Should belt tensioner be bouncing?
It is important to note that any abnormal chattering or bouncing of the tensioner arm under normal operation indicates the tensioner has already failed and should be replaced.
Is belt tensioner supposed to wobble?
It's also in your best interest to take a close look at the tensioner to see if there is any type of damage or cracking. Any such damage to the belt tensioner, bracket, housing, or arm has the potential to cause wobble. If you notice cracking, damage, or rust, replace the belt tensioner as soon as possible.
How do I know if my belt tensioner is bad?
It should spin free, not perpetual motion but certainly freely. OP, should be no more difficult to spin than the idler, assuming its healthy. Any noise and it's on its way out too. Thanks.
Should belt tensioner spin freely?
An old defective belt, a weak tensioner assembly, a worn pulley that is wobbling, if the belt has been changed it was installed wrong, misaligned pulleys.
Why is my tension pulley bouncing?
As the slack builds in the belt, the tensioner moves to take it up, and then when the tension momentarily increases, the tensioner jumps to compensate. If the belt is the right length, it'll pretty much run with a fixed tensioner, and the spring action is only there to compensate for wear, not 'adjust' the tension.
Why is my belt tensioner jumping?
If the timing belt tensioner fails, it might cause the timing belt to break or become too loose to turn the camshafts. If this happens, the engine may not even start because the valves are open when they shouldn't be, resulting in valve-to-piston contact and catastrophic engine failure.
What happens if tensioner is loose?
A normal pulley will move only slightly, but a loose idler may make a chattering noise and cause excessive vibrations. This could also be due to bad bearing inside the idler. If the pulley is excessively loose, it could cause the belt to come off.
Should idler pulley move?
If a belt is too tight in a system, it can add stress to your bearings. The added stress to bearings can result into over amperage of your motor and potential motor failure.
Can a belt tensioner be to tight?
While the tensioner is bolted in place, use a wrench to move it back and forth. This is easier if you have a tensioner wrench. If you do not feel resistance, the spring is worn. Other signs of a worn spring are a squealing belt and components sporadically stopping.
How do you test a belt tensioner?
Driving with a bad tensioner pulley is not recommended, as it can lead to serious issues with your vehicle's engine and accessory components.
Can you drive with a loose belt tensioner?
Engine vibrations are usually caused by an engine issue(s) or worn mounts. Now, if your talking about a camshaft drive belt (Timing Belt) tensioner, then yes…that will cause engine vibrations. A loose tensioner could cause the timing belt to slip just enough to cause rough engine operation.
Can a bad belt tensioner cause vibration?
A bad tensioner will usually be accompanied by noise. This noise could be some type of squealing or rattling coming from the timing cover area. Also, when your timing belt is loose, it will cause some drivability issues usually under high load or high rpm.
What does a faulty tensioner sound like?
You should expect to replace your belt tensioner in the 40,000-70,000 mile range. It is also customary to swap more than one part simultaneously, usually a worn-out pulley from other systems and even the serpentine belt itself.
How long do belt tensioners last?
What does a bad serpentine belt tensioner sound like? A bad tensioner can cause many different noises . Squeaking or squealing and maybe a vibration tire noise .
What does a bad belt tensioner do?
There should be no movement or play from side to side. Misalignment – Misaligned pulleys will cause belt chirp noise problems and are caused by worn bearings. Cracked or Broken Pulley – Check for obvious physical damage.
How do you quiet a belt tensioner?
Not Leaving Room to Breathe
When putting on your belt, make sure you have enough room for both bracing and breathing. The best approach is to fasten the belt while taking a deep inhale, allowing your abdomen to protrude outward. This method minimizes the risk of cinching the belt too tightly.
Are pulleys supposed to wiggle?
Lack of belt tension can lead to tooth jump or “skipping,” when the teeth of the belt slide over the teeth of the rear sprocket. Too much tension can damage the bearings within the rear hub, can cause the system to drag, and can increase the wear of your drive system.
How do I know if my idler pulley or tensioner pulley is bad?
I can't visually see any movement of the pulleys at idle speed. That's what matters most. Provided the surface of the pulleys have minimal wear, you're still within tolerance. Once you see the pulley walking in and out while idling, it's time to replace.
When should I replace my belt tensioner?
Also if the belt is stretched and feels somewhat loose even with the tensioner, it would be advisable to replace it. It's probably slipping and you probably heard some squealing sometimes, if it's stretched.
Can a belt tensioner fail?
The vehicle was brought in when the driver heard a knocking sound that seemed to be coming from the engine. After quite a bit of investigation, our technician figured out the cause: The timing belt tensioner had gone bad.
