Belt tensioner bracket?
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Belt tensioner bracket?
Hey guys- I got a 1992 F250 7.3 idi with around 350,000 miles on the sucker.
So I got it recently and it was running like a top, but my bone head took that 3/4 ton in the mud without 4x4 and hit a tree! I decided to keep the truck and put a new/ used bumper, hood, radiator, radiator mount etc.. It seemed like it was just like when I got it pre TREE! But I noticed a chirp somewhere in the serpentine belt. Then it started to squeal so I thought it might be a bad bearing so I've put in a new belt tensioner and idler pulley and the squealing has gotten better but it's still there. Also the belt seems to be off towards the radiator side on the tensioner and pulley( I've gotten this from an old thread) and someone mentioned that being in a front end wreck could have caused the bracket to be ruined. So my questions are 1. Would a new belt help with the problem and which one would you reccomend? 2. I have no clue if it's a different pulley in the drive belt causing this should I be looking into that? 3. If it is the bracket - which bracket do I need? And what year and models can fit in my truck. Thanks for reading!
So I got it recently and it was running like a top, but my bone head took that 3/4 ton in the mud without 4x4 and hit a tree! I decided to keep the truck and put a new/ used bumper, hood, radiator, radiator mount etc.. It seemed like it was just like when I got it pre TREE! But I noticed a chirp somewhere in the serpentine belt. Then it started to squeal so I thought it might be a bad bearing so I've put in a new belt tensioner and idler pulley and the squealing has gotten better but it's still there. Also the belt seems to be off towards the radiator side on the tensioner and pulley( I've gotten this from an old thread) and someone mentioned that being in a front end wreck could have caused the bracket to be ruined. So my questions are 1. Would a new belt help with the problem and which one would you reccomend? 2. I have no clue if it's a different pulley in the drive belt causing this should I be looking into that? 3. If it is the bracket - which bracket do I need? And what year and models can fit in my truck. Thanks for reading!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,106
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From: Virginia
I would think that a new belt would not change things. Perhaps you did not install the belt or the new pulley properly, or the new pulley is not the same as the original and is offset toward the engine. I do not see how that arm could be damaged without being struck by debris or other portions of the vehicle, but that is my guess. If there was that much force, I would first theorize that you may have damaged your harmonic balancer. In order for my theory to be correct, your crank pulley would have to be mounted on the dampening side of the balancer and not the crankshaft, perhaps someone can verify this. I guess you could look at the balancer hub and try to determine if it has moved forward from its original position. If the rubber appears damaged I would replace it. If my theory is correct and the balancer did move forward, my understanding is that you should not run the engine any longer. A damaged harmonic balancer will eventually damage your crankshaft. I understand that a damaged balancer will snap the crankshaft.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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I'd definitely check the pulley alignment. See what's not in line and figure out a way to /make/ them all in line.
Oh, also: as far as I can tell, the pulleys are mounted on the balancer hub side and not the dampening side, so that shouldn't be a problem.
You can always check the bolts and make sure everything's tight; there's one large bolt inside the harmonic balancer that keeps it where it should be(forward/reverse; rotation wise has a key to keep it from moving)
Oh, also: as far as I can tell, the pulleys are mounted on the balancer hub side and not the dampening side, so that shouldn't be a problem.
You can always check the bolts and make sure everything's tight; there's one large bolt inside the harmonic balancer that keeps it where it should be(forward/reverse; rotation wise has a key to keep it from moving)
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,554
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From: Northern Arizona
Check all of the pulleys carefully. My guess is that one or more of them may be bent. It is amazing how little it takes to damage one, and even if there was no obvious contact, in a collision situation there may have been enough flexing of the body and/or and shifting of the engine to hit one just enough to bend it a tiny bit. I would also go ahead and try a new belt. Even if it looks fine it could be worn or stretched in a way that is not visible. Worst case you have a spare for under your seat.
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Ok so I tried tightening up some boots and I realized that the belt tensioner was loose so Im trying to tighten it but find that it's not tightening I'm feeling little resistance. So I take it out and find metal shavings on the belt tensioner screw. So I try again and same thing. The screw threads seem to be fine but I fear I've stripped the threads the screw goes into. Did I get a wrong size bolt?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,106
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From: Virginia
I would imagine that you should have used the original bolt. Is it the threads in the block or on some item that can me replaced? Either way, it should be an easy fix.
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It's the threads in the block. Does it need to be tap and died? I unfortunately did not used the original bolt something that occurred to me afterwards. Oops
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Postmaster
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Look up Helicoil thread repair inserts. There are other brands as well, but basically you end up drilling it larger than the original, tapping it with a special tap, and threading in this insert that looks like a spring. The resulting threads are far stronger than the original ones.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,264
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this bolt is in the cast aluminum.
92-94.5
two different types of this bracket, a closed spring design and an open.
the difference is how the tensioner locks into place, yes they are different.
i would helicoil it. ive been collecting these systems of the closed spring design, and fixing the threads sounds like the easier route.
92-94.5
two different types of this bracket, a closed spring design and an open.
the difference is how the tensioner locks into place, yes they are different.
i would helicoil it. ive been collecting these systems of the closed spring design, and fixing the threads sounds like the easier route.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 776
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From: Felton, Delaware
If the threads are stripped but grip some, i have successfully JB welded a stud in before. If a stud could be used in place of a bolt. Heli coil would be the correct way, but not all locations can easily received a drill.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2014
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helicoil insert
So you have to both drill and tap the hole, and then wind in the insert which won't wind back out. It may be easier to take off the bracket.
Last edited by southern-old-bold; May 10, 2016 at 12:54 AM. Reason: typo off phone
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