Idler & Tensioner Pulley Bearings, Drive belt (AKA Serpentine or fan belt)

[2001LC]

I've not look for these idler bearings for years. When I did find a replacement, they wanted me to buy a case. As they were not carried by USA distributors. If you order one, let us know how it workout. Also gross cost $ i.e bearing, tax shipping total to your door.

I do press in tensioner bearing very often, unless tensioner spring to weak. In which case I replace the tensioner assy., which comes with pulley/bearing. But I always try to push off, until timing belt job.

 

[jammingator]

So my wife came home from work saying “the LC was making a screeching noise today.” Popped the hood and saw nothing visibly wrong, cranked it up and immediately saw that the tensioner pulley was frozen (171k mikes - original tensioner). Guess what? I had an assembly on the shelf! As the tensioner is fine and it’s dark out I figure I’ll just switch the pulley. Easy as it gets. Everything going great until I started to tighten the bolt. Guess what? Pulley is too small! I noticed the size difference but knew there were different sizes so thought the tensioner would take the slack. It very well might but either way it won’t fit. The shaft size is fine, it’s the round piece protruding from the assembly that won’t fit between the hub and the pulley. So wondering whether to try to press out the bearings and swap them tonight or just try to find a matching pulley tomorrow. Any thoughts? Here’s pics.

 

[nissanh]

Its a NTN bearing, yeah, press it in. WARNING when pressing in, place an appropritely sized box socket or similar exactly opposite to the shaft/bore the new bearing is sliding into. I didnt do it, so the pully bent whle pressing in.

 

[jammingator]

And just like that - I got the old one out, the new one out, and pressed the new one into the old pulley! Now to put it on! Thanks @nissanh, didn’t see your message until I came back to post the result but I got it lined up and used a socket to press in with a vice. Everything went pretty well overall.

 

[GVegasG]

I just pressed in this bearing. Hopefully it is a correct replacement.
Amazon product ASIN B07SR3FZRCHow much torque should i use for the bearing bolt?

 

[FamilyCamper]

I just pressed in this bearing. Hopefully it is a correct replacement.
Amazon product ASIN B07SR3FZRCHow much torque should i use for the bearing bolt?

was this for the tensioner pulley or the idler pulley? Also did you have any issues?

 

[Land Shark]

was this for the tensioner pulley or the idler pulley? Also did you have any issues?

you looking to practice before you do mine

 

[FamilyCamper]

you looking to practice before you do mine

haha, best to do it at the same time!! Ive got a noise coming from belt area and I probably need to replace the bearings in the idler and the tensioner, got a new belt coming in a couple of days.

 

[Land Shark]

haha, best to do it at the same time!! Ive got a noise coming from belt area and I probably need to replace the bearings in the idler and the tensioner, got a new belt coming in a couple of days.

Definitely! Now to order the bearings. Ive got a new belt just riding around with me

 

[GVegasG]

was this for the tensioner pulley or the idler pulley? Also did you have any issues?

I have to look up my notes to be sure. No issues. It was the tensioner pulley.

 

[FamilyCamper]

I have to look up my notes to be sure. No issues. It was the tensioner pulley.

View attachment 3523486

Appreciate that.

 

[ToyotaTechnical]

Hey all, as mentioned perviously, the complete pulley is available from NSK. Exact OEM Match, at 1/4 the price of OEM.

Rock auto has them for $26 + Shipping. I require this pulley to be replaced on any timing belt job I do for a customer.

Part Number: NSK 70SPPV0408DDUL

 

[Mike NXP]

Damn, I replaced my idler and tensioner pulley within the past few years with OEM, but I've got a pulley chirp noise on startup again...Sucks that these parts aren't lasting too long.

Question : When I remove by accessory belt, I test spin the idler pulley and it does not free spin like most bad pulleys I have tested.... but it does have a little bit of a grindy noise and I can hear it more when I put the stethoscope on it...... Safe to say this is the bad pulley? I really hate to throw parts at this thing especially with a new muffler on my to-do list as well.

 

[2001LC]

Damn, I replaced my idler and tensioner pulley within the past few years with OEM, but I've got a pulley chirp noise on startup again...Sucks that these parts aren't lasting too long.

Question : When I remove by accessory belt, I test spin the idler pulley and it does not free spin like most bad pulleys I have tested.... but it does have a little bit of a grindy noise and I can hear it more when I put the stethoscope on it...... Safe to say this is the bad pulley? I really hate to throw parts at this thing especially with a new muffler on my to-do list as well.

Stethoscope, hear belt and other bearing on belt sounds. They can help zero in, if heard. We then remove belt and spin pulley, by hand. No sound and short free spin, it's good. Sound it's on the way out.

OEM idlers last a long time. longer than any aftermarket I've seen. Usually 90K without making much of a sounds, until late in serviceable life. Not free spinning, is very good sign. Provided free spins smoothly and silent.

Issues I see, shorten life.
Is installed backward.
Missing guard washer. The bearing has rubber seals. This seal is not great at keeping water out. The guard washer prevent direct water spray from hitting the front seal. Missing seals fails fast, so the bearing fails.

Some remove seal. Clean bearings and races, then re grease.

 

[Mike NXP]

Stethoscope, hear belt and other bearing on belt sounds. They can help zero in, if heard. We then remove belt and spin pulley, by hand. No sound and short free spin, it's good. Sound it's on the way out.

