modificata3

Hey everyone, I tried searching for awhile and looking at the DIY for the crank pulley install and only heard conversation about the tensioner pulley but no picture to ID it. I haven't done a whole lot of engine bay mods on my car and when I went to do the install I wasn't sure which it was. I have an idea, but would like some confirmation. I attached the two photos...but they're not great quality bc of the position of the sun. If you can put an arrow to it or just to a description I'm fairly tech savvy and can follow along.

first pic is self explanatory, second is kinda zoomed in a bit to get more of the pulleys down low.





Thanks in advance btw! Sorry for the above paragraph...

240sx acura tech

there built together.both small pullies with 17mm bolt. the top one is a tentioner and the bottom is an idler. the crank is the biggist pulley. its bolt to the engine and is held by a 19mm bolt. you will need a air gun with 750 ftpd of tq.

modificata3

do you know the tq requirement on the tensioner once I reattach it? I know the cranks from the install instructions.

modificata3

^ nm on that, for those who end up doing this, just push back toward the fire wall and pull the belt off after the belt slacks...thanks 240

LKLD

Interesting. I'm getting a pitch, much like the pwer steering gives, except that it doesn't vary with steering, just rpms. Putting a stethoscope on the tensioner assmbly seems to put it at the lower of the 2 pulleys (idler?). I figured I would go ahead and replace both. Can you replace the pulleys only and if so does anyone know the part #s for a 2004?

240sx acura tech

becarful here. the alternator wine can transfer from the alt to the pullies. make sure you test the alt pulley as well.

richson13

Tensioner pulley and idler pulley are 14mm. I changed out my idler pulley yesterday because the bearings were worn out. Loud wine when you get on it. Idler pulley was only $20 bucks, not too bad.

LKLD

Will do

Anyone have the part #'s?

TLspeed

I just picked one up at Advance Auto: $17. Dayco part #89059. I've also seen it listed as 231059 (Autozone PN).

Keep in mind the retaining bolt is left-hand threaded.

Rockauto also carries Gates or Dayco - I just didn't want to wait around for 'em to ship it to me.

PS - my TL's pulley only makes the grinding noise when the A/C is engaged.

TLspeed

Oops. Went to install it today and it was the wrong pulley. Traded it out for the other pulley: P/N 89059.

Fixed my problem - no more grinding sound. I'm pleased because it sounded like I needed a new compressor.

LKLD

Thanks for the info.

TLspeed

Okay - I re-read my post and I realized I didn't show the P/N for the 'other' pulley.
I was confused as to whether I needed the idle pulley or the tensioner pulley. The tensioner assembly has two pulleys - they're both the same size. The idler pulley is the one on the bottom and the tensioner pulley is the one on top (if I understand it correctly). Initially I bought the idler pulley which is P/N 89059. Although the dimensions are the same, they are not interchangeable. I took this one back and got the tensioner pulley. This is P/N 89007.
Like I mentioned earlier, we thought we had a problem with the A/C compressor since we could hear a bad grinding noise whenever the A/C compressor kicked on. However, when I put the stethescope on the compressor it didn't sound bad. Getting my head down a little closer to the noise I noticed the bearing bolt looked to be vibrating whenever the A/C was on.
Changed out the pulley and all is good.

thassett

Hey Guys, I'm having this exact same problem. After doing a lot of research here, I too found my issue is with the tensioner pulley. When the AC compressor kicks in on a hot day, thereby putting a heavier load on the belt, you can physically see the tensioner pulley wheel start to vibrate back and forth as it makes a rattling noise.

So my question is - How exactly do you replace this part?

TLspeed

Tensioner pulley is easiest to get to - release tension, remove serpentine belt. Remove the 14mm bolt that secures the pulley (reverse threads). Install new pulley in reverse order. I just replaced both pulleys this weekend. For the idle pulley, you have to remove the tensioner. That involves removing a 10mm bolt that is just underneath the tensioner assembly. Remove the 10mm bolt (on the tensioner assembly) and the bolt that holds the idle pulley and the whole assembly will come out. BTW - the bolt that holds the idle pulley is NOT reverse threaded.
I guess I'd spun the bearing on the idle pulley. Made a lot of whining noise - usually changes depending on RPMs. PS - tensioner pulley = $20, idle pulley = $40. Don't know why there is a difference - they look the same. Good luck.

greco9885

iTrader: (1)

you need the honda pulley removal tool. if you dont have it you need a 500ftlb tq impact gun. the pulley will just spin and spin and spin and spin and it will never come off

NedShneebly

^just to clarify, greco is talking about the crank pulley, not the idle or tensioner pulley's. And most won't budge with the biggest impact gun you can find. 5' breaker bar and a all the push you can muster usually breaks the bolt for the crank pulley and it will scare the shiz out of you when it does.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Yes....I have done both the idler and tensioner pullies....and then a year later just bought the tensioner itself with the premounted pullies already on from Acura (best deal for my purposes as I went through a set a season and when you are buying both...adding the tensioner isnt a whole lot more and good preventative maintenance for supercharged tweaked high HP cars). The whole thing is about a bitch as I have larger hands...but its do-able. Biggest pain about the job....is that little bottom bolt that holds the tensioner on. The rest is fairly simple and straightforward. And even the bottom bolt just takes an extension and some finesse.

