HELP NEEDED! Belt Tensioner Pulley Problem

ijneb

New member
Hey, so I ended up getting a 2005 2500 sprinter its been great to me. We moved from Florida to Oregon and the van didn't miss a beat. Today I turned the steering wheel and I was so close to curb I pinned the tire against the curb and the serpentine belt popped off. When I got the belt back on i saw that the tensioner pulley is crooked/cockeyed. I'm not sure what i need to do. Do I replace the pulley? Is there a snapped bolt? I need some help. Thanks~Benji.:idunno:
 

surlyoldbill

Well-known member
I bought mine on Ebay. There is some discussion about which brand is best, use the search feature to find threads concerning the tensioner. If I remember correctly, you need E-sockets, maybe it was the inverse, large torx bits. Kind of a pain in the butt, but all bolts can be reached from above or below. I have an 03, which is a little different than the 04-06.
Anyway, download the shop manual found somewhere on this site, and it will give you step by step directions. Allow yourself a couple hours, but after you do it once you'll be able to change one out in less than a half hour.
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Just to add
If you buy a new one, it comes with a roll or mills pin semi loading the tensioner roller section so it will allow you to fit the belt without wrestling with the tensioner.

Simply install it as Bill has mentioned, roll the belt onto the pulleys then when happy with the positioning, put a load with your tool on the tensioner section and pull the pin.
Job done.
Dennis
 

rbrennick

New member
After doing a few (once on the side of the freeway), I've found the the quickest and
least painful (to your hands) way to get at the tensioner is to remove the power steering
pump (just three bolts) and set it out of the way. Then access to the tensioner is wide open.
(2004-2006 T1N)
Once installed, a 12 pt 17mm socket on a 1/2 breaker bar from the bottom side to
tension/ untension the tensioner.
DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE A BELT DIAGRAM AS TO HOW IT IS ROUTED- (seems to be the hardest
part of the whole job- for me anyway :)

Also, the above mentioned roll pin in place (loaded) lets you install one of the bolts without having to remove
the tensioner's pulley (don't ask me how I know)
 
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ijneb

New member
Done and done thanks guys, you saved me a butt load of money I owe you guys beer or coffee took me a little over an hour on the van and it took me 3 hours at the auto store waiting for the part
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Done and done thanks guys, you saved me a butt load of money I owe you guys beer or coffee took me a little over an hour on the van and it took me 3 hours at the auto store waiting for the part
Well can you come up with a cup of PG Tips?:laughing:
Or a can of Boddingtons. (even better!!):thumbup:
If you haven't tried either please do so, you might be never be the same again.

Cheers Dennis
 

Bigdaddydaveh

New member
My pulley just took a dump on our van. The tensioner itself appears to be fine but the bearing is shot in the pulley and it seized up and popped off the belt. This is just killing me. It's a simple $30 part in stock locally and I can barely get my hands in there to get a tool on the pulley bolt. I can't seem to figure out what size/type bit to use on the bolt. Anyone know off hand what size it is? Is it a reverse thread bolt? It's possibly a Torx from what I can see. Of course it has to be frickin' single digits tonight too. That always makes it so easy. Figures.
 

surlyoldbill

Well-known member
Dave, you're much better off taking the complete tensioner assembly out so you can really get at the pulley. And you can then work on it in your heated house, on the kitchen table maybe!
 

220629

Well-known member
... DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE A BELT DIAGRAM AS TO HOW IT IS ROUTED- (seems to be the hardest
part of the whole job- for me anyway :)

...
I hear you. I got it wrong one time even with my diagram. :bash:

I use a grease pencil to keep records and minor info under the hood. Been doing it for decades. Even simple things like what wrench size for oil pan drain plugs. It often saves a trip back to the toolbox.

Here's one pic. F = Fan HB = Harmonic Balancer.

WasherBottle.jpg

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=53062#post53062


vic
 

acvr4

New member
Hey what is the life span on these ? I had the original one replaced at 119K with a OEM and I'm at 176k and this one is starting to offset again - so I'm picking a new OEM one up tomorrow from Freightliner. While running there isn't much movement on the auto tensioner not sure why it's going .

Andy
 

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