ejscarfo

I purchased one of these kits and the bearing in the plastic pulley seems to be bad now. The pulley makes a hollow, plastic sounding clicking noise when the engine idles. At first, I thought it was the idler, so I replaced that. The clicking goes away if I tighten the slack or loosen the slack on the belt when its running by moving the idler adjuster with my breaker bar. The belt seems to be aligned, but I did have to get a belt an inch and half shorter because the OE belt was too big with the bypass pulley installed.

Anyone ever experience this? Anyone know what part number the pulley is? There doesn't seem to be one on it.

AGENT 86

Replace the $2 bearing and your good. Should be a number on seal or outer ring. EG 62032RS

ejscarfo

There's nothing legible or I'd run the numbers. I hope that's it.

Thanks!

BstrdC4

Is it possible to swap pulleys? That's what I did when I got a new alternator.

ejscarfo

Yup...that's what I think I'm going to do. If anyone has a part number for an idler pulley that matches, please post.

Cruizin

Just pop the bearings out and take them into a bearing shop. They'll most likely be a standard size.

ejscarfo

It's a cheap plastic idler pulley, I doubt the bearing will pop out without cracking the pulley in someway. I have the metal pulley from the adjuster that I may use in place of the pastic idler pulley on the bypass. If that pulley is too small, I will just try to find a match at the local NAPA or AutoZone.

I was also thinking, could the "paint" on the belt itself be making the clicking as it passes over the smooth pulleys like the water pump and adjuster pulley? The belt is a brand new Dayco belt and the part number painted on it is raised more than I have seen before. Anyone have any thoughts?

LongBeachC4

6203 2RS is a standard bearing size that most any bearing shop should stock. Ask for a better quality one like Nachi or Iko. They make a good bearing.

ejscarfo

Ok, so I took the pulley off and there is definite play in the bearing. However, the play is between the collar that's pressed into the bearing. The bearing itself has a PN of NTN 6203LU. It is just a bearing with no collar so that collar must be custom. I can probably rig up a spacer to add a different pulley and see what happens, but I was wondering if anyone here had any thoughts.

Cruizin

Looks brand new! Can you feel any roughness in the bearings?

I have an identical one sitting on my shelf and I can see the bearings will pop out easily if necessary. However its doubtful that a bearing will have gone already judging by how new yours looks.

Try refitting it, idle the engine and putting a long (as in big) screwdriver tip to the bracket near the pulley with the handle end to your ear. You should be able to hear a bearing click or rumble. Try this around your alternator, water pump and ac pump and see where it is loudest.

Not likely to be a new belt unless it has a tear.

ejscarfo

It's only a few months old so it's practically new. I turned the pulley over on a level surface and I couldn't balance it. I reinstalled it and saw it didn't really seat right on the bracket. I took it off and filed the edge of the collar, then I packed the center with grease and it helped. The bolt no longer had play inside the collar. I figured out it was the bolt inside the collar that was clicking. The collar is the real problem here, not the bearing. I reinstalled and started the car. It clicked once or twice then stopped. I shut the car off, retightened the bolt using my impact driver and restarted the car. It's now quiet and seems to be running smooth. I'll take the car out tomorrow and see how it is after a drive. Hopefully it doesn't loosen up.

Poor quality on this kit. I'd of been better off making my own bypass setup.

Cruizin

Glad you got it sorted.

There used to be a similar product around that used a steel pulley. Plastic just doesn't do it for me.

If the bolt loosens up in the collar again you could try putting several center punch marks around it so that its a tight fit.

ejscarfo

Good idea on punching the collar. I agree on the plastic pulleys. I'm not a fan either. I'm just really disappointed in the quality of the kit. It's not like it was cheap. At the very least there should of been instructions included that had torque specs for the pulley bolt as I'm sure I can't be the first to experience this. Poor communication from the vendor as well, no help at all.