And note....you CAN get the whole tensioner unit off and on from the top side without having to remove pullies to do it....it will all come off as one big unit with both pullies attached. Its tight and you have to do some twisting around of the part through the maze to get it out...but it will come out.

I have done this job three times now...so ask questions....happy to answer.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

I should also note....the main bolt through one of the pullies also holds the tensioner onto the motor....and has a plastic retainer on the back to aid when reinstalling it....this also makes the bolt come out SLOW....and hard to hand crank when lose...but again...its very do-able. But until you get it off the first time and see whats behind it...you will never know...lol. So just to prewarn ya....there is a plastic clip around one of the main bolts on the pullies that holds it to the motor (bottom pully as I recall....idler)...and just behind the casing of the tensioner itself is a small plastic ring around the bolt to keep it from falling out on reinstall I believe....and the bolt will seem friggin 14 miles long as you unbolt it....lol. Due to the proximity of the side wall of the engine compartment...THE BOLT WILL NOT COME ALL THE WAY OUT ON UNINSTALL>>>>BUT WILL BE LOOSE FROM THE MOTOR ITSELF AND COME OUT WITH THE WHOLE UNIT ONCE YOU GET ALL THE BOLTS OUT. Know this now. Thats why the clip is there....that bolt needs to be in there PRIOR to reinstall due to space. If not....you will never be able to get it in later. The others you can....that one you cant!

NedShneebly

That's pretty interesting, Benz. So the 2 pulleys can be bought on a bracket that is replaceable? What's the price for that bad boy and does this have to be removed if you are replacing the timing belt anyway?

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

The bracket that is replaceable I am referring to in my post is the tensioner itself. As I remember...it was about $90 for both pullies and tensioner. When you buy em that way....they are already mounted to the tensioner...and all you do is remove the tensioner and main idler pulley bolt and take it off as a unit and replace it.

TLspeed

Benz - your descriptions are spot-on. It is really tight down there - you may also need to pull the fluid container (red-cap in the pics) to give you a little more room. It can be pulled straight up and you can move it out of the way - without disconnecting any hoses or anything. $20/tension pulley + $40/idler pulley. They'll both eventually need to be replaced (my experience), so next time I'll probably go the extra $30 and get the whole assembly. Yes - the small 10mm bolt was hard to find / get to. It is just below the idler pulley and just a little bit towards the firewall. I thought I might have to get at it from beneath the car but with enough determination and an extension on the ratchet you can do it! Plus - I find it helps to cuss at it.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Yes....you DEFINATELY want to move that power steering fluid res. out of the way. As he says...it just lifts straight up off the braket and can be tucked away out of the way a bit from your workspace. If you are supercharged....(not sure about NA application as I never did this when it was NA) you are going to have to remove the powersteering line from the pump anyway as the belt runs through it at some point.

InFaMouSLink

iTrader: (10)

this is from curry acura.



am i missing something?? $13 for idle pulley, 22 for tensioner pulley add 10 for bearing covers and bolts leaving the tensioner at $75 according to price of #2 (tensioner assembly). seems wrong to me. can someone confirm. i feel like just buying both pulley's and calling it a day. i got 75K on TL and squeaking when AC on.

InFaMouSLink

iTrader: (10)

found the tensioner assembly from a autopart store gates brand $85. gonna install when i get the belt tomorrow.

a.patel

Damn I just read the whole thread and it most def. Answered lot of my questions. Thanks guys!

thassett

Just as an update, I called my Acura dealer (Leith Acura in Cary, NC) about this, explained everything, the TSBs, etc. They went to their regional Acura rep, and was able to get me like a 25% goodwill discount off of this repair, given that it is a known issue, but my vehicle was out of warranty. They replaced the drive belt and tensioner, and the total cost to me was about $152.00. The part numbers replaced were 04317-RCA-305 (Tensioner Belt) and 38920-RCA-A03 (Belt, Compressor). Everything works great now, and Leith Acura did a perfect job of taking care of me on this one. Thanks to everyone here, and the continued helpfulness of AcuraZine!

rcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU5vwMKGXnc

cellph titled

Im assuming I should replace my tension pulley after hearing that sound clip, but I have another problem. I seem to be getting a whining(sort of like a supercharger, but annoying and loud) aswell on acceleration. Could the tension pulley also create this noise if gone bad?

rcp

that's your power steering O ring. check and search the forums, this has been discussed many times. 1.99 and 10 minutes of your time and that whine will go away.

acegt1

Per a previous post of mine, when I drive my '04 TL (A/T) in particularly wet weather, sometimes the battery light will come on and I'll lose my power steering. Usually immediately after this I'll hear a little squealing sound. Then everything returns to normal after a few seconds. This has been going on for over a year.

