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belt tensioner

chillin on Mon July 27, 2009 10:06 AM User is offlineView users profile

Year: 2001
Make: gmc
Model: yukon
Engine Size: 5.3
Refrigerant Type: 134a
Ambient Temp: 88
Pressure Low: 41
Pressure High: 250
Country of Origin: United States

when excelerating or racing the engine a little the belt sqeaks. A new belt was put on and no new tensioner. Was reading past posts on this compressor being mounted on the bottom and was wondering if a new tensioner could cause belt to break and break transmission lines. The shop that worked on this claims it needs a new compressor . It has 150,000 on it Thanks for any replies.

GM Tech on Mon July 27, 2009 10:35 AM User is offline

Very common- I actually made a video of the rattling tensioner- dancing- see below-- I have seen belts broken, shreaded, rattles so loud, you can't stand it- tensioners that flop stop to stop- and hit the tranny lines- could slice through them eventually- most answer this problem by installing new compressor, new belt, new tensioner- the tensioner by itself will solve about half the condition. but man, it is hard to justify the cost of a new compressor to solve a dancing tensioner-- most occur anywhere after 85,000 miles.




One answer I am considering is to use the new "stretchy belt" that the New 2010 Camaro uses-- they do NOT use a tensioner- you remove the old belt by cutting it off- then put the new belt on by "rolling" the stretchy belt on--hard to believe- but lookat one (on a V-8) next time you get a chance.--should be the same set-up- but I think you pay big bucks for that belt-- if you can even get them....





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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Edited: Mon July 27, 2009 at 10:38 AM by GM Tech

chillin on Mon July 27, 2009 11:32 AM User is offlineView users profile

Thanks GM put on new tensioner and still the same thanks for your response!

GM Tech on Mon July 27, 2009 11:55 AM User is offline

Seen it before-- new tensioner- no help-- let us know what you end up doing..... Next one I get- I'll try the belt with no tensioner idea-- if I can get the right length belt-- or go for the "stretchy belt" .. there's got to be a way to avoid that costly compressor change.....

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Edited: Mon July 27, 2009 at 11:56 AM by GM Tech

NickD on Mon July 27, 2009 12:41 PM User is offline

Test I use is an analog torque wrench to the tensioner, can look this up, typical tension is around 125 ft-lbs. and moving the torque wrench to the full released position should be smooth. You can sure run into ones that bind like crazy, even stick.

Being somewhat frugal, if the pulley turns stiff, no axially wobble, pop off he seals, blast out the balls with choke and carb cleaner, check the races and balls for pits, if good, used a high temperature disk brake grease, pack it full and good to go.

With the tensioner binding problem, can sometimes be freed up using a knife to clean up all that corrosion in that small gap and soaking in oil so they work smooth again. But seen some so bad, only choice was to buy a new one, prices are all over the place on these things, some are around twenty bucks, others more than what your car is worth.

Been tempted to open one up, but with that kind of spring tension, could end up killing myself, and if I didn't, would never get it back together again, would require around 800 pound of force with nothing solid to grab unto, I am not that strong.

See rockauto.com wants $35.00 bucks for a new one like this:



Can usually meet or beat that price around town, pay the 35 bucks.

GM Tech on Mon July 27, 2009 3:21 PM User is offline

NickD- this tensioner is so weak by design- that you can move it full stroke with two fingers....even the new ones-- really very little tension- a real sorry design.....I don't even use a tool to put on the belt- just pull it down by hand....

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

NickD on Mon July 27, 2009 4:00 PM User is offline

I was looking at the pivot point with a very small diameter wondering what kind of spring they were using, than that tiny tab for a stop. Suppose if a guy welded in a piece of 1/2" square stock, could attach a rubber band to it.

Rockauto also shows this one for the same vehicle:



Looks like it has some meat on it, would shop around town so you could take it back.

Edited: Mon July 27, 2009 at 4:04 PM by NickD

chillin on Mon July 27, 2009 11:05 PM User is offlineView users profile

Thanks for all the help everyone.At 150,000 miles my friend wants to keep the suv. I suggested to do it right .He takes his son quite often to texas childrens hospital about 100 miles away.I just felt the compressor was not showing that bad of pressures!With the new belt and new tensioner racing the engine some really made a racket and seen no fluctuation in pressures.Lesson learned!

chris142 on Mon July 27, 2009 11:47 PM User is offline

When the tensioner starts to rattle @ 1800 rpm and 86,000 miles that means that compressor failure is just around the corner.

At least on every truck I've ran across with the rattling tensioner.

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