I've searched but didn't find it specifically. Is it possible to just change the pulley on the belt tensioner assembly rather than changing the whole unit? I could not find a part that is the pulley for the tensioner, just the other idler pulleys. I "suspect" the tensioner pulley is the culprit making intermittent chirping / squeaking sounds and would rather try to just do the pulley / bearing vs the PIA of the whole unit first. Belt tension is rock solid so that function is still okay. Just sounds like the bearing. Thanks for any help folks. 08 with around 125K.
mattz
You the man Supra ! Thanks a bunch !
Thanks for the info Happy. I am really hoping for now it isn't the whole tensioner. It "seems" to be the pulley where the noise is coming from. It was a really intermittent squeak that seems to be getting more often especially when hot. When putting a screwdriver on it running it sounds / feels rough compared to say the other idler pulley closest to it. When running it's not moving around a lot at all so that's why I was going to try the pulley vs the whole unit to start. When it arrives and I get it in I'll report back. Hopefully it will be good news 
I agree and again am thankful for your post with the pulley only part. Should be here in 5 days or so. Of course drove it today......not a peep.
I assume eventual total bearing failure of the pulley and it flopping around and or seizing and throwing the serpentine belt off.
Well unfortunately after replacing the tensioner pulley, the intermittent squeak still remains. I for the life of me can't figure out where it's coming from. Everything spun free and smooth with the belt removed, and when installed and running, it doesn't seem to be coming from the things I can't put a screw driver on to help listen. The leaves the water pump and power steering pump. None of those pulleys felt bad nor did they have any movement when I grabbed them. Guess I'll just drive it until what ever it is gets worse or fails. I'll know for sure then what it was ?
I forgot how much I dislike working on this engine because there is such crap access. So if it ends up being the water pump, even though it will co$t a lot, I'm outsourcing it.
I forgot how much I dislike working on this engine because there is such crap access. So if it ends up being the water pump, even though it will co$t a lot, I'm outsourcing it.
Hmm. It kinda sounds like that, but much less severe for now. It's intermittent too as I said. For example I drove it today after the pulley change and not a peep. However while still in the garage right after the pulley change I could still hear it. Again didn't notice anything out of the ordinary when I spun it with the belt off today, but like you said, you didn't either. I thought it was affected by heat, because it seemed to do it more or at all when it was rather hot out after the van had been driven a bit. But that was blown out the window when it was doing it within 5 minutes of early morning start up the other day. Like I said I'll keep going with it until it gets worse and that will hopefully lead me to the source. How bad was it to swap out the alternator? Did you have to remove that water inlet PIA over it? Thanks for the help and info. The next time it starts making the noise to the point I think my phone will pick it up, I'll try to get a video of it for comparison.
Damn. I've had that off once to replace the thermostat. I always hate to break into the coolant system. IIRC it was a PIA to keep filling and waiting for it to burp or suck it down etc. Thanks for the info.
Funny you mentioned this. I noticed that when I was struggling to move it back into the locked position that it made kind of a spring squeak when moving back. I did wonder if that slight fwd / aft movement when running with the belt might be making this noise. So I did spray some lubricant in there, not much at all, thinking it may or may not do anything. When I had it all back together and running I barely noticed any movement of the tensioner arm so I had dismissed it plus I could still hear the noise slightly. However like I noted to Supra, when I drove it last night, not a peep. So I'm not sure if the little lubrication added worked its way in there if this was indeed the source of the noise, or it's just within the intermittent nature of its manifestation at this point. I'll report back after I drive it some more. If I hear it again, I'll pull the fender shield and spray more in there and see what happens.
I also forgot to mention this intermittent noise is totally RPM dependent. It only happens at very low idle RPM when it does. If I turn on the AC which kicks up the idle just a tad, it goes away. If I raise the RPM at all it goes away.
Even with what looks like zero deflection ? I'll have to get back in there and spray a good amount vs what I had to see.
Still haven't had a chance to shoot the tensioner with lube. I need to order some 10 inch straws for my cans. The short ones I have don't quite make it and I don't want to get it all over the pulley below. Of course it hasn't made a peep in days now. I have no idea lol.
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