Introducing Car Drive Belt Tensioner

A Drive Belt Tensioner is simply a pulley t placed on a spring mechanism or to an adjustable pivot point, which helps in keeping constant tension on the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt is a big long belt that you can find right in front of your engine. The tensioner keeps riding on the outside surface of the belt to apply pressure, or tension, on the belt and against the pulleys which help to drive a few things such as the power steering, air conditioner, alternator, and so on.

Before you start any diagnostic process, you will have to know about the different types of drive belt tensioners.

1. Spring Loaded Tensioners

The spring-loaded belt tensioner is the most popular type of belt tensioner seen on many automobiles and SUVs. The tensioner component contains a spring and a swing arm that moves to keep the belt on track. When you install the tensioner according to the manufacturer's instructions, the tension is set. Over time, the spring can wear down, resulting in excessive play in the tensioner arm. It is recommended that the entire assembly be replaced at the same time.

2. Hydraulic Tensioners

There's a strong probability you have a hydraulic tensioner beneath your hood if you drive a V6 or V8. Instead of a coil spring-operated swing arm, a hydraulic piston adjusts the tensioner pulley as the engine's power demands alter. These are a common choice for larger engines since they can support a broader range of motion. When the hydraulic tensioner fails, depending on the OEM standards, you can usually only replace the piston.

3. Manual Belt Tensioners

Engines that employ a basic timing belt rather than a serpentine belt are more likely to use manual belt tensioners. During installation, a bolt adjusts the tensioner pulley's position. While the engine is running, it does not move. The timing belt may expand over time, causing manual belt tensioner change during routine maintenance checks.

To maintain power during a run down the quarter-mile, some sports car mechanics will upgrade their hydraulic tensioner to a manual. However, replacing the type of tensioner installed beneath your hood provides no significant benefit for day-to-day driving. Always consult the installation guide for your specific tensioner to make sure you're setting it up correctly for your vehicle.

Once the drive belt is properly installed, you’ll have to tighten the belt tensioner as per the manufacturer's specifications, by placing the right amount of tension on the belt. The drive belt tensioner is bolted to the front portion of the engine, whereas the flat side of the belt rests firmly against the belt tensioner pulley. The belt tensioner pulley will constantly rotate as the belt is driven, by trying to keep the tension on the belt.

Here are a few symptoms you will notice if your drive belt tensioner is faulty:

1. Rust Bleed And Cracks

The arms and base might be full of rust and the tensioner might be dripping. You’ll also have to check for damages in the arm, housing, and brackets of the tensioner. Few damages will be visible only if the tensioner is removed. Rust bleeding or dripping arises due to internal component wear. Crack damages in the belt tensioner arise if the mounting bolts or if the tensioner “stops”. The solution to this problem is to replace the tensioner.

2. Pulley Bearing Wear

Try rotating the pulley manually with the belt removed and the engine in off condition. If you hear any noise, resistance, or roughness, then it most probably could be pulley-wearing. The major cause of this problem is damaged bearing or pulley. Replace the tensioner completely to solve this problem. It is not advisable to change worn out pulley in place of used tensioner assembly as the other parts might drop. 

3. Pulley Wear

Pulleys have a flat or grooved surface and they are made from either plastic, nylon, or steel. Flat surfaces must be free from chips, cracks, dents and they have to be smooth. The sidewalls of the plastic pulleys have fins that must not be cracked or broken. This is similar to the case of grooved surfaces which has to be free of chips, cracks, dents as well as embedded debris. The high points of the grooves must be of equal height and care should be taken so that they are not worn out. This problem is caused by the wear and tear of the belt into the pulley. Replace the tensioner completely to solve this problem. It is not advisable to change worn out pulley in place of used tensioner assembly as the other parts might drop. 

4. Tensioner Assembly Misalignment

There can be unusual belt tracking on the tensioner pulley. This problem can be caused by a bent or incorrect position of the mounting bracket, incorrect installation of the tensioner, corrosion/contamination between the surface of the mounting, or the base of the tensioner. It is very easy to identify misalignment. Replace the tensioner if misalignment persists.

5. Tensioner Noise

Squeaky and rattling noise from the tensioner can start appearing. Excessive noise will arise if the bearings or the pivot area fails. Replace the tensioner to solve this problem. 

6. Tensioner Arm Misalignment

Unusual tracking of the belt on the tensioner pulley can start appearing. The surface of the tensioner housing or arm will be shiny or might have smooth streaks or gouges. This problem can be caused if the arm and spring housing will have a metal-to-metal contact. If the misalignment of the tensioner arm exists, then it means that the pivot bushing is worn out and the tensioner needs immediate replacement.

7. Excessive Tensioner Arm Oscillation

The tensioner arm will keep swaying front and back during the operation. If the swing by the tensioner arm is large or if the continuous oscillation is happening, then it means that the damping system or spring torque has been damaged. Another probable cause can be the torsional vibration damper or the failure of the alternator pulley. If you find the oscillation to be excessive, change the tensioner as quickly as possible. Both the torsional vibration damper and overrunning alternator pulley have to be given special attention.

