So, this past friday I noticed my belt tore a cord, so I figure it was time to replace the belt, the tensioner, and to finally put on the non-through belt upper radiator hose.

I bought a Dayco belt from Advance Auto (it's got the gator type friction side) and a new tensioner from Napa. Removal and install was a breeze. Fired it up, belt squeek like a ****. Dressing only helped for seconds. This belt design doesn't work for my truck. Trip to Autozone and get a DuraCraft belt that wasn't the right length, but could be installed with two people (one holding the tensioner back, me installing the belt. I asked a stranger to hold the tensioner back with a breaker bar and I'll shimmy the belt on. I get the belt half way on the pulley and snap. The $100 tensioner from Napa breaks off where the breaker bar is inserted. The stranger was not putting much force on it, I was there. Luckly I had the belt on half way and put the DP in no start and cranked it around to walk it on. It got me home.
Called up powerstrokeshop.com, picked up a new OEM tensioner and belt for much less than this crap. Installed it all this AM and now it's time to take some parts back.

I'd advise staying away from the Dayco & Duralast belts and definitely stay far away from the NAPA belt tensioner assembly. And a big thanks to Ben @ Powerstrokeshop.com for having all the material ready for me for pick up.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I am just about ready to do this also.

 

I learned many years ago not to use dayco belts
for my tensioners etc I will only use oem,saw to much crap come from napa and other chinese parts chain stores

 

When it comes to those type of parts, I suck it up and fenangle one of my mechanic friends into buying a motorcraft at cost for me...in those cases when you don't really want to mess around with substandard parts.

 

I had to get a tensioner quick went up to napa and paid 68$(somewhere around there), for the tensioner. Worked fine, and my belt sounded just like what your talkin about, really tight, and its a ford belt! But the way i seen it was better for that belt to be tight that like my old one was and it was "bouncing" on the pullies.

 

Do you know what brand of tensioner it was? IIRC, NAPA has a couble different brands availalbe, and I'm thinking those brands could be found at other parts stores as well and others should watch out for it.

 

I was wondering about the upper radiator hose through the serpentine belt on my truck! I bought it used. Was this a done by a dealer or what? Whats the deal? Sorry for hyjacking the thread.

 

I had to have one real quick like, so I got the Gates belt and tensioner from Orielleys, it has been great for 15K miles.

 

nope that's factory

 

It looks like there is a nice place for one to clamp too on the bracket below the alternator to go around the belt. Thats why I figured somebody had rigged the shorter one on it through the belt. So I take it you can get one to go around the side like that? What was fords reasoning for doing this?

 

the one for dual alternators goes around the belt

 

If you ever drain your radiator that hose can be replaced with one that goes outside the belt.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

This is exactly the kind of information I like to learn second hand. Thanks for sharing. Rep points sent.

 

The outside the belt hose is the one listed for a dual alternator vehicle.