Noisy, squeaky AC idler pulley? Here's a trick... (2 Viewers)

[Atoyot1031]

My AC idler pulley was sounding terrible, and I did not have time to source the 6301 sealed bearings and replace, so here's what I did.

1. Remove tension from idler pulley and remove pulley.
2. Remove snapring from pulley that retains bearing.
3. Using a pick between the outer race and the plastic bearing seal, remove seal.
4. Pack bearings with appropriate bearing grease.
5. Push/snap bearing seal back in place.
6. Re-install snapring.
7. Re-install pulley.
8. Tension belt.

After this, my pulley is inaudible. I'm headed to Durango for the weekend (6 hrs one way) pulling the camper. I'll let you know how it holds up when I get back.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[blake_fzj80]

thanks for the info!

Mine is also making a lot of noise when the AC is on . Sounds like packing that bearing helps reduce the noise. I'm gonna try it.

 

[yoopercharged]

Mine was too. Bearing siezed. The A/C tensioner pulley, brg, and mounting stud (everything but the adjuster bolt) was approx $30 or less from CDan at American Toyota.

 

[Jack G. Nichols]

I have a needle for my grease gun - would it be possible to sneak some lube in that way? I have something making a racket under the hood, and that is the most likely suspect at 225,000 plus miles.

 

[87 HJ60]

Mine is making a noise too somewhere from the front of the engine but I don't know where it's coming from. It makes the sound like the whine from a supercharger (no I don't have a supercharger installed...). It gets louder as the rpm's of the engine go up too?
How can I isolate the sound?

 

[yoopercharged]

Mine is making a noise too somewhere from the front of the engine but I don't know where it's coming from. It makes the sound like the whine from a supercharger (no I don't have a supercharger installed...). It gets louder as the rpm's of the engine go up too?
How can I isolate the sound?

Stethoscope or the old school screwdriver/pry bar technique. Must be very careful with rotating machinery. Temperature guns might work. Rub pumice on the belt if you suspect a belt slipping.

 

[darwink1]

If you replace steps 3-5 with go get a new bearing at the local bearing place youll be golden. The cage was totally destroyed in my old bearing and grease wouldnt have done a thing..

D

 

[Crawdad]

This is a great idea....

So it's father's day, no parts fairy on sunday and the noisy idler pulley is driving me nuts.

I talked on Friday to a buddy who owns a shop, he suggested pulling the pulley and pressing in a new bearing, $20.00 from advanced tech locally, plus I have to go to his shop to press out and back in the new bearing.

CDAN can replace the whole unit for 30.00 plus shipping and a few days to get it.

I decided I couldn't hurt anything trying this on a given sunday and see if it worked, if it doesn't, I have options over the next few days.

30 minutes start to finish, cleaned lubed and re-installed.... noise gone. I will still order another pulley from cdan but I think I want to see how far this temp fix will go.

Thanks for the great suggestions and easy fix.

 

[DiscoveryXD]

mine has a simipiar noise, but it sounds like it's coming from the area near the alternator. The alternator is new, and that can't be it... possibly the pulley directly below it?

 

[Atoyot1031]

I have a needle for my grease gun - would it be possible to sneak some lube in that way? I have something making a racket under the hood, and that is the most likely suspect at 225,000 plus miles.

I thought about this as well. Someone else had posted about drilling a hole in the seal, pumping in the grease, and then siliconing the seal. However, what I've posted above is so quick and easy and leaves the factory seal in one piece that I didn't see any reason to go that route.

If you replace steps 3-5 with go get a new bearing at the local bearing place youll be golden.

I think you missed the "I did not have time to source the 6301 sealed bearings and replace" part of my original post. I'm still going to replace the bearing, but I had to drive over 750 miles in three days, and I don't have a bearing place nearby (or a Walmart within an hour). It's a little different when you live in the middle of nowhere...

So it's father's day, no parts fairy on sunday and the noisy idler pulley is driving me nuts.

I talked on Friday to a buddy who owns a shop, he suggested pulling the pulley and pressing in a new bearing, $20.00 from advanced tech locally, plus I have to go to his shop to press out and back in the new bearing.

