Serpentine belt very tight-tensioner beyond it's limit

[maxny]

I have a 99 Contour 2.0 manufactured 10/98. When i replaced the serpentine belt I found the old belt extremely tight. The tensioner was right at it's compression limit. I replaced the idler pulley with a new one and it's diameter was the same as the old. Put on a new Gates K060827 serpentine belt. When I put it on I had to compress the tensioner completely to it's limit and force the belt over the water pump pulley, it was very tight. I called Gates technical support and they assure me this is the correct belt. The bearing on the new water pump I installed is making a racket from being over tight. I would appreciate any insight as to what is going on. Is this the correct belt? Am I missing something and routing the belt incorrectly? Thanks for any help or insight.

This diagram matches the sticker under the hood and as far as I can tell the pullies on the car match this
2001 Ford Focus Zetec Accessory Drive

 

[jrichardson]

i suggest just getting a longer belt. you can go to any parts store and get a longer one then the one you have now. get one that's like .5" longer or maybe a little more. and try not to drive it very much if at all because it sounds like it culd be messing up ur water pump if it's making noise because of the tightness.

I had a problem with getting the right belt when i had to change mine(too small) i just got a longer one.

 

[Eric2.0]

I had this problem... As soon as I realized I had to break my arm pushing on the tensioner, I knew it wasn't right. Take it back and have the match up a size one longer.

 

[maxny]

Well I went and bought a 1 1/2 in. longer belt and a new tensioner assembly will put it in tomorrow. Hope that's enough to solve the problem. I'm still wondering what would cause a stock belt to not fit. I am glad to know someone else had this problem though.

 

[amc49]

I've got early '98. Some troubles were from wrong belt number in some catalogs. They swear it's right but no. Part #2 idler changes sizes too effecting correct belt. I use Focus belt and idler now. Breaking arm pushing on tensioner is right, that is no indicator of wrong part, that's just the way it is. Look at tensioner, there are range marks on it showing correct belt and operating range. Easiest way to lift tensioner is under car, wheel removed, two wrenches. One wrench on tensioner bolt, one (boxed end) with closed end hooked over open end of other to make longer lever. Piece of cake then. When parts are right, compressing tensioner to limit will just allow you to have enough slack to slip belt on.

 

[jrichardson]

or you can rent a serpentine belt removal tool from most part stores. it gives you a 2 ta 3 foot bar (not sure) to pry with.

 

[maxny]

Well I found the problem. It turns out the tensioner failed internally in such a way that it would not compress to it's full range. It was deceiving because it felt like it was hitting it's full compression stop. Their weren't any other symptoms that it was bad - no binding, pulley bearing was good and smooth action.

amc49: I've been doing the interlocking wrench trick for years. It works perfect to put this belt on.

 

[amc49]

I'm not surprised. I've seen several Ford branded tensioners do just that in as little as a couple of months. The anti-friction insert design they now use is absolute crap, it wads up and twists sideways to stuff up the slip groove and lock the part up.

With 3 zetec cars, I rebuild my tensioners if they are not worn in such a way I can't. I do whatever it takes to get them apart, usually grind off end of molded in axle pin and drill and tap the end for a retaining bolt/washer. I've got one older Autozone branded part that was crap, big spring like a lawnmower hand pull spring. It went bad in like a week. Taking apart, it became evident they slipped two-sided teflon tape in between the coils to make them slip easily. It wadded up and locked up the unit. Removed the tape and filled tensioner with powdered graphite and it's lasted like 3-4 years now. Everytime belt gets pulled for maintenance I refill tensioner with more graphite. Oil or grease an absolute no-no there, pulls dirt like a magnet.

 

[maxny]

Thanks for the info. I did buy an Autozone tensioner pulley so I'll know where to look if their is anymore trouble with this. Have you had any luck fixing any of the original equpiment ones? I'm going to take mine apart for sure.

 

[jrichardson]

i got a tensioner from o'reilly's auto parts and i had no problems with it. the only problems was with the tensioner because of the stupid mid year change-over

 

[amc49]

The latest Gates one is covered better to keep dirt out. Have not had one apart yet, still on car. I will be disassembling it too sooner or later (hopefully later). Most trouble comes from how they design the insert that decreases friction, or in the case of the Ford parts too weak a main spring. With a little time it goes weak and tensioner starts going ape••••, bouncing around way more than it should. Too weak spring shows up as a thump or knock at cold startup, the tensioner rars up and snaps back hard as crank spins up from a start. You'd swear it's a rod knock. Best one I have has a much stouter spring on it. That one I've used more than once. Wish I had a couple more of them.