over-tightening powerdyne belt?

[dgreet77]

Alright, so I had a nasty pulley squeak that turned out to be the smooth pulley on the powerdyne tensioner...whatever...switched it out for the other smooth pulley off the old tensioner before spring break; no more squeak. Drove the car for 3-4 days squeak-less before spring break, came back from spring break, got in the car, and I'll be damned if I can't already start hearing a squeak again, not nearly as bad as before, but its there....

I already used a stethoscope to find where it was coming from; and its from that damn tensioner pulley that was fine ~2 weeks ago. So my question is: will over-tightening the belt make the bearings in the tensioner pulley go out? I tighten my belt according to grayman's website to where turning it ~90* is about all you can turn it without really forcing it...so I really don't think I have over-tightened it. Is there anything else that might be making these pulleys take a ****? Or should I just get a new one and try a slightly looser belt?

Cliffs: Had two tensioner pulleys develop a squeak, one in the space of about 2 weeks. Is this from over-tightening the belt; even though I think my belt is far from too tight?

[ssms5411]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

Yes , over tightening will make them go out or the belt will snap in time, you should have about a 1/2"-1" play in the belt in pushing on it from where the Alt. goes to the power steering. I would invest in a grooved steel pullley for the powerdyne.

[dgreet77]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

Yes , over tightening will make them go out or the belt will snap in time, you should have about a 1/2"-1" play in the belt in pushing on it from where the Alt. goes to the power steering. I would invest in a grooved steel pullley for the powerdyne.

Just pushing straight down on the top of the belt between the alt and PS ya mean? I've got it to where 90* of twist is about all I have according to grayman's site; I can get it more than 90* but it takes some effort for sure...is this too tight in your experience?

Also I know a grooved pulley would be the way to go; I'll probably go that route if I ever decide to switch to a 2.9" pulley.

[Mighty Thor]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

Yes , over tightening will make them go out or the belt will snap in time, you should have about a 1/2"-1" play in the belt in pushing on it from where the Alt. goes to the power steering. I would invest in a grooved steel pullley for the powerdyne.

Yup, my alt. already went out. I never had problem with the tensioner pulley, but the idler pulley. Check and see this is going out too.

[dgreet77]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

Yup, my alt. already went out. I never had problem with the tensioner pulley, but the idler pulley. Check and see this is going out too.

After I swapped the tensioner pulley the first time I went around the bay with my stethoscope and made sure there weren't any other funky noises coming from other places.

How do you get your belt tight enough so you don't crater your pulleys but still maintain optimal boost?

Also do you have these dang squeaking issues too when your pulleys begin to fail? Lol

[Mighty Thor]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

After I swapped the tensioner pulley the first time I went around the bay with my stethoscope and made sure there weren't any other funky noises coming from other places.

How do you get your belt tight enough so you don't crater your pulleys but still maintain optimal boost?

Also do you have these dang squeaking issues too when your pulleys begin to fail? Lol

I had my idler fail twice and my alternator. Like Steve said, be sure you give it 1/2 to 1" play. That should do the trick.

[dgreet77]

Re: over-tightening powerdyne belt?

Alright, I guess I'll buy me a new pulley and give this 1/2 to 1" play thing a try.