Belt Tensioners???

Marauderjack

Marauderjack

Senior Member
Someone here said the OEM belt tensioner is crummy and of poor quality??:argue:

I searched www.rockauto.com and found the following offerings:

Dayco #89291
Gates and AC Delco #38189
Four Seasons #45558

Which one is the best for our cars especially in a S/C application??:bows:

Marauderjack:confused:
 
Marauderjack said:
Someone here said the OEM belt tensioner is crummy and of poor quality??:argue:

I searched www.rockauto.com and found the following offerings:

Dayco #89291
Gates and AC Delco #38189
Four Seasons #45558

Which one is the best for our cars especially in a S/C application??:bows:

Marauderjack:confused:
Click to expand...

Agreed! I just blew through my second one at 37K miles. POS. it's squeeking and squaking...

anyone?
 
Four Seasons had the wrong pulley for my tensioner and they claim its the correct one. I was in contact with their engineering dept to change the design. It was eating away at the belt due to its improper taper.

Dayco and Gates should be dependable.

The problem, as I see it, is the sealed bearings are using crappy grease. There's no way i can repack the grease or install a new bearing w/ synthetic grease. When it is -20F or -10F outside, non-synthetic grease thickens and provides practically zero lubrication. A synthetic grease tends to perform better in all environments.

Remember that you can just replace the pulley + bearing and not the entire tensioner.
 
I'm getting a squeak now and think it is the belt or bearing on the tensioner. Now that I am resurecting an old thread...which tensioner is the one to get.....Gates or Dayco? I would like to get a heavy duty one that can withstand the blower well.

Anybody?
 
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I'm suscribing. I'd also like to have a better H/D tensioner-pulley-bearing unit. With the added work of the blower, that unit seems to be the weak link.
 
Subscribing as well. That little "chirp chirp chirp" at cold start up is really annoying.
 
My OEM tensioner went south real quick after the blower install. I replaced it with a Gates and no issues since.
 
Gatorbacks seem to be the quietest belts you can buy. It's probably also related to their softer rubber material.
 
This site is really a jewel:

The question is asked at 10:03 am
At least one confirmation on hypothesis is sent 3 hours later.

We got a solution, review, part number, supplier and price for a given problem.

Thanks and congrats to all !! :)

NOW, about that fuel tank that is always empty after a couple hundreds miles .... :hide:
 
Marauderjack said:
Someone here said the OEM belt tensioner is crummy and of poor quality??:argue:

I searched www.rockauto.com and found the following offerings:

Dayco #89291
Gates and AC Delco #38189
Four Seasons #45558

Which one is the best for our cars especially in a S/C application??:bows:

Marauderjack:confused:
Click to expand...

The Marauder timing cover is the issue you should use a 98 cobra cover with the steel tentioner

03blueM.JPG


03DOHC.jpg
http://web.iwebcenters.com/reinhartautomotive/images/03DOHC.jpg
 
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Nice motor. I take it the blue motor is going in the blue MM behind it. What's a Cobra front cover & tensioner go for?
 
I've notice a little shake in mine last month so I guess it would be a good idea to replace it asap before it goes and leaves me somewhere.

So should I do the Gates and put on a Gatorback belt also?
 
The Marauder tensioner looks a lot like the 2000-up Crown Vic tensioner, down to the location and orientation.

 
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