CDAN can replace the whole unit for 30.00 plus shipping and a few days to get it.

I decided I couldn't hurt anything trying this on a given sunday and see if it worked, if it doesn't, I have options over the next few days.

30 minutes start to finish, cleaned lubed and re-installed.... noise gone. I will still order another pulley from cdan but I think I want to see how far this temp fix will go.

Thanks for the great suggestions and easy fix.

Awesome, glad it worked for you.

After over 750 miles and four mountain passes each way, my bearings are making a little noise. Now that I have time, I've ordered the bearings and will replace them next week. This "trick" did work well for me in a pinch.

 

[Michael Hanson]

I pulled and replaced my bearing in under 30min. The bearing cost 2.00. MIke

 

[HighNear90]

I pulled and replaced my bearing in under 30min. The bearing cost 2.00. MIke

Where did you get your bearing?

 

[97Bama]

I spoke to Toyota and they said the a/c bearing for the pulley cannot be replaced and needed to buy a new compressor. Is this correct. If not, did CDan send the pulley on the compressor.

 

[96r50]

I spoke to Toyota and they said the a/c bearing for the pulley cannot be replaced and needed to buy a new compressor. Is this correct. If not, did CDan send the pulley on the compressor.

This thread is about the tensioner pulley and the bearing inside it. I have no idea whether the AC compressor clutch bearing is replaceable or not, although I'm pretty sure the clutch is available separately from the entire compressor.

 

[97Bama]

Thanks for the clarification.. The clutch is available seperately but the bearing cannot be replaced.

 

[Atoyot1031]

So I ended up replacing my bearing once it came in (super easy BTW), which took care of that noise. Now I've got another...

 

[yoopercharged]

The A/C compressor bearing is replaceable. I did mine last year. However, the bearing is not a Toyota listed part. Search mud. I believe I got mine from an A/C specialist here on mud. About $10 IIRC.

 

[plutonius]

RTH what pulley is this?

The little silver pulley in the middle...

This little pulley in the middle of this pic was squeaking up a storm this morning, and I could tell it was dying a slow death. Nonetheless, it is seized now. It appears that it is just a tensioner pulley, but I'm sure there are folks here that will know for sure. Pull it and repack it? Park and don't drive until it spins freely? Apologies for the poor cell phone pic, I'm not at home and debating whether to drive tonight or not...

 

[Layonnn]

Mine was too. Bearing siezed. The A/C tensioner pulley, brg, and mounting stud (everything but the adjuster bolt) was approx $30 or less from CDan at American Toyota.

I was looking to loosen mine to replace my crapQuest belts that came with the 80. The tensioner bolt head is snapped off and the bolt on the front is rusted itself to the pulley. I am going to be ordering one of these tomorrow along with a new idler pulley. I was thinking it was a lot more expensive than that

 

[kenton]

middle of 2,000 mile family vacation, 80 may sh*t the bed on me...

The little silver pulley in the middle...

This little pulley in the middle of this pic was squeaking up a storm this morning, and I could tell it was dying a slow death. Nonetheless, it is seized now. It appears that it is just a tensioner pulley, but I'm sure there are folks here that will know for sure. Pull it and repack it? Park and don't drive until it spins freely? Apologies for the poor cell phone pic, I'm not at home and debating whether to drive tonight or not...

I, too, am currently suffering from Toyota overengineering... I am in the middle of a 2,000 mile vacation, this silver pulley seized near Lusk Wyoming, breaking one of the twin belts. I removed the pulley, replaced the belt, and kept on truckin'. I'm sure Toyota engineers put it there for better reasons than to kill belts when they seize, but I'm not seeing it. Over the distance between the alternator and crank, those two belts don't have lots of room to slap each other or the cover...

Anyway, here's my plan, tell me what you think: continue driving at 80+ mph, 4,000+ rpm (uphill towards Loveland Pass), intense heat, with A/C blasting, never check the belts for slack or slapping, and thereby expose myself to the chance of them breaking in the middle of nowhere, on a 102 degree day, on a Saturday afternoon, with my wife and children in the car.

Because, dammit, if you can't knowingly tempt fates and get yer asswhupped for it once in awhile, what good is living?