Where is the auto tension pulley on a Dodge Dakota?

Answer 1

While standing in front your truck with the hood open, the tension pully you're looking for is the pulley at the far left of the engine. It's about 2-1/2" in diameter and is spring loaded. At least that's where it's located on a 96, V6, Dakota 4x4 Sport. Hope this helps. Good Luck!! more info to supplement the above, as you may not be able to discern a spring loaded pulley. On the top left side of the engine is the alternator and alternator pulley, top slight right of center of the engine is the air conditoner compressor/clutch pulley (very eloborate looking pulley...as it has a clutch assembley in its center)...now between and below those two pulleys are two more pulleys (one is the belt tensioner (idler) pulley) the other is the water pump pulley. The water pump pulley is the larger of the two...and it is smooth bore with no ridges or belt grooves on it at all. Now by process of elimination that leaves the idler (belt tensioner) pulley. But so as to be complete...I will describe it...it is ridged and grooved just like the alternator and air conditioner clutch pulleys are. It is larger than the alternator pulley but smaller than the air conditioner pulley. Now if you look what the idler pulley is attached to behind the pulley ...its on a short two to three inch arm that reaches down to a circular shaped device that mounts onto a bracket attached to the engine block...that my friend is the spring loaded belt tensioner...you might even have to change that one day...and boy is that fun..but I'll save that for another post!