Should a belt be really tight?
Does your car has a automatic belt tensioner? this can be the culprit, but also the bearings in the powersteering pump, alternator or airco pump can be bad, it's not only the pullys that can cause sounds. My car is making a rattling sound near the fan belt.
What happens if belt tension is too high?
It should move slowly while the engine is running. If it bounces you have a problem somewhere. Check the belt for tension. It should be fairly tight.
How much play should an idler pulley have?
So, how long can you drive with a bad idler pulley? The safety recommendation is not to drive the car at all and take it to a mechanic immediately. You should be concerned if the vehicle makes squeaking or rattling noises.
Will a bad tensioner pulley make noise?
Can You Drive on a Broken Timing Belt? No! If the timing belt breaks while driving, pull over as safely and quickly as possible and turn off the engine immediately to prevent further damage. The vehicle will need to be towed to a repair shop for further inspection and repair.
Can bad belt tensioner cause knocking noise?
Yes a bad timing belt can cause a car to idle rough, when the teeth on the belt is worn or broken it can cause the belt to slip causing the timing to be out ,also a broken timing belt while driving can cause immense damage to your engine, you should follow the manufacturer's schedule for replacement to be safe.
Can a bad belt tensioner cause rattling noise?
Most likely cause for this is that you have some condensation built up overnight on either the belt or one of the pulley wheels, and until this has evaporated the belt will be able to slip a little, causing a squeak. Once the engine warms up, the condensation is gone.
Does tensioner pulley move?
Friction between the belt and pulley can lead to glazed spots, causing slippage, chirps, or belt squeaks. Check the belt tension by finding the longest run between the two pulleys and pressing the belt down. If the belt is in proper condition, it should be taut with less than half-inch of play.
How long can I drive with a bad tensioner pulley?
Absolutely you'll see it bouncing slightly. The reason is, the belt will stretch and contract slightly as the engine speeds up/slows down.
How long can you drive with a bad timing belt?
It should spin free, not perpetual motion but certainly freely. OP, should be no more difficult to spin than the idler, assuming its healthy. Any noise and it's on its way out too. It doesn't spin like the idler pulley, it basically stops spinning after I take my hand off of it.
Is it OK to spray wd40 on car belts?
If you don't replace your tensioner when it's worn, it can cause further damage to your power steering, alternator and air conditioning, all of which are powered by the drive belt.
Can a bad belt cause rough idle?
While the tensioner is bolted in place, use a wrench to move it back and forth. This is easier if you have a tensioner wrench. If you do not feel resistance, the spring is worn. Other signs of a worn spring are a squealing belt and components sporadically stopping.
Why does my belt squeal until it warms up?
Not necessarily, if there is good tension when you remove the belt, the spring is good, spin the pulley and see if there is any looseness or noise in the bearing. If there is, replace the tensioner.
How do I know if my belt tensioner is bad?
With most belt drives a faulty tensioner will always result in power loss as the belt slips. If tension is too high there will be extra friction and short belt life. If there is extra frictions in bearing on the system it will cause belt slippage and power loss as well.
What are the symptoms of a bad belt tensioner?
When the tensioner becomes faulty, the belt and pulleys can generate high-pitched whining or chirping noises due to the belt rubbing on the pulleys. If the tensioner fails completely, the noise might escalate into squealing or grinding.
How much play should a serpentine belt have?
If a belt is too tight in a system, it can add stress to your bearings. The added stress to bearings can result into over amperage of your motor and potential motor failure.
Should a tensioner pulley bounce at idle?
Basically, the rattle was the stops on the tensioner hitting each other. The specs here are such that even with a new belt the tensioner is pretty much all the way at its stop - as in really applying just enough tension to make the belt work.
Should tensioner pulley spin freely?
A bad tensioner will usually be accompanied by noise. This noise could be some type of squealing or rattling coming from the timing cover area. Also, when your timing belt is loose, it will cause some drivability issues usually under high load or high rpm.
What happens if you don't fix a tensioner pulley?
If a belt snaps, it's much more likely that a cam will be left in the wrong place and interference will occur. Having one of the idlers or tensioner fail leaves the belt loose but still in place and there's a good chance nothing got damaged.
How do you test a belt tensioner?
If you hear your car chirping or squealing, it could be from a worn belt or belt tensioner. Find out what belt tensioners are, what they do, and how to tell if yours is bad and is causing a chirping noise from the engine with these tips.
Should I replace belt tensioner or just pulley?
There is no recommended timeframe in which to replace your tensioner, especially as the belt itself usually needs replacing before the tensioner does. However, you should inspect your tensioner each time you service your car to monitor its condition and replace it if necessary.