What is a tension pulley?

: a pulley over which a belt is caused to pass in order to keep it taut.

How does a belt tensioner pulley work?

The pulley is what facilitates movement of the belt. The tensioner arm is found on the bottom of the tensioner, and if you press on it, it will work against the spring, delivering enough slack so that you can adjust or remove the belt.

What is the purpose of a belt tensioner?

Its primary function is to provide tension and guide the engine drive belt. These belts wrap around the various parts of the engine such as the power steering pump, alternator, water pump etc… To keep it simple, idlers are complementary pulleys that make the entire system run smoothly.

When do you use a belt tension pulley?

A belt tension pulley is used to maintain adequate pressure on a drive belt to ensure no slipping of the belt occurs while it is in an operational mode.

What are the parts of a belt tensioner?

The drive belt tension is made up of four main parts – the base, tensioner arm, spring and pulley. The base holds the other parts, and the spring keeps the belt pulled tight.

Which is the correct way to tension a V-belt?

The meter will report the belt tension in units of force. On new installations, hand rotate the system at least one full revolution of the belt in order to seat and normalize the components. When tensioning an array of V-belts, use a single belt toward the center.

When do you know you need to replace your belt tensioner?

If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.

What noise does a bad tensioner pulley make?

Any noise that sounds like a squealing, whirling, or chirping might be a sign that the tensioner is weakening. The pulley bearings should be ruled out first because loose bearings can also cause such a noise.

How do you remove a tensioner pulley?

Hold the tension from the belt, and slip the belt off the auto tensioner pulley to remove the belt and pulley system. Slowly release the tension to avoid damage or injury, and then remove the tool from the belt auto tensioner.

How do you check a serpentine belt tensioner?

Use a ruler to check the belt’s tension. In many applications, the serpentine belt needs only to be reasonably tight. Because of this, a belt tension gauge is not necessary for most vehicles. Instead, use a ruler to measure the distance between the two furthest pulleys and find the midway point.

What is a belt tensioner Assembly?

The belt tensioner assembly of your vehicle is designed to allow several engine parts to be operated by one serpentine belt. The belt is tightened or loosened by adjusting the belt tensioner with a tensioner tool or socket wrench. Occasionally, the belt tensioner assembly can wear out, causing the serpentine belt to wear unevenly.