8. Binding Or Grinding Tensioner Arm Movement

Cycle the tensioner which is placed on the engine through a complete range of motion where you will have to apply torque to the arm with the help of a wrench. The movement of the tensioner arm should be smooth and free. If the tensioner arm is binding, sticking, or grinding, you’ll have to replace the tensioner. 

Note: The wrench’s position depends on the type of tensioner, such as the tensioner end, tensioner hole, etc. Position it similarly to fix the tensioner.

9. Loss Of Spring Force

Cycle the tensioner which is placed on the engine through a complete range of motion with the help of a wrench. There must be resistance to this movement, but if you don’t find any then, the spring might have lost its force. Other ‌symptoms can be the squealing of the belt due to slippage, or any of the belt-driven components might have lost their rotation. Replace the tensioner if you find any of these symptoms.

A drive belt tensioner is simply a pulley placed on a spring mechanism or adjustable pivot point, which helps in keeping the tension on the engine belts. Spring tensioners are designed in such a way to produce tension automatically, whereas the pivot design can be manually adjusted. Pivot designs help to keep tension on the engine serpentine belts so that they can help drive several engine accessories.

Any issue in the tensioner can affect how the belts drive the pulleys, which in turn can affect the vehicle’s functionality and performance. A defective tensioner will show a few symptoms as a signal to the driver that the component has to be serviced quickly. Here are a few belt tensioner symptoms:

1. Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner - One common symptom of a faulty drive belt tensioner is the squeaky noise that emerges from the belts or tensioner. You’ll hear a squeak or squeal of noise if the belt is loose when you first start the engine. There are also chances that the tensioner pulley or the bearing may wear out, where the pulley might produce a grinding noise.

   
   

2. Unusual belt wear - Another common symptom of the drive belt tensioner is the wearing of the belt. Unusual or accelerated wear on the belt will rise if there are any sort of issues on the drive belt tensioner pulley. The edges of the belt will fray if the pulley is bad and in severe cases, the belt can even break.

   
   

3. Belt-driven accessories fail - Failure of the belt-driven accessories is one of the reasons for a faulty drive belt tensioner. Engine accessories such as the alternator, A/C compressor, and much more are driven by the belt. The belt might snap if the belt tensioner is seized or loose. This will disable the engine accessories, resulting in overheating, malfunctioning of the electrical system, faulty A/C system, and battery. If the belt is defective due to the tensioner, then it has to be replaced along with the tensioner so that full functionality can be restored to the vehicle.

Do you want to repair your Drive Belt Tensioner on your own? In that case, you should have the correct tools which are required for repairing your Drive Belt Tensioner. Have a look at the most important tools which you might require to repair your Drive Belt Tensioner:

• Socket Wrench Set

• Pry Bar

If customers trust a brand, then it would make them loyal, and if they are loyal, then they will surely buy more. We know well that customers want comfort, cheerfulness, and satisfaction in their lives and that’s the reason we offer top-quality auto parts brands to our customers. We provide a positive experience to our consumers from the brands which we are offering so that they can form an opinion that a particular auto parts brand is trustworthy and would give them peace of mind while they are purchasing it for their car. Here we have listed some top brands for Drive Belt Tensioner.

• Gates Drive Belt Tensioner

• Four Seasons Drive Belt Tensioner

• Dorman/Techoice Drive Belt Tensioner

• Dayco Drive Belt Tensioner

• Dayco Import Drive Belt Tensioner

• SKF Drive Belt Tensioner

• Acdelco Professional Drive Belt Tensioner

There might be a big-picture overview of the Drive Belt Tensioner in your mind, and now it’s time to look at its related components.

• Tensioner Assembly

• Pulley Or Tensioner Bearing

• Tensioner Bearing

• Belt Tensioner

If you are looking for “Drive Belt Tensioner Replacement Cost”, “Drive Belt Tensioner Replacement Labor Cost”, “Average Cost Of Drive Belt Tensioner Swap” or “How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Car Drive Belt Tensioner”, then keep on reading further! If you are seeing blown Drive Belt Tensioner signs from your vehicle, then it means that a repair bill is coming. More than other failures in a car, there is nothing that is like a faulty Drive Belt Tensioner. Now if your car's Drive Belt Tensioner goes bad, then it would cause a lot of issues in the functioning of your car. Keep in mind that the Drive Belt Tensioner replacement cost would depend upon the type of automobile, brand, as well as various other factors. To change the belt tensioner in most models, the labor charges to replace them might vary between $150 and $325 for most vehicles.

Here are a few steps on how to change the drive belt tensioner step by step.

Step 1

Fix the socket wrench to the bolt exactly in the center of the belt tensioner pulley. You can find the belt tensioner on the front of the engine, lying between the crankshaft as well as the alternator pulleys.

Step 2

In the clockwise direction, pull the socket wrench so that the serpentine belt will be set loose. Allow the tensioner to sit back into position.

With the help of a socket, the wrench opens the belt tensioner assembly from the motor. Now you will have to take off the assembly from the engine compartment.

If you are still confused about which type of car Drive Belt you should buy, then you can visit our The Ultimate Drive Belt Buying Guide. You should always look for the warning signs of a bad Drive Belt and replace them at the earliest you can. With us, you can find Drive Belt at the most economical costs.