Corollas2019-23ToyotasTech

Search Corolland!

1zzfe Serpentine Belt Tensioner Mod

by matadorCE, December 20, 2006



Has anyone else replaced their stock belt tensioner with this?

http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/bf/9c/20_1.JPG

I have the dreaded belt squeak due to a worn out tensioner so i chose to replace the stock tensioner with this part '01 CE with past weekend. Well designed part that fits well with only one minor issue solved with some washers. I bought it from here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-00-01...sspagenameZWDVW

I'm now wondering if this was a good idea or not. I'm concerned that bolt will break and i'll be stranded on the side of the road. I'm also worried if i have the right amount of tension on the belt. I know "old" cars have used this type of tensioner for years, but i do like the stock tensioner since it's maintance free and there is no adjusting it. What do you guys think? Does anyone else have one on their car?

I only bought it because it seems like a good solution plus it's a lot cheaper than buying a new tensioner from the dealer.

Nope - and I would not recommend using that either. Lots of time - the squeaking is coming from the pulley and not from the hydraulic tensioner.

The only thing I would be worried about is the belt breaking on you since it cannot dynamically change its tension. There is a reason that Toyota put on a hydralically damped belt tensioner on it. If you rev you engine - that tensioner does swing up and down a bit (helps with some of the loading issues of running a timing chain - you need something that "gives" or you'll end up in trouble). Another concern would be that the load added to the other accessories driven off that fixed tensioner - will prematurely wear out their bearings.

If you ask me - I'd rather have a belt tensioner die on me rather than having to rebuild/replace any of the other accessories driven off that same belt (P/S, Alternator, W/P) - as those are more costly/more work involved in getting them fixed. Plus think of the load you are putting on the crank - belt will break before it will due some serious damage, but still run the risk of having uneven wear.

Nope - and I would not recommend using that either. Lots of time - the squeaking is coming from the pulley and not from the hydraulic tensioner.

The only thing I would be worried about is the belt breaking on you since it cannot dynamically change its tension. There is a reason that Toyota put on a hydralically damped belt tensioner on it. If you rev you engine - that tensioner does swing up and down a bit (helps with some of the loading issues of running a timing chain - you need something that "gives" or you'll end up in trouble). Another concern would be that the load added to the other accessories driven off that fixed tensioner - will prematurely wear out their bearings.

If you ask me - I'd rather have a belt tensioner die on me rather than having to rebuild/replace any of the other accessories driven off that same belt (P/S, Alternator, W/P) - as those are more costly/more work involved in getting them fixed. Plus think of the load you are putting on the crank - belt will break before it will due some serious damage, but still run the risk of having uneven wear.

Yeah that's some of what i was thinking since i installed this. And i'm 100% sure the squeaking is the belt and not any of the pulleys, I've checked. The belt i just replaced had less than a year of use, and it already had sign of slight glazing and started squealing more and more when i pulled it off this weekend.

I'll err on the side of caution and get a new OEM piece, i found some on Ebay for half the cost of what they are at the dealer:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...p;rd=1&rd=1

I wonder if there will be a recall on this part. It seems to be a common failure on these vehicles.

BTW, my wifes car is at the dealership getting this part replaced under warranty.

Bikeman982

What fails on the tensioner? Is it the bearings? Do you know because it starts to make a lot of noise?

What fails on the tensioner? Is it the bearings? Do you know because it starts to make a lot of noise?

 

Tensioner has a spring loaded shock that adjusts to belt tension.The shock leaks oil and looses its dampening ability and lets the belt chatter on the pulleys.

I thought at one time you could order just the shock/dampner and replace it only.I have never seen the pulley/bearing go on these units.

You can use a flash light and look at this "shock" and if it has oil or dirt stuck to it its just a matter of time before it needs replaced. one secret is that when you replace the belt pump the tensioner 4 times with the belt off it will burp the air out of the tensioner.

Bikeman982

What fails on the tensioner? Is it the bearings? Do you know because it starts to make a lot of noise?

 

Tensioner has a spring loaded shock that adjusts to belt tension.The shock leaks oil and looses its dampening ability and lets the belt chatter on the pulleys.

I thought at one time you could order just the shock/dampner and replace it only.I have never seen the pulley/bearing go on these units.

