idler pulley

[Dennis Shelley]

It is a 2001 ST. 4 liter. So at 206,000 miles the idler pulley goes bad. However the ST is in a parking lot 2 miles from home.

From someone that has swapped out one of these what is the process??

Can this be done in the parking lot with common hand wrenches??

Is the idler pulley bolt left or right hand thread??

Do I replace just the idle pulletr or the bracket it is mounted on?

Will be going back on Monday to execute the repair.

Any help from someone thst has done is appreciated.

Thanks guys

Dennis

 

[Lloyd Ledford]

you replace just the idler pulley. right hand threads on pulley bolt. here's the tools you'll need: 7mm socket for the throttle cover

8mm socket for air intake tube at throttle body

3/8"drive ratchet for belt tensioner

15mm or 16mm socket for idler pulley bolt





should only take about 15 minutes. easy peasy.



take off cover, take off air intake tube, take off belt, take off pulley. install new

pulley, blah, blah, blah.

 

[EddieS'04]

Is this the top idler pully? or the lower tensonor pully.?

The top Idler can be done in a few minutes regular tools. Right hand threads. The hardest might be getting a good lever on the tensonor pully. It has to be released for either repair. or even belt replacment.

I bought me a tool fromm harbor freight that is designed for almost any tensonor relaese.

If you use a 3/8 ratchet or breakover on the tensonor release. take a long one. it can be stiff. and it is down low on the right side below the altenator.



If you have to replace the tensonor idler. I prefer the gates brand. the internal spring is flat wound metal. As where other brands are spiral coils. The flat wound design has less tendency to cause belt slap. Smoother operation less vibs on the accessories.



Hope this helps some and is not info overload...GL

 

[EddieS'04]

LLoyd our post time was exact the same.....LOL

 

[Lloyd Ledford]

cool. just like at work, it's a team effort!

 

[RedRanger 7]

I used one of the longer handled spark plug ratchet with a flex head. Find a deep socket that fits over the ratchet handle and put an 6" extension on it for some more leverage. Can be a finger pincher. Took me 20 minutes with air intake tube removed, maybe some vids on you tube. :driving:

 

[Dennis Shelley]

Oh Yeah, you guys saved me. Replaced the tension idler pulley in the parking lot. This was shredded, bearings falling on the ground, pulley in pieces. Had a short warning on this then POW, the belt was moving across the frozen pulley and then smoke arose.

New belt part of the deal.



The Information provided from the S-T web site was spot-on about the RIGHT HAND THREADS on the top idler, WAS SO BIG.

Did the top idler when the ST was in the Driveway.

Both idlers are original, so replacement is over do.

Got it back on the road, in Oct will have a 1,100 one way road trip pulling 1,000 pound trailer and then return. The ST with 208,000 at that time will find a way.

Again, thanks for the help:banana:

 

[Lloyd Ledford]

any time. and thank you for letting us know the outcome. a lot of people who ask questions never do.