New V-Belt Pulley Placement - Please confirm somebody else was dumb! (1 Viewer)

[therestevethedog]

My v-belts were shot so I bought some replacements from Toyota. First time changing belts, but how hard can it be?

Went to pull the old ones and had a hell of a time getting them off because whoever worked on it last routed them OVER the idler pulley. Highlighted in the drawing here.

The FSM shows it going under/behind it. This diagram is correct, yes? I don't think I could even pull a fresh belt over that pulley.

Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Manual is correct. I just changed that pulley this AM, matter of fact.

 

[LongDuck]

The diagram from the FSM is correct.

In fact, a lot of guys have removed the idler completely to reduce complexity and noise when the idler bearing eventually goes out - to no I'll effect. Toyota put it there to avoid belt vibration at certain harmonics, so I kept mine.

Would be funny to see the PO gorilla that belt the wrong way, though!

 

[therestevethedog]

Thank you! That’s the confirmation I was looking for.

Seriously, WTF?

 

[Kernal]

Some people do it that (wrong) way because it "looks" correct and they don't check any references before installing new belts. The difference is that many engines have a spring-loaded idler pulley that puts tension on a serpentine belt.

 

[landtank]

I wouldn’t run the engine without that pulley in place. IMO it’s to balance the tension between the 2 belts. You will notice there is a warble in the pulleys bearing for that.

Besides, if it was for belt vibration it would be located on the slack side of the crank pulley and not the tension side. Being on the tension side any difference in belt length will cause the bearing to tilt and equalize the tension.

 

[clx16]

Having the idler pulley there gives you two size options I guess haha. Hadn't considered that.

 

[therestevethedog]

Yeah, I cut off the back belt. No way I was going to muscle it out of there. New belts were on and tensioned properly 20 minutes later. Idler pull is staying put .

Ready to hit the Sierras next weekend!

 

[therestevethedog]

Crazy. Getting +2 MPG after the change.

 

[BILT4ME]

Crazy. Getting +2 MPG after the change.

That's a 20% mileage increase!

 

[therestevethedog]

That's a 20% mileage increase!

At least!!