How To Replace Belt Tensioner?

5578 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by ovic72, Apr 17, 2004

ovic72

Discussion Starter · Apr 17, 2004

My belt tensioner is probably dying, it vibrates and makes metalic clicking noises when the car is in drive or reverse, it vibrates less and no noise when car is in park or neutral. It took me quite a while to figure out what was causing the noise because every time I put the car in park and opened the hood to have a look, the noise went away

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The car is '99 Taurus with the OHV Vulcan engine. Does anyone know how to replace the belt tensioner and what size and kind of the star wrench (I believe) I am gonna need?
Thanks...

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Rockledge

· #2 · Apr 17, 2004

Straightforward job. You obviously have to take off the drive belt. To do that, put a 15 mm socket on the bolt that secures the tensioner pulley to the tensioner, and then use it to rotate the tensioner clockwise in order to release the tension on the belt.

Slip off the belt, remove the tensioner retaining bolt from power steering pump support, and take off the tensioner.

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ovic72

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 17, 2004

This is an update, just replaced the belt tensioner today, and the noise disapeared. I used regular 15 mm wrench to release the tensioner to remove belt, and T50 torx socket(available at AutoZone) to remove the tensioner. A special tool to release the tensioner would be a better choice than the regular 15 mm wrench since it gives much better leverage.
Idler pulley also needs to be removed to have enough room, and removing the coolant tank is optional. I did OK without removing the coolant tank.

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