one of them is making noise. I know the idler pulley is a simple bolt, but can the tensioner pulley also be pulled off without replacing the whole unit. i see Rock Auto sells them separately, but not sure if it's just as easy to remove the bolt on the pulley itself off the tensioner. Much cheaper for sure! Please let me know if anyone has done just the pulley on the tensioner. 94 STS. thx ken

If the tensioner spring and pivot are clean and not wobbly there's no reason to replace the whole thing - but take off the entire assembly and check it out - the pulley is held on by a shouldered bolt which captures the inner race. Put a couple of drops of synthetic oil on the tensioner spring axle and work it out in a vise. Good to go.

(I just did essentially the same thing with my Northstar water pump drive tensioner........)

 

If the tensioner pulley bearing is clicking & clacking you will notice the whole arm jumping with the clicks.

A bad tensioner will cause irregular belt edge wear. If the belt has non-frayed/worn edges or unequal outside grooves the tensioner arm is still pivoting square & true.

If the belt squeals at times it is a worn spring.

If you release the belt off the P/S pulley you can reach and check the idler for wobble play & spin smoothness.

At O'reilly the idler pulley was $30 & the tensioner & pulley unit was $70.

 

i'll check it out tonight by pulling the belt off, checking it, and spinning the two pulleys. thx guys!

 

You should also run it & see if the tensioner arm is jumping with the clatter.

 

will take a peek at that too johnny.