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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Trucks / March 2009

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Belt Tensioner

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dobbsc@webtv.net - 13 Mar 2009 01:49 GMT
Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
it? Thanks for any help. Charlie
Jeff Strickland - 13 Mar 2009 02:00 GMT
You didn't say which motor you have, but my 5.8L Bronco had a spring loaded
tensioner. I have a '97 F150 with the 4.6L, and it has a spring loaded
tensioner. The spring is not adjustable.

> Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
> way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
> that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
> it? Thanks for any help. Charlie
Tom J - 13 Mar 2009 02:40 GMT
> Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must
> be
> a way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the
> pulley that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do
> you turn it? Thanks for any help. Charlie

Time for a new belt, UNLESS the spring is broken in the tension idler
pulley.

Tom J
scrape - 13 Mar 2009 02:51 GMT
>Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
>squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
>way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
>that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
>it? Thanks for any help. Charlie

Don't bother.  Just go to your local parts store and get a new
belt for around $20.00.  It'll take you about 5 minutes or so to
install it.
david - 13 Mar 2009 10:49 GMT
On Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:49:39 -0700, dobbsc rearranged some electrons to
say:

> Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
> way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
> that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
> it? Thanks for any help. Charlie

Are you sure it's the belt and not the bearing in the tensioner pulley
going bad?  Or worse (water pump seal?)

In any case, putting more tension on the belt is not the solution.
Jeff Strickland - 13 Mar 2009 18:29 GMT
> Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
> way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
> that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
> it? Thanks for any help. Charlie

There is a tensioner pulley AND an idler pulley. Either of these can make
noise, and the belt can make noise. Belt squeal is typically resolved by
replacing the belt, the condition of the pulley bearings is inspected then,
and replaced as needed. I replaced one of my pulleys in the parking lot in
front of the parts store.
Ulysses - 13 Mar 2009 22:03 GMT
> > Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> > squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> and replaced as needed. I replaced one of my pulleys in the parking lot in
> front of the parts store.

I recently had a noisy idler pulley too.  Being a long way from the auto
parts store I just sprayed some carb cleaner and gobbed a little bearing
grease on it--it sounds good for now but probably won't last long.

There have been some after-market belts that I've read about that are just a
little bit too long and cause lots of problems.  Is it a new belt?  Perhaps
try running it for a few seconds without the belt and see if the noise goes
away which it probably will.  I use a shop-vac hose for a stethoscope by
putting the end that goes in the vacuum cleaner over my ear.
Blue C5 - 14 Mar 2009 13:46 GMT
On Mar 12, 8:49 pm, dob...@webtv.net ( ) wrote:
> Hi, I have a friend that has a 95 F150 and the serpentine belt is
> squealing. I don't know to much about Fords but I think there must be a
> way to put more tension on the belt.I saw a hex head bolt on the pulley
> that is spring loaded. Is that the adjustment and what way do you turn
> it? Thanks for any help. Charlie

It could be the belt or it could be the tensioner.  Squirt some oil
into the bearing on the back side of the tensioner and see it the
squealing stops.  If so, you need a new tensioner.  Inspect the belt
for cracks etc. and decide if you want to replace it.

You need a serpentine belt wrench kit to do this job.  Most auto parts
store loan them out or you can buy one from Harbor Freight for about
$12.50.  You sentect the correct socket size for the hex head and put
it on the wrench (more like a flat bar).  Turn it one way or the other
and you will see the belt loosen.  Slip the belt off the tensioner.
Replace belt and/or tensioner ($26 or so) and use the tensioner kit to
reinstall.

Bob
Alex, VA
 
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