V6 aux belt tensioner and idler the same?
 

Hi,

The title may be a little misleading,

My 75 sometimes has a rattle from cold start and goes after a few minutes (having taken off the aux belt) and started the car again from cold, there was no rattle).

Now I've noticed, the idler pulley looks very similar to the same pulley bolted to the tensioner. I've found I can buy these pulleys with the bearing and torque bolt.

I'm considering replacing the pulley on the end of the tensioner (instead of buying a whole new tensioner) and the changing the idler).

Can anyone confirm if these two are the same?

Here is the pulley

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273825274500

Could this simply replace the pulley on the end of the tensioner? After all, if the bearing is at fault, seems a waste to replace the whole tensioner for just a failed bearing. Likewise for the idler.

Thanks
Rob

A very good question! I have changed a few but never bothered to have a look to see if they are the same part?

Ancillary belt tensioner
 

Hi Rob,

You may be right but what if the fault isn't the pulley bearing but the tensioning device? Your evidence suggests that it is. When I did mine, the minor price difference between pulley only and tensioner complete made it an easy decision. :}

Simon

I'm hoping someone perhaps dmgrs would be able to confirm if they are indeed the same part and changing just the pulley would be possible.

Simon, other than the tensioner being spring loaded, what other issues can come from the tensioner other than the bearing becoming an issue that sits inside the pulley? The tensioner I have appears to be able to apply tension perfectly fine and my thoughts are, the bearing in either the tensioner or idler pulley is failing ( I did feel play in one of them just can't remember which) not a lot of play but very slightly. The pulley on its own is 20 odd quid so two would be 40 odd quid, the tensioner on its own is £90 then the idler pulley is £39. ( I'd be inclined to change both on the thought that if it is bearing related, it could be a possibility that doing just the tensioner, could result in the bearings in the idler pulley becoming an issue only a few weeks or months later.

Thanks
Rob

Hi Rob. I'd say they're very probably the same, but if you check the Rimmer listing here: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID002024 you'll see that the idler pulley (Item 15) is Part Number PQR100781. If you check this on the eBay listings, you'll find pullies with this part number offered at a similar price to your PQG100141. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...0781+&_sacat=0

EDIT:
Also see: https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oen...pqg100141.html

So whether they're the same thing or not, you achieve your plan.


TC

They are the same, I have used the idler wheel to replace a cream-crackered pulley on the tensioner arm a number of times.

be interesting to get feedback from those who have changed the tensioners as to
what wears out.
If the tensioner mechanism is still functioning or is it just the bearings in the wheel.
I would hazard a guess that the pulley bearing would be the thing failing, if so could be a bit easier to change when doing a belt change.

Thanks for the info gents,

Having found close up pictures of both of the pulleys, the only noticeable difference I can find is, one has an extra ridge in the finned side of the pulley, where the other pulley doesn't. The other noticeable difference is the metal washer that the tensioner pulley has, not sure if this can be taken from the existing tensioner pulley fitted to the car at present and taken off and used on the new pulley

It's great to hear that someone else has also thought and tried this!

Thanks
Rob