Have you checked the marks on the tensioner to see if it's in the middle where it's supposed to be? When I got a belt for mine there were 4 different lengths available for it- all were within 1" or so. Might try a slightly shorter belt as long as within the range on the tensioner.

 

This is very weird, you either have a defective tensioner or the belt is too long. What length did you get? I've had great luck with Dayco belts on everything, to the point its all I will use. For the 06 Expy it is a 101.58 length belt.


More Information for DAYCO 5061015


You can also use a belt from an 03/04 truck which can range from 100.59-101" depending on brand if you feel that the 101.58" length is too loose.

 

That's weird, Dayco lists 101.58 on rockauto, the rest is either 102.25 or 102 1/8 in length.. I got the Gates belt kit, which includes all pulleys and tensioner as well as that 102-1/8 belt, I really hope it's the correct length.. How long is the Motorcraft one?

 

You might be able to read the part # on the old belt that will tell you what the original length was. Mine were too worn off to read. Can't really measure the old one either since it will have stretched some...

 

Yeah, it's a no-go on reading the old one.. Worn idlers with bad bearings stripped it all off..

Gonna replace it this weekend, just have to get a 1/2 drive breaker bar for the tensioner.. Just hope the new belt will fit!

 

so I just called NAPA and the belt they sell (which is the one I have) is 102.09"


so that may be the crux of my problem. The tensioner is not bottomed out, but it must be at the end of it's travel. (haven't had time to look, too freaking cold out to mess with it)


NAPA sells two shorter belts in that window:
101.63" and 101.11"


These are just standard belts, so I might call around and find a serrated belt to compare. But I think I'd like to stay in the middle of the range.


Not all is lost though, all the idlers needed to be replaced, and a new tensioner is never a bad thing (plus the pulley on the tensioner was bad).


thanks for the help so far. i'll try to post back if I ever get it figured out.

 

FWIW, I have had the best luck with a 1/2" ratchet and a cheater.


The angle on the breaker bar ends up either hitting the upper hose, or is so far down you can't reach it.

 

Mine is a 97 so not sure how different it is than yours but I ended up buying the tool. Makes it so much easier.


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...6081_200396081

 

I got this breaker bar from HF and its been a freaking GODSEND for working on all my vehicles. I got it on sale for $9.99 but even at full price its cheap. And I've broken loose wheel hub retainer nuts with it so its very stout.


1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar


Makes moving the tensioner in these trucks silly easy.


Now as far as the belt... as tight as you can get is better. I'd get the Dayco unit from Rockauto honestly. They are very thick and beefy belts, super high quality.


This is the one I have except mine is a 2V so it's a little shorter.


More Information for DAYCO 5061015


For pullies, the Dormans on Rockauto are dead nuts silent and much cheaper than paying $20 at autozone especially seeing as you need two.


More Information for DORMAN 419602


And don't be like me and forget the ribbed pulley lol.


More Information for DAYCO 89130


And here is a good 5% discount code which probably come close to covering the shipping costs.


2815880224131570


Put it in the "how did you hear about us" block during checkout.


Yeah I sound like a shill for rockauto... I will not pay box store prices for parts anymore and not having to deal with a 50% chance that the person behind the counter will try to act like they know more about my vehicle than I do is nice too.

 

Got you beat. I bought their 3/4" drive torque wrench when I had to set the pinion nut on a rear end rebuild. That thing is almost 3' long.

3/4" Torque Wrench

 

I've got that same 1/2" breaker bar. I couldn't get it to fit in there without getting caught on something so bought the tool. I actually bent the breaker bar a little though trying to get a rusted on trailer ball off a bumper lol. It didn't break though!

 

Borrowed a standard 1/2" drive ratchet from a friend, worked fine. Wasn't too hard to loosen the tensioner, I guess I'm just that strong... LOL!


It was really due to do this though, the old belt was falling apart! lol. It did NOT have many revolutions left of its life... The other idlers were OK, only one had a really bad bearing. I still replaced them all and the tensioner. The Gates tensioner must have been popped out of the same factory, it was 100% identical to the original one except from missing the Ford stamp. Made in Canada and same casting marks and all. Comparing the Gates parts to the original parts that came out, it seems as it's the same quality on the pulleys. The bearings were a different brand, but I'm sure it's fine. Original ones uses NSK bearings. Belt was fine, length was just right, left the tensioner about half an inch from the end stop of its travel. The engine runs much smoother and quieter and the knocking sound which I thought was the phasers is gone, so I guess it was the bad bearing that made all the troubles.. One thing though, the idlers had a bit of a loose fit on the aluminum lugs on the block, it was the same on the old ones and the new ones, is this normal? It was fine when I torqued the bolts, but I had the impression that it was supposed to be a snug fit on those..

 

i replaced the belt with the dayco poly rib 5061015. $25.99 at advance, not too bad.

here's the tensioner before:




here's the tensioner after:



This is before i ran the vehicle too, so it will stretch some.
not a whole lot of difference.

i guess i'll know if it's any better the next time it snows.

nobody sells goodyear gatorbacks in town anymore. they are all gates or dayco. In the past, i've always used dayco, so we'll see if the poly rib is any better than their poly cog was.

edit: wow my new phone takes horrible pictures! might have to take it back and complain! geeze! sorry bout that.

 

In both pictures of the same tensioner and different belts, the marks seems to be in the same place.

 

Ok, the gap was like that after I ran the engine, so that's fine.

About the idlers, is it normal that they have a somewhat loose fit on the aluminum lug in the block? I've done many many belt replacements before, but this is my first time to do a serpentine belt and replacement of idlers and tensioner, I had the impression that the idlers were supposed to have a somewhat tight fit on the lugs, but these did not have that, even the original ones I pulled off were a bit loose on the lug after the bolt where removed and the ID of the bearings seemed to be the same. They tightened up and seemed fine when the bolts were torqued though, but not sure if that is the way it's meant to be. Is it? Or does this mean my aluminum lugs on the block is getting worn?