pretty much-the 2 get confused all the time. Technically a tensioner is an assembly with a spring and an idler is a fixed pulley-most newer cars have both.
If you are referring to the Serpentine belt, you loosen no pulley. You simply remove tension from the belt. The tension is applied by the Idler Pulley. Pry the idler back and remove the belt.If you are referring to the Serpentine belt, you loosen no pulley. You simply remove tension from the belt. The tension is applied by the Idler Pulley. Pry the idler back and remove the belt.
To apply tension
Replace the tensioner assembly as one piece.
An idler pulley is a pulley that does not drive and is not connected to any device that is driven. It serves to either tension a belt or to route a belt to clear an obstacle.
There is no tension adjustment. Tension is automatically adjusted by the idler pulley.
Most idler pulley's are near the top and usually quite easy to get to. Press on the belt somewhere, enough to deflect it a couple inches and watch to see which pully is mounted on a tension spring. That is the idler pulley.
It's on the center of the idler pulley
Requires two person team. Step One: Look at serpentine belt diagram on front of engine. Arrow points to idler tension pulley. (Front Left side of engine) Loosen this 15mm bolt. Step Two: Loosen Idler pulley bolt - 15mm. Step Three: One person push down on idler tension pulley with tire removal tool or cheater bar on front left of engine while second person lifts belt off alternator. Step Four: Remove Idler pulley and replace with new one. Tighten bolt to idler pulley Step Five: One person push down on idler tension pulley with while the other fits belt on alternator and around idler pulley. Step Six: Make sure belt fits as noted on belt diagram and Tighten bolt on idler tension pulley (front left side of engine). Approximate time: 10 minutes
The idler pulley on any vehicle is used to maintain the proper tension on the vehicle's belt(s). without it belt maintenance would be difficult.
If it does not drive anything it could be an idler pulley.
No. The idler pulley only maintains tension on the serpentine belt. A faulty idler pulley can cause noise and a loose tensioner arm can cause belt slipping but other than having a similar name, it has nothing in common with engine idling.
We recently replaced the serpentine belt on our 2003 Chevrolet Tracker. We were able to place a wrench (I believe it was 9/16") on the tensioner pulley and apply pressure so the pulley released tension on the belt. This however did no allow enough slack to install the new belt so we removed the idler pulley at the top center of the engine. With the idler pulley removed we were able to route the belt and with the tension released on the tensioner pulley, routed the belt under the idler pulley and reinstalled the idler pulley, then released the tensioner pulley and the belt was installed. Be sure to note the exact route of the old belt before removal so the new belt follows the same path. Hope this helps.