You can use a flash light and look at this "shock" and if it has oil or dirt stuck to it its just a matter of time before it needs replaced. one secret is that when you replace the belt pump the tensioner 4 times with the belt off it will burp the air out of the tensioner.

Isn't there a seal or something that can be changed to repair the tensioner, rather than always replacing it?

 

 

What fails on the tensioner? Is it the bearings? Do you know because it starts to make a lot of noise?

 

Tensioner has a spring loaded shock that adjusts to belt tension.The shock leaks oil and looses its dampening ability and lets the belt chatter on the pulleys.

I thought at one time you could order just the shock/dampner and replace it only.I have never seen the pulley/bearing go on these units.

You can use a flash light and look at this "shock" and if it has oil or dirt stuck to it its just a matter of time before it needs replaced. one secret is that when you replace the belt pump the tensioner 4 times with the belt off it will burp the air out of the tensioner.

Isn't there a seal or something that can be changed to repair the tensioner, rather than always replacing it?

 

sorry non rebuildable

 

 

seems like it has an update to the tensioner. there is a TSB out on the corolla, seems like 01 era. there are two differnt tensioners available (only real difference is the manufacturer) warranty is 3/36, so most likely out of warranty by now. seems like you replace the tensioner and the belt. we have done a few, and the noise was solved.

Bikeman982

Has anyone else replaced their stock belt tensioner with this?http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/bf/9c/20_1.JPG

 

I have the dreaded belt squeak due to a worn out tensioner so i chose to replace the stock tensioner with this part '01 CE with past weekend. Well designed part that fits well with only one minor issue solved with some washers. I bought it from here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-00-01...sspagenameZWDVW

I'm now wondering if this was a good idea or not. I'm concerned that bolt will break and i'll be stranded on the side of the road. I'm also worried if i have the right amount of tension on the belt. I know "old" cars have used this type of tensioner for years, but i do like the stock tensioner since it's maintance free and there is no adjusting it. What do you guys think? Does anyone else have one on their car?

I only bought it because it seems like a good solution plus it's a lot cheaper than buying a new tensioner from the dealer.

I would replace it with a stock tensioner.

 

 

i haven't gotten around to switching back to a stock unit (although i did buy a new one) but i don't have any problems to report so far. (cross fingers)

I will put the new oem part on though once i find some free time. For the record, my original tensioner didn't show any signs of leakage from what i could tell but it wouldn't hold the right amount of tension since the belt would squeak like crazy ( the belt only had about 1 1/2 years of use).

I noticed that in my dad's '98 Camry that the oem tensioner looks identical as the ebay one for the Corolla, so that made a bit less paranoid that this was a bad idea to do.

What was the cost on the OEM unit?

Bikeman982

i haven't gotten around to switching back to a stock unit (although i did buy a new one) but i don't have any problems to report so far. (cross fingers)I will put the new oem part on though once i find some free time. For the record, my original tensioner didn't show any signs of leakage from what i could tell but it wouldn't hold the right amount of tension since the belt would squeak like crazy ( the belt only had about 1 1/2 years of use).

 

I noticed that in my dad's '98 Camry that the oem tensioner looks identical as the ebay one for the Corolla, so that made a bit less paranoid that this was a bad idea to do.

It may have looked like the e-Bay item but it was probably different. I doubt Toyota would put anything as cheap into their cars, unless it had been tested.

 

 

What was the cost on the OEM unit?

a bit less than $60 shipped for the whole tensioner assembly. i got it on Ebay from RockAuto, a very reputable parts dealer.

i haven't gotten around to switching back to a stock unit (although i did buy a new one) but i don't have any problems to report so far. (cross fingers)I will put the new oem part on though once i find some free time. For the record, my original tensioner didn't show any signs of leakage from what i could tell but it wouldn't hold the right amount of tension since the belt would squeak like crazy ( the belt only had about 1 1/2 years of use).

 

I noticed that in my dad's '98 Camry that the oem tensioner looks identical as the ebay one for the Corolla, so that made a bit less paranoid that this was a bad idea to do.

It may have looked like the e-Bay item but it was probably different. I doubt Toyota would put anything as cheap into their cars, unless it had been tested.

 

the design and layout looked exactly the same, a bolt that you turn to adjust the tension of the belt. while yeah the part are completely different, i don't think the concept of putting this type of tensioner on the corolla is that far-fetched.



Topic List