Pulley noise

So for a while now I have had a light metallic gritty airy noise (I know I'm a great descriptive writer lol) and I have finally narrowed it down to one of these two pulleys at the bottom passenger side of the engine. I was wondering:

What pulleys are these?

How can I tell which on is doing it?

And is one more likely to fail than the other?

Here is the picture:

 

its called an idler pulley and its the one on the right , you may not even need to loosen the belt to check it so just reach in and try to wiggle it, if it wiggles at all (tilting left, right, up, down, then its bad. even if its not loose it might be bad so slip the belt off and spin it and you will hear if it has bad bearings. (it should not rumble)

they run about $20 each and I suggest you change both at the same time since they usually go out about the same mileages. the other one is up top for the power steering pump. (the alternator/water pump belt is the only thing that doesn't have an idler pulley on it)

I found the best deal where I got mine here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181312449472?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

there are ways to just replace the bearing inside it to save about half price but only if you still have the original stock idler pulleys because aftermarket ones you cant replace the bearings in. in my mind spend the extra money to get a shiny new pulley and bearing together is the smarter way.

when you go to change them, just be careful to loosen the locking nut on the pulley BEFORE you try to turn the adjustment screw. quite a few guys broke stuff the first time not realizing they needed to do that. (naturally you can't test for loose wobble if you already loosened them)

if you just aren't sure about the condition take it completely off and hold it in your hand to check it but the bearings are sealed and only have a small amount of grease inside so they wear out just like fan belts over time so they only last about 35k-50k miles in most cases but sometimes can go 100k miles.

 

Like previous post stated, it's probably your idler pulley - one of the right. If it only happens when you have the AC or defrost on, then it's the one on the left. Either way, to correct said issue, release tension on that belt and take it off those two pulleys. Next, examine the idler pulley. Turn it by hand and feel for scratching as it turns or see if it has wobble to it as it turns. Just rattle it and see if it has give. Any give at all and that is your problem. I'm a big fan of just replacing the bearing in the pulley to save money. I haven't done it in a few years so I don't remember what size bearing it takes, but once the pulley is off the truck, it takes about five minutes to swap out the bearing and reinstall.

If that idler seems fine, I'd still swap bearings while you have it loose from the belt esp if you don't know its age or last time of replacement.

If that idler is not the issue, then it's either your AC clutch bearing or your AC compressor bearing. I've never had to replace my compressor, so I've never removed it or the pulleys. I don't know if they come off or are built onto the AC shaft so that you have to replace the whole compressor. Someone else can probably chime in on whether you can replace the AC clutch bearing alone or the compressor shaft bearing on these.

 

Yup, odds are it's the idler pulley. Cheap, easy fix. My lower one went out (started chirping and squealing, but not a slipping belt kind of squeal). Easy access to the tensioner pulley and the idler pulley from under the truck.

Use a wrench to get the tensioner pulley to twist (spring loaded) until you can put a small allen wrench through the hole in it and into the hole in the engine block. This keeps tension off your belt and keeps it out of the way. With the belt loose, take off the idler pulley and replace with new. Make sure your belt is on straight on all the pulleys again, and release the tensioner pulley opposite of how you pushed it out of the way. Done.

 

Well I replaced the bearing in that pulley and it quit making noise. But I can still wiggle the pulley even with tension on it. Is that normal?

I don't want to ruin this brand new bearing.

 

Yes, they have more "wiggle" than one would suspect. On my first go around I replaced the squeaky factory bearing with a $5 Chinese one that wiggled even more but didn't squeak. I replaced that with a quality SKF bearing that was only slightly tighter than the bad factory bearing.

 

maybe the bearing has the wrong inside diameter or the shaft it mounts on is worn.

I replaced the whole pulley on both of mine and its tight as a tick and has no movement at all to it.

you may have been better served to just buy the new pulley as first advised rather then try to save $10

are you sure you tightened everything because if it has movement you will have issues with it in the future but it might last you a year before it fails

 

Anyone knows where I can buy the 2 OEM idler pulleys online?
I want to replace both of them due to the noise one of them is making.

Also need to replace spark plugs as the engine is sputtering. Have never changed them. It’s a 2003 Tacoma 2.4liter gasoline. I want to put in the iridium type plugs. Please advise.

 

Pm @gunny1005
Camelback
That’s where I got mine

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-for-tw-members.207298/page-200#post-20869769

 

Try a motorcycle shop. That's where I bought mine, for $8... about 40k miles ago (and it is still silent).

 

need a little help here gang ……………………..
im changing out my idler pulley, 2002 v6 w/air
I got the pulley mounting nut loose , I loosened the tensioner screw, slipped off the belt , then removed the pulley mounting nut.....
now for the life of me I cant remove the freaking old pulley ! wth am I doing wrong ? is it threaded on ? should I try to pop it with a ball joint fork ?

 

Anyone have a source for the power steering pulley that isn't $140 from camelback? The pulleys listed on rockauto are nothing like the power steering pulley on my truck. part <--- this is the pulley I have currently on my truck. About 4-5 inches across and has 4 holes in it. Rockauto has the ac idler pulley listed for both the ac and the power steering but I'm not sure how that can be right

 

if you email gates @ APAteam@gates.com they will send you a free serpentine belt checker tool.

 

The pulley is not threaded on. Perhaps your pulley has a bit of rust between it and its shaft? Try using a puller on it, I think there is enough room. And it won't take much of a puller at that.

 

I haven't done a taco pulley yet, but on lawn mower decks, nissan's, and a bunch of other pulleys, they're all built about the same,,,, I'll separate the two halves and press the bearing out and go get one from a bearing shop that matches the same measurements , id and od and thickness, sealed or open bearing,,, and press that dude back together or however it comes apart. I'll be doing mine one day it's starting to make a little racket.

 

Anybody got a part number for the bearing in idler pulley for the power steering pump on a 96 2.7l . I’ve seen a good bit about the AC idler (6301 bearing) but not much about power steering idler bearing, they want 230 for a new bracket and all at Toyota (not happening) and the one at the parts store was not the right one of course.

 

Since you have to pull the bearing to replace it, can't you carry it to your local bearing store, and have them match it. If their worth their salt they'll measure with calipers and look up the dimensions for the particular bearing.

 

Yea I could if I had a competent parts store,I
I live in BFE, I was trying to cut them out of the equation by seeing if anybody else had already done this so I could order it. Also I drive her daily and am trying to avoid taking it off for the 4th time until I get the right bearing.