfire

The only way I've been able to tackle these tensioners is to place a jack with a block of wood for protection under the engine. Remove the coolant recovery tank and top engine mount. Once all that mess is out of your way you have access to the tensioner. I strongly recommend a belt tensioner tool - I think they are $30 or $40 at the Zone and worth every penny. Along with those tools are shorty sockets - great for this type of job.....Jack up the engine as much as you can - this will provide easiest access to the bolts down there. Remove the belt and then the pulley and tensioner.

I try to get spare parts at the salvage yard when I get the chance and save a few bucks. The only tensioner I was physically able to retrieve ,( because I am unable to jack up the engines there) was one where the head had been pulled by a previous customer.

Certainly it isn't the worst job in the world, but it can be very frustrating if you try to take short cuts.



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the quickest way to do it. and ive done it on the side of the road. take a jack and a block of wood. place it under the engine brace near the harmonic balancer. un bolt the engine mount. and i had an ecu i needed to remove to get the engine block high high enough. if needed remove the coolant bottle. and un mount the ac lines so they are loose enough to move around. once the tensionor is above the unit body you can pull the bolt out.. the bolt is very long and you need the clearance to remove the pulley.