The fact that the drive belt drives both the power steering and the alternator makes me think that the drive belt must be slipping. The dealer looked at it and said he couldn't find anything wrong with it (and couldn't repeat the problem). He said my drive belt was in good shape.

Now that I'm at 60k miles, it's probably time to replace the drive belt anyway, so I'm wondering if I should do a little more to try and fix the problem.

1. Should I also replace the tensioner pulley? My understanding is that this pulley provides tension on the belt to keep it taut.
2. While I'm in there, should I replace the idler pulley? What is the idler pulley's function? I've read that it also keeps tension on the belt just like the tensioner pulley - what makes it different, if anything?
3. Does anyone know the torque specifications for the 10x28 bolt that secures the tensioner pulley AND the 10x115 bolt that secures the idler pulley?

My TL is still under extended warranty so I want to make sure I follow the specs exactly... I'm assuming the pulleys are not covered under warranty?

Thanks...

jpoole

Your tensioner has an indicator that you can easily check. Look at the tensioner body just behind the altenator and you can see an indicating line on the outboard side of the tensioner body(the half that moves). That line should "lie" somewhere in the middle of a "window" on the inboard side of the tensioner body(the half that is fixed). If your indicating line is out of that "window" to the right, then your belt is worn and needs replacing. If your tensioner indicator checks good then the tensioner is probably weak and needs replacing. Trust your tensioner indicator, not your dealer!
Dealers don't discriminate against morons in their hiring process!

acegt1

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm at 60k which is a little early for the drive belt to be replaced, however I've heard several folks recommend replacing it before the 105k tune-up which is when my dealer told me it's due for replacement - so I'm going to replace the drive belt.

I was planning to install the drive belt myself, however the dealer has agreed to replace the tensioner puller under warranty. Since the drive belt has to come off during replacement of that pulley, my service advisor said they'd just charge me for the belt cost, which is less than $50. Sure, I can get it for half that online, but it's worth the extra $20 or so to have the dealer install it while they're replacing the tensioner pulley.

Once that's done, we'll see if the problem persists...

flyromeo3

If im not mistaken the dealer has to cover for the replacement belt as well.

Not you.

acegt1

OK, I just checked, and after searching around quite a bit I found it (the tensioner indicator). It's easy to spot if you know what you're looking for!



So, mine is within the window, but it's to the right of what appears to be the "optimal" mark (I'm assuming that's what the top mark on the left side of the indicator window denotes).

Hmmmm... Maybe the tensioner is bad. Hopefully replacing the tensioner pulley will fix the issue.

acegt1

I wish. It's a "standard maintenance" part that you're supposed to replace periodically.

flyromeo3

i think the lower indicator represents the tension is good.
Since that line moves according to applied tension.

flyromeo3

*...wait,...I just re-read it and understand what you mean.
I share the same concern as im getting a squeeling noise at cold start up.

I looked at my adjustment and i think its closer to the "optimal" mark. I guess its the tensioner itself that is loosing its function.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the info guys...this is likely my problem. My whine is more high pitched but I checked the indicator and it is jumping around etc.

Will replace the whole assembly.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Ok...did it. TOYED with only ordering the pulleys and no belt etc...but you know...preventative maintenance is a good thing. I'm at 60K at 7 years...worth it to keep her rolling!
QtyDescriptionCorePrice1Collision Catalog - 2004 - Acura - TL
Cooling, Belts and pulleys, Serpentine belt, Serpentine belt $0.00 $27.101Collision Catalog - 2004 - Acura - TL
Cooling, Belts and pulleys, Tensioner, Tensioner $0.00 $122.38Sub Total:$149.48Tax$0.00Shipping$12.71 Total:$162.19

Got the whole TENSIONER assembly, and a new belt. I hope this is it with this noise.

Collision Catalog - 2004 - Acura - TL
Cooling, Belts and pulleys, Serpentine belt, Serpentine belt $36.13$27.10 $0.00$27.10 Collision Catalog - 2004 - Acura - TL
Cooling, Belts and pulleys, Tensioner, Tensioner $163.17$122.38 $0.00$122.38 Total:$149.48 Estimated Shipping: Ground2nd DayNext Day $12.71