Good day Forum,

Getting ready to change the tensioner, and belt...loud "bearing" noise and the tensioner is not smooth by eye, it shudders back and forth...looks abnormal to me. Of course I will feel the pully by hand before actually replacing but I think this is the root cause.

Any input before I tackle this self-diagnosed DIY replacement? Should I plan to replace entire assembly? I think so...

Looks like no more than $130 in parts (tensioner assembly + belt), probably substantial labor savings in DIY mode.

Thank you,
Jim

 

Sorry Forum, it is 2005 Escape, AWD, 3.0 V6...had the (2004) Expedition on the brain this morning...

 

If you can't take a picture of the belt 'route', at least make a drawing. The 3.0 has so many twists and turns...
I would spin the old tensioner over by hand to see if the bearings were loosey-goosey allowing the wobble to occur. You may have saved yourself some road side woes by doing this before it turned into a screeching mess.
tom

 

Thank you Tom. Belt route is nicely depicted in sticker under hood, but great advice. Got the parts today, will start the project tonight. Will advise results. Thanks again.

 

Update - Tensioner replaced, new belt. Easy to do fyi, with passenger wheel off and lower fender wall removed...easy! BUT, not the problem.

Turns out it is the pulley on the AC compressor, can see it wobble, make grinding noise and scraping noise on outer triangular weighted plate - how bad is it for me now?

Need to research...can I just replace the pulley and its bearing - hope so!

 

It is my understanding that you should be able to replace the pulley bearing and clutch pieces as necessary without discharging the system. The main problem is getting the thing to stay still while you try to loosen the clutch retainer bolt.
I'd post a ? further down the main forum page in the heating and air conditioning section for possibly better response.

 

Thanks TomW...appreciate your active dialog. Got the thing apart except for the magnetic coil, must need a puller. Looks like the bearing is pressed in, and seated with perimeter pings. I use Official Ford Parts Site | Buy Motorcraft & OEM Ford Parts Online | FordParts.com for schematics, PNs and benchmark pricing; looks like the pieces are indeed modular. Will start with just the pulley but...is a 2005, 73K, might just replace the Assembly while I'm down there...will keep you posted. Thanks again.

 

Those things normally last the lifetime of the vehicle. Unless the parts look mangled from the wobbling or have other signs of damage, depending on cost, I might just leave them in there. The gap between the pulley and the magnet is adjustable using washers behind the center bolt.
tom