Symptoms of a bad or faulty drive belt tensioner
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Common signs include grinding or creaking from the belt, unusual belt wear, and belt driven accessories such as alternator failure.
The drive belt tensioner is a pulley mounted on a spring mechanism or adjustable pivot point that is used to maintain tension on the engine belts. Spring tensioners are designed for automatic tensioning, while the articulation type can be manually adjusted. Both are used to maintain tension on the engine ribbed belts so they can power various engine accessories.
When the tensioner has a problem, it can affect how the belts drive the pulleys, which can affect the car's performance and functionality. Usually, a bad or faulty tensioner causes several symptoms that can alert the driver to a potential problem that needs to be addressed.
1. Grinding or creaking of belts or tensioners.
The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. If the tensioner is loose, the belts may squeak or squeal, especially when the engine is first started. It is also possible that the tensioner pulley or bearing is worn, in which case the car will make a grinding sound from the pulley.
2. Unusual belt wear
Another sign of a potential problem with the drive belt tensioner is unusual belt wear. If the drive belt tensioner pulley has any problems, this can lead to unusual and accelerated belt wear. A bad pulley can cause the belt edges to fray and, in severe cases, even break.
3. Belt driven accessories fail
Another sign of a bad or faulty drive belt tensioner is the failure of the belt drive accessories. Many engine accessories such as the alternator, water pump, and A/C compressor can be belt driven. A stuck or loose drive belt tensioner can cause the belt to break, disabling these accessories, and can cause problems such as overheating, a faulty electrical system and battery, or a disconnected AC system. Typically, a belt that has failed due to the tensioner must be replaced along with the tensioner to restore the vehicle to full functionality.
The drive belt tensioner is an important component as it is the one that maintains the correct tension on the belt so that it can properly drive the car's accessories. If you suspect your drive belt tensioner may be having a problem, have your vehicle checked by a professional technician such as AvtoTachki to determine if it should be replaced.
