How many are running without an idler pulley (2 Viewers)

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I learned to like the whine, kind of like a supercharger noise.....for a while. As of tomorrow it is hitting the shelf.
 
When I bought my truck 7 years ago, it had an idler pulley. As of two years ago, it no longer had one. I do not know where it went or how long it has been MIA. Truck seems to run fine without it.

Quite a few folks run without it and experience no problems. It's not a tensioner pulley anyway and not really a true 'idler' IMO, since all it does is slightly 'dampen' belt vibration and fluctuation. I've left mine in place and intend to keep it.

Just don't run your belts over it like this (as has been seen more than once):


Belts Wrong.jpg
 
I learned to like the whine, kind of like a supercharger noise.....for a while. As of tomorrow it is hitting the shelf.
If you use Toyota belts, there is no whine.
 
$15 is infinitely more than zero.

Yep, you passed the math test....not that it was one. ;)

After dumping $12k into the thing it's time to pinch pennies somewhere.

Fair enough.... and I certainly understand, just pointing out that the V-belts are not an expensive item to replace. It's easy to spend a lot of money on these vehicles, no doubt about that. But worth it.

^^^^

Expand for reply.
 
If you use Toyota belts, there is no whine.
Changed the alt on the '93 to a Sequoia unit using the @Photoman bracket. Everything works, everything seems to be lined up, Toyota belts, and the idler pulley is screaming.... A little gear oil on the inside quiets it down a little, and only for a little while. We've been running without the idler for the last 18 months.
 
Changed the alt on the '93 to a Sequoia unit using the @Photoman bracket. Everything works, everything seems to be lined up, Toyota belts, and the idler pulley is screaming.... A little gear oil on the inside quiets it down a little, and only for a little while. We've been running without the idler for the last 18 months.
That's a bad bearing. Different from the whine of cogged belts.
 
We've been running without the idler for the last 18 months.

Granted, Chasetruck is German, so he's easy to misinterpret, and has their typical tendency to over-engineer everything, even forum replies. And a scientist, so he really can't help himself.
 
He quoted my post referring to using Toyota belts not whining, so I replied to his that it was a different issue.
 
He quoted my post referring to using Toyota belts not whining, so I replied to his that it was a different issue.
You're from Kansas, aren't you?
 
Somebody really needs to post a solid reason for running the damn pulley aside from theory or "toyota put it there for a reason"

I'm seeing:

Pros:

Less parts to fail without it.
Less weight...:flipoff2:
No need for specific belting.

Cons:

Toyota had a reason.

Change my mind.
 
Wait, what? I'm from Arizona, too. Sort of. But I've 'wheeled in Kansas... Tuttle Creek, actually.

Yes, noise of the idler was a bad bearing, otherwise the gear oil wouldn't have had any effect on the noise.
But the OP was asking who's running their '80 without the idler, so I thought I'd chime in.
 
Somebody really needs to post a solid reason for running the damn pulley aside from theory or "toyota put it there for a reason"

I'm seeing:

Pros:

Less parts to fail without it.
Less weight...:flipoff2:
No need for specific belting.

Cons:

Toyota had a reason.

Change my mind.
I'm pretty sure it was to save busloads of Nuns and Kindergartners.......
 
But I've 'wheeled in Kansas...

You can't keep saying things like this if you want people to take you seriously. You'd think they'd teach you that in scientist school.
 

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