VN idler adjustment

[IvegotaCommy]

Pretty new to the VN Commodore. So this needs a bit of patience. How do you adjust and/or replace the idler pulley on the alternator drive belt? Just bought the car and the pulley (according to the ex-owner) is shot. He has provided the pulley but I can not see how to relieve tension on the drive belt to remove the pulley.

[YMY-88U]

lift the idler pulley bolt anti-clockwise, that relieves the tension and you should be able to take off the drive belt. i just replaced by pulley yesterday with a new chrome one from supercheap, the old ones bearings were stuffed and she was a bit all over the place, when they become stuffed the start making really loud noises, so its a good idea to replace it, its only $30 from supercheap anyway, and it looks a whole lot better

[immortality]

don't forget that it's a left hand thread for the pulley on the tensioner arm

[IvegotaCommy]

Well, that was an interesting experience - NOT! I just replaced the idler and started up and it took about 6 turns of the engine to totally destroy the pulley.
At first glance, there seemed no difference between the two pulleys. There was no direction arrow on the new pulley or anything to indicate it went on one way or the other. But when I tried the bolt and washer (after the new one was destroyed) into the pulley, there was a slight difference caused by how much the bearing had been pressed in. This difference was such that one way round it had the right clearance and the other way (the way I managed to pick - sods law) there was no clearance between the washer and the plastic pulley. Result was that when it was tightened up it locked the pulley. The drive belt then melted the plastic pulley when I started the engine.
Yes, I should have checked. But I have never seen something that was meant to only go in one way that was not marked. What can I say?

[immortality]

Well, that was an interesting experience - NOT! I just replaced the idler and started up and it took about 6 turns of the engine to totally destroy the pulley.
At first glance, there seemed no difference between the two pulleys. There was no direction arrow on the new pulley or anything to indicate it went on one way or the other. But when I tried the bolt and washer (after the new one was destroyed) into the pulley, there was a slight difference caused by how much the bearing had been pressed in. This difference was such that one way round it had the right clearance and the other way (the way I managed to pick - sods law) there was no clearance between the washer and the plastic pulley. Result was that when it was tightened up it locked the pulley. The drive belt then melted the plastic pulley when I started the engine.
Yes, I should have checked. But I have never seen something that was meant to only go in one way that was not marked. What can I say?

bit of a **** eh. oh well kick yourself now and be thankfull it's only and idler pulley. when you get a new one, get the steel version. when the bearing craps out next time you can just press in a new bearing rather then repalcing the whole idler pulley. new bearings are a lot cheap.

i think there done by nuline or something alone those lines anyways

[YMY-88U]

that sucks man, the one i bought from supercheap is the polished/chrome metal one, its alot stronger then the original plastic one, also you have to make sure the sirclip is facing towards the engine, but yeh $30 and its a step to dressing up my engine bay