'99 D1: Serpentine slipped off, Belt Tensioner?

[Legionnaire11]

just out of the driveway and down the road this morning, heard squeek, squeek like a belt going bad and then power steering was out and battery light came on. Didn't overheat as I turned back immediately.

Check under the hood and the belt was off, not broken, just hanging loose.

So I remount the belt according to diagram and start up, there's no tension so nothing is turning. So i'm going to assume it's a bad tensioner (just about at 204k miles). Anyone care to confirm or offer a second opinion?

Thanks!

 

[Legionnaire11]

second thought is, the alternator seized up. hoping just a tensioner though

 

[joey]

Assuming you routed it correctly... then I would say your tensioner is bad.

 

[Legionnaire11]

well it's been over a month now and just got a new tensioner (luckily my wife and I both work within 5 miles of the house so it's easy to carpool and auto repair isn't first priority).

Figured this would be a simple fix, one bolt out, old tensioner off, new tensioner on, one bolt on... problem is there's still no tension.

New belt so I know it's not stretched. And it's the right belt, the 92" since I don't have ACE. should be the correct routing as well.

The tensioner moves up and down with some pressure from a wrench, so the spring seems to be just fine and obviously there's no electrical components to it...

Is there some trick that I have missed when replacing a tensioner?

 

[joey]

How about a picture of your belt on.... if I were to take guess 2 it would be water pump is about to crap itself... but can't say since I cant see.

 

[joey]

Also a D1 doesn't have ACE so did you buy a belt for a D1 or a D2....?

 

[Legionnaire11]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...dugdZ8gcul?itemIdentifier=150512_187506_8238_


i'll get a few snapshots tomorrow when it's light out

 

[Disco Mike]

The belt for a D1 is different then either of the 2 D2 belts, if I am not mistaken.
Joey, why do you think your water pump is toast. Don't need to see it to know for sure. Wiggle the fan towards the engine and back, if there is slop, the bearing is gone and or go under the truck with a flash light and check for coolant leaking from the weep hole.
If it is leaking consider the fairly new German made Airtex water pump with the large brass impellor, sold at A.B. and British Parts of Utah for around $146 with a 2 year warranty.

 

[Legionnaire11]

now you've got me thinking Mike. Every belt I saw was either 92" or 104/106"... digging a bit more I've now found one that is 88", which might be what i'm missing on. Which might explain this...

anyway, here are some more shots...

I've also taken two videos, not much, just wanted to show that all of the pulleys rotate smoothly and don't have any wiggle. Don't know how to upload them very well, but if you wanted to take a look you can download...

Short video with belt on
Longer video with belt off to show pulleys


and yes I know that this is one VERY dirty engine. Just picked this thing up in Feb with 200k on it, so who knows what was (or more likely wasn't) done to it over the past ~12 years.

 

[joey]

Wow, that belt is huge... sounds like you got one for a D2.