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Belt Tensioner Jumps and Chatters

89tta636

89tta636

Active Member
Looking for some feedback/thoughts from anyone on this.

After my engine is running for a few minutes, the belt tensioner starts to chatter and jump slightly at idle. I thought it was the bearing in the pulley, so replaced it, but the tensioner arm still jumped and chattered. Thought the alternator was heating up and binding, thus causing the tensioner to react by jumping and chattering, but after the engine ran and heated up, I disconnected the belt and the alternator turned freely by hand. I also didn't feel or hear any binding or grinding in the alternator while the engine was running.

Could the spring just be old and fatigued? Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated. If anyone has had this before and it is the spring, any idea where to get a replacement?

Thanks..
 
Sorry, I dont have any info on this. I just wanted to say it was great meeting you at the GM Carlisle show. Next year I will definitely bring mine out to that show. I hope you had fun even though the sun was a scorcher that weekend. Hope to see you and #636 again at the Reunion. Good luck with the tensioner and if I hear anything about it, I will be sure to let you know.
 
Good to meet you too. Don't forget to let me know if your buddy has any of those covers.
Thanks,
Rob.
 
89tta636 said:
Looking for some feedback/thoughts from anyone on this.

After my engine is running for a few minutes, the belt tensioner starts to chatter and jump slightly at idle. I thought it was the bearing in the pulley, so replaced it, but the tensioner arm still jumped and chattered. Thought the alternator was heating up and binding, thus causing the tensioner to react by jumping and chattering, but after the engine ran and heated up, I disconnected the belt and the alternator turned freely by hand. I also didn't feel or hear any binding or grinding in the alternator while the engine was running.

Could the spring just be old and fatigued? Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated. If anyone has had this before and it is the spring, any idea where to get a replacement?

Thanks..
Click to expand...

I have something similar happening with mine also. I don't see the tensioner moving around too much, but I have something making a rattling noise. It only seems to make it when the car is warm also. When I start it with no belt the noise goes away...
 
I have the same problem. I was told the belt needs to be 10mm shorter. If yours was replaced at some point most likely it wasn't an oem one. Some thing about the tensioner being maxed out because of the longer belt. I will let you now when I replace the belt if it solves the problem.
 
GNTTA said:
I have the same problem. I was told the belt needs to be 10mm shorter. If yours was replaced at some point most likely it wasn't an oem one. Some thing about the tensioner being maxed out because of the longer belt. I will let you now when I replace the belt if it solves the problem.
Click to expand...

Sounds good. Thanks for the feedback. I do have a new belt to put on and it is a bit shorter. It actually made the pulley very close to the air compressor pulley and I was not too comfortable with that close fit.

I am out of the country right now, but will give the other belt a try again when I get back.

Regards,
Rob.
 
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