1HDFT AC Idler Bearing Diagnosis

[andrewhofmeyr]

Recently I've been getting a clacking kind of sound from the front of the engine bay. Members from a Facebook group chat helped me identify what seems most likely to be my AC idler bearing. It seems easy enough to release tension, pull the belt off, and spin it by hand to check. I've never done this before so I'm worried about improperly re-tensioning the belt back up. How can I make sure I have the right tension? I don't have a belt tension tool...

Also, if it turns out the idler bearing is shot, would it be simple for me to replace it? Do I need to replace the belt aswell?

Cheers

 

[Dusten]

Recently I've been getting a clacking kind of sound from the front of the engine bay. Members from a Facebook group chat helped me identify what seems most likely to be my AC idler bearing. It seems easy enough to release tension, pull the belt off, and spin it by hand to check. I've never done this before so I'm worried about improperly re-tensioning the belt back up. How can I make sure I have the right tension? I don't have a belt tension tool...

Also, if it turns out the idler bearing is shot, would it be simple for me to replace it? Do I need to replace the belt aswell?

Cheers

Buy a gates belt tension tool. They're cheap.

 

[andrewhofmeyr]

Buy a gates belt tension tool. They're cheap.

Damn, I didn't know you could get one that cheap. I saw one that was a couple of hundred bucks and just assumed they were all like that. Thanks!!

 

[jellis]

Yeah thanks for that, I'm about to do my water pump and RADD says most common failure mode is incorrect belt tension so now I can actually know!