Yes, it's the racket from under the hood that first drew my attention. As soon as I lifted the hood it was apparent where the noise was coming from. (From inside the truck, the noise sounded like unlubricated tappets; Yikes! I was actually glad to see what it really was.)
I should have told you from the start which motor I have. I decided to go with a 6 Cyl. This time, so I have a 4.3L V-6. As you look into the engine compartment, the tensioner is on the far left (passenger side). The belt travels straight up for about 9 inches and then goes over the alternator pulley. (This where the belt is vibrating like a guitar string; between the tensioner and the alternator.)
I ran through your checklist. I took a 3/8" breaker bar, unloaded the tensioner, and slipped the belt off. I went around to each pulley. They were all in good shape; no sideways wiggle; they spun freely.
Then I went to the tensioner, pulled it toward the radiator, pushed it back toward the engine block; back and forth many times with a lot of force. It was OK there. Then I got a 15MM socket and took the tensioner off the engine. I made the pulley spin as fast as I could with the palm of my hand; it ran real smooth. I checked for sideways wiggle; no problem there. I put the tensioner back on and the bolt ran in OK so there was no cross-threading. (I don't have a Chilton's for it yet, but I figured 32 ft. Lbs. Of torque would be alright.) I put the belt back on and the problem is still there.
Right now I'm thinking that the tensioner has an internal defectthat the spring-loading mechanism has some play in it allowing the tensioner to jump up and down.
Thank you very much for your expert guidance, and with your guidance I believe I've been able to whittle it down to the real problemyou can't have too much knowledge when going up against a service writer when you're seeking Warranty Repairs ('nuff said).
Man, I just love the picture of your WWII Airborne Ranger Jeep. The tiresThe embossed Willys logo under the windowWOW!
Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 AT 8:20 AM