OEM idlers last a long time. longer than any aftermarket I've seen. Usually 90K without making much of a sounds, until late in serviceable life. Not free spinning, is very good sign. Provided free spins smoothly and silent.

Issues I see, shorten life.
Is installed backward.
Missing guard washer. The bearing has rubber seals. This seal is not great at keeping water out. The guard washer prevent direct water spray from hitting the front seal. Missing seals fails fast, so the bearing fails.

Some remove seal. Clean bearings and races, then re grease.

Good to know, thanks for reply..

Luckily I had a spare idler with only a few thousand miles on it so I could compare. I ended up swapping it out last night and will test run it today.

The stethoscope revealed a bit of noise and it spins a few rotations compared to the new-ish pulley I am comparing it with... So hopefully this is where the noise is coming from but I've only got 40k miles on this OEM idler...Installed properly and torqued to 30ft lbs ..In fact going through service records and within the past 30-40k every spinning pulley ( timing and accessory related) has been replaced with OEM so I'm bummed to hear some noises again.

 

[Mike NXP]

Well shoot. My noise is coming from something timing belt related.....This is pretty s***ty because less than 40k miles ago I replaced all spinning parts with OEM parts.

I started the engine today , it starts quiet then after a minute or two a little pulley noise appears...I removed the accessory belt and started the motor again and the noise is still there...I really don't want to keep replacing parts but I also don't like the idea of a squeaky pulley on something timing belt related.....just live with it?

 

[2001LC]

Well shoot. My noise is coming from something timing belt related.....This is pretty s***ty because less than 40k miles ago I replaced all spinning parts with OEM parts.

I started the engine today , it starts quiet then after a minute or two a little pulley noise appears...I removed the accessory belt and started the motor again and the noise is still there...I really don't want to keep replacing parts but I also don't like the idea of a squeaky pulley on something timing belt related.....just live with it?

You did T-belt yourself? Pictures?
Whos kits and from where?
You did check under radiator cap, to see coolant to the top?
You did install OEM thermostat jiggle valve up?

 

[Mike NXP]

You did T-belt yourself? Pictures?
Whos kits and from where?
You did check under radiator cap, to see coolant to the top?
You did install OEM thermostat jiggle valve up?

I had Toyota do the timing belt job, twice.

• Before I was more familiar with the vehicle I had Toyota replace timing belt and water pump at - 152k miles
• A few years later I developed a chirp ( very similar symptoms to what I have now ) and realized when I first had them do the timing belt job, they did not replace the timing idler + tensioner. So we did another timing belt, water pump, Themostat, idler pulley + tensioner . Also did fan clutch, fan bracket, and a few small cooling lines within reach ( near oil filter ) - This was at 199k miles
  
  
• Life was good for the next 40k miles until about now. I monitor coolant temps often and it stays consistently under 200f, usually between 185-195 depending on conditions. Coolant is looking good in the reservoir and under the cap . System is flushed every 30k or sooner with red 50/50. No issues with overheating
  
  But now on cold starts in the morning the chirp is there and eventually goes away once warm.. Removed the belt today to diagnose further and definitely narrowed down to something timing belt related.

 

[2001LC]

I had Toyota do the timing belt job, twice.

• Before I was more familiar with the vehicle I had Toyota replace timing belt and water pump at - 152k miles
• A few years later I developed a chirp ( very similar symptoms to what I have now ) and realized when I first had them do the timing belt job, they did not replace the timing idler + tensioner. So we did another timing belt, water pump, Themostat, idler pulley + tensioner . Also did fan clutch, fan bracket, and a few small cooling lines within reach ( near oil filter ) - This was at 199k miles
  
  
• Life was good for the next 40k miles until about now. I monitor coolant temps often and it stays consistently under 200f, usually between 185-195 depending on conditions. Coolant is looking good in the reservoir and under the cap . System is flushed every 30k or sooner with red 50/50. No issues with overheating
  
  But now on cold starts in the morning the chirp is there and eventually goes away once warm.. Removed the belt today to diagnose further and definitely narrowed down to something timing belt related.

00-02 LC will run 184f-187F all day long in stop and go 100F OAT over hot asphalt frt & Rear AC on full. First over 191f for more than 2 minutes, in 2002LC. Indicates one or more; radiator fins need washing, old cap sticking, sticking thermostat and weak fan clutch.. But non of these current sound issue.

Every Toyota / Lexus dealership, I deal with. Use OEM. So very likely you've top shelf T-belt parts.

Unfortunately, few Dealership have good tech. Sign of good Dealership. Most Tech been there 10 or more years (low turnover). Very few even good tech use a torque wrench.
A 1 in 1,000, Tensioner or idler pulley bearing failure.
If it water pump. You'll get a leak.
Tensioner failing.
Install issue.


Perhaps your sound is not a bearing. I've seen throttle body, PVC valve, PVC grommet and vacuum hoses make unusually sound. Not to mention brake booster motor.

 

[Gartenmeister]

Replaced my tensioner bearing following @2001LC vice/socket procedure, worked perfectly. For anyone looking to do this who might want a bearing made in Japan as I did, NSK 6203-DDU on Amazon for around $8.

I also replaced the belt and idler pulley assembly with OEM since it seems idler bearing is a challenge. $75 on SE Toyota sale.

These two (bearings) spun for days and were clearly worn out. Front of motor sounds a little better now, but I still have issues. Suspect fan pulley bracket. It seems very smooth but spins for a long time with the belt off. Also fan continues turning 1 to 2 seconds after motor shut down.

@Mike NXP did you figure out your noise?