Busted an Idler Pulley This Weekend

[RedFury]

I was out 'datalogging' this weekend and lost the belt on a 3-4 shift. The Thumprr tensioner held up, but the metal on an idler pulley actually ripped apart. The bearing seems to have a good bit of resistance when I try to turn it with my finger, so that may have contributed to the failure. I installed a new pulley and belt and all seems well. Doesn't seem like I damaged the boss on the engine front cover, just the pulley. But there must be some tremendous forces on the pullies and front cover when doing 'spirited driving'. Hard to believe you can actually rip steel apart like this, just from a rubber belt whipping around.

 

[05mustang_TT_charged]

damn that is a first for me, i have seen them lock up but never ripped off

 

[silverpoison]

at least you didnt have the boss idler broken like I did a couple of monts a go.

 

[ChevyKiller]

I was out 'datalogging' this weekend and lost the belt on a 3-4 shift. The Thumprr tensioner held up, but the metal on an idler pulley actually ripped apart. The bearing seems to have a good bit of resistance when I try to turn it with my finger, so that may have contributed to the failure. I installed a new pulley and belt and all seems well. Doesn't seem like I damaged the boss on the engine front cover, just the pulley. But there must be some tremendous forces on the pullies and front cover when doing 'spirited driving'. Hard to believe you can actually rip steel apart like this, just from a rubber belt whipping around.

I have and more than once unfortunately. That is why I now use a tensioner pulley in the idler spot and always have a spare in the trunk along with an extra tensioner and belt.

Don't be too shocked - you'd be surprised how much damage that can happen...

just from a rubber belt whipping around

 

[scramblr]

Will an 8-rib kit help prevent this from happening at 10psi?

 

[RedFury]

Yea, I was really thankful that the front cover wasn't damaged - car would be off the road then.

at least you didnt have the boss idler broken like I did a couple of monts a go.

Will an 8-rib kit help prevent this from happening at 10psi?

That is why I now use a tensioner pulley in the idler spot and always have a spare in the trunk along with an extra tensioner and belt.

I have an 8-rib kit sitting here waiting to go on with the new engine. But I'll probably put it on before then just to check it all out. Seems like that would actually increase the forces, since slip will be eliminated. The idea of two tensioners sounds like a good one - absorb all those loads in the extra spring instead of in your pulley mounts...

 

[flounderlipps]

at least you didnt have the boss idler broken like I did a couple of monts a go.

How did you repair that?

 

[SoundGuyDave]

How did you repair that?

It's aluminum... weld it!

 

[silverpoison]

How did you repair that?

I decided to get a new timing cover, and that fixed the belt issues I used to have too. I think one the pulleys was not aligned before and that's why I was losing belts/tensioners.

 

[GI Joe]

there is a member on the board ( Ken) who broke pulleys like that even with an 8 rib..it was an 8 rib pulley....get a better pulley and you can break the bosss then...btw he had a whipple too.fwiw

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

Will an 8-rib kit help prevent this from happening at 10psi?

there is a member on the board ( Ken) who broke pulleys like that even with an 8 rib..it was an 8 rib pulley....get a better pulley and you can break the bosss then...btw he had a whipple too.fwiw

As GI Joe said above, I was the one who have broken two idler pulleys on the 8 rib kit. After the second, I installed an electric water pump (so I can get home after a failure) and purchased Thump_RRRs tensioner.

Luckly I haven't had a broken idler pulley since.

 

[scramblr]

What PSI are/were you pushing?

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

What PSI are/were you pushing?

I had a 13 PSI pulley, but the factory tune from Ford was only for the 10 PSI pulley when my two idlers broke (see comment posted above by me).

 

[scramblr]

Got it. I'm just trying to figure out what additional parts I should have laying around my house after the S/C goes and 8-rib goes on. Minimum time shipping to me will be 1 week, but count on 2 weeks (Germany). Can't have the car down for that long. Would rather just have additional parts as backup, i.e., belts, pulleys, etc.

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

Got it. I'm just trying to figure out what additional parts I should have laying around my house after the S/C goes and 8-rib goes on. Minimum time shipping to me will be 1 week, but count on 2 weeks (Germany). Can't have the car down for that long. Would rather just have additional parts as backup, i.e., belts, pulleys, etc.

You'll definintely need a belt. Over the course of the last six months, I have shredded at least four. Some of us have belt issues, other do not. Pulley failures don't seem to be to common, but their expense is minimal, so I would suggest having an extra as well.

I purchased an electric water pump, so I wouldn't be stranded. If not for that, I would most likely keep all these supplies in my vehicle.

 

[scramblr]

Should I get the additional pulley(s) and belt from Dave (GIJoe)?

 

[RedFury]

Update - I also broke my electric water pump idler when I lost the belt. I didn't notice until a day ago when I started hearing squeaking, then finally rattling violently enough to shake the whole car! I'm getting a new pump, and installing the 8-rib kit.

 

[psfracer]

Ok, I was out driving this morning to work "normally" when one of my pullies let go. It was the one on the drivers side above the power steering. I have an electric water pump so it was easy for me to turn around and go home and take the truck to work instead.

Anyway--I am replacing all of the pullies with some motoblue billet ones. But what about the pulley on the tensioner itself? Does anyone know of any aftermarket pulley available for that? I am getting two 90mm pullies for the other two, but not sure were to get the tensioner pulley.

The stock ones look to be 3.5 inch on one and 3.0 inch on the other. So I figure two 90mm pullies will be close enough, as I have alot of adjustment with the whipple and the 1223 belt.

 

[psfracer]

^^^^Anyone? Thumprr probably knows...

 

[RedFury]

Ok, I was out driving this morning to work "normally" when one of my pullies let go. It was the one on the drivers side above the power steering. I have an electric water pump so it was easy for me to turn around and go home and take the truck to work instead.

Anyway--I am replacing all of the pullies with some motoblue billet ones. But what about the pulley on the tensioner itself? Does anyone know of any aftermarket pulley available for that? I am getting two 90mm pullies for the other two, but not sure were to get the tensioner pulley.

The stock ones look to be 3.5 inch on one and 3.0 inch on the other. So I figure two 90mm pullies will be close enough, as I have alot of adjustment with the whipple and the 1223 belt.

The BGG 8-rib kit has a 3" pulley on the idler, you probably already know that though...