Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

vy commodore tensioner replacement

krusing

Well-Known Member, Possibly for the wrong reasons
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
5,345
Reaction score
3,936
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Bayside
Members Ride
2002 VY L67 Calais Sedan, 2012 VE L77 Calais Wagon
V6, Super6 or V8 ?

All you need is a 15mm Socket [by memory] and a breaker bar, or a long ratchet,
"Take a Photo of the serpentine belt before you remove it".
Keeping in mind, some of the bolts a "LEFT hand thread", but you can feel which they will undo.
In saying that, if you do one pulley, you would normally do all !, [3 if its a V6, 6 if its a Super6, not sure about a V8]

If you purchase metal pulleys, you can change the bearings each time they get noisy with 6203RS bearings, cheaper option,
But need a bearing press to do this.

The only one you "cannot" replace the bearing is the OEM plastic moulded pully,
I went to Jolly's in Dandy South and got 2 metal ones in place of the plastic ones, and then replaced all 6 bearings on my Super6,
and various other pulleys so I can have spares sitting on the shelf.
Purchased 12 Bearings off eBay at $4 each,
where a bearing outlet [shall remain nameless] wanted to charge $22ea.
Even it one fails in 12 months, I'm still way in front.
 
Last edited:

JoeyVerg

New Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2020
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Age
46
Location
Narre Warren North, VIC, 3804
Members Ride
vy s pack commodore
V6, Super6 or V8 ?

All you need is a 15mm Socket [by memory] and a breaker bar, or a long ratchet,
"Take a Photo of the serpentine belt before you remove it".
Keeping in mind, some of the bolts a "LEFT hand thread", but you can feel which they will undo.
In saying that, if you do one pulley, you would normally do all !, [3 if its a V6, 6 if its a Super6, not sure about a V8]

If you purchase metal pulleys, you can change the bearings each time they get noisy with 6203RS bearings, cheaper option,
But need a bearing press to do this.

The only one you "cannot" replace the bearing is the OEM plastic moulded pully,
I went to Jolly's in Dandy South and got 2 metal ones in place of the plastic ones, and then replaced all 6 bearings on my Super6,
and various other pulleys so I can have spares sitting on the shelf.
Purchased 12 Bearings off eBay at $4 each,
where a bearing outlet [shall remain nameless] wanted to charge $22ea.
Even it one fails in 12 months, I'm still way in front.
Hi Krusing... I've got a V6 and it's not the pulley Im replacing but the tensioner unit. hope u can help me further. thanks
 

krusing

Well-Known Member, Possibly for the wrong reasons
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
5,345
Reaction score
3,936
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Bayside
Members Ride
2002 VY L67 Calais Sedan, 2012 VE L77 Calais Wagon
Hi Krusing... I've got a V6 and it's not the pulley Im replacing but the tensioner unit. hope u can help me further. thanks

Sorry, my fault for not understanding. :oops:
Ahh, that’s a different situation, the common fault is normally the tensioner pulley bearing becomes noisy.
And people have asked how to replace the tensioner pulley.
Sounds like the spring has failed ?.

The whole tensioner is a replaceable unit, not worth repairing it.
And that is easy to replace, Heater hose, 4 bolts and 2 o-ring seals to make sure they don’t leak,
I haven’t done one myself as yet, but going by the manual, it shouldn’t take to long.
Depends if you wish to purchase and/or can afford a new one or a s/hand one.
Again you would find one at most wreckers, where Jollys [Dandenong South] you can remove it yourself, which makes it a cheaper option, and you can see how it's removed so to re-fit it to your car, would probably also need to purchase some gasket material & gasket cement of some type to make sure the cooling pipe/fitting doesn’t leak.
I have attached an extract of a how to do.
It starts at the bottom on the right hand side of the first page, and continues to the top of second page left hand side.

Most important, Disconnect your Battery First, since you have to remove the Alternator to get to it.
 

Attachments

  • L36 Belt Tensioner.pdf
    974.9 KB · Views: 529
Last edited:

krusing

Well-Known Member, Possibly for the wrong reasons
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
5,345
Reaction score
3,936
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Bayside
Members Ride
2002 VY L67 Calais Sedan, 2012 VE L77 Calais Wagon
For the case of the exercise, I did the LIM gaskets today on my VY Super6 and had to remove the Tension pulley Bracket,
The Alternator NEEDS to be remove, as there is a bolt that goes through the Tensioner Bracket for the alternator.

I did notice that there is a couple of O-rings that are part of that bracket which are for the heater hoses that go to the Heater Tap,
So you may need to take those into account,
Otherwise, its was a easy job to remove it, and refit it. [with a little bit of messing around of course].
 

Old_School

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
31
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
Adelaide SA
Members Ride
VY S 3.8L , VT Callais SC L67 3.8L
For the case of the exercise, I did the LIM gaskets today on my VY Super6 and had to remove the Tension pulley Bracket,
The Alternator NEEDS to be remove, as there is a bolt that goes through the Tensioner Bracket for the alternator.

I did notice that there is a couple of O-rings that are part of that bracket which are for the heater hoses that go to the Heater Tap,
So you may need to take those into account,
Otherwise, its was a easy job to remove it, and refit it. [with a little bit of messing around of course].
If You don't get the overpriced O rings reinstalled correctly & replaced any flogged ones, it can leak there hidden out of sight in the next heatwave, bit of Vaseline or smear of rubber grease can help reinstalling, such a pain in the ass design ;)
 
Top