Shattered a pulley today.....

Cacher123 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:45 pm

So the last week or so, the KJs been making an on and off squealing noise. I had an oil change appt at the dlr scheduled for today anyway so I've still been using it to commute. Yesterday, the noise became constant so I took my fiance home early to bring it to the dlr this morning. I wasn't sure if it was a pulley or power steering motor, alternator, etc. I was a little concerned it might have been the top end itself. My dad & I squirted the hell out of the pulleys last night with WD-40 to see if we could determine which it was, didn't help, so he suggested pulling off the serpentine belt to see if the noise stopped. If it did, I would at least know it was an accessory and not the engine. I wasn't about to do that last night and had the appt anyway....

Well, doncha know it, after driving around all week, I go to drive to the dlr this morning (6 miles from my house). I go 2 blocks and just as I get on the highway... "BANG!!" and then I lose power steering, the battery light goes on and the temp starts to climb.... I figured whatever was going, finally went and took the belt with it.

Figured I might as well drive it all the way to the dlr since I was already on the highway. So I crank the heat to max and get to my exit, run through about 3 or 4 red lights so I don't have to stop (figure if I do, the car will die), luckily there was barely another car on the road at 7am today, and make it to the dlr.

Turns out one of the tensioner pulley bearings was going and today it froze entirely and the pulley broke off at the mount. Luckily, the belt was fine (had it replaced last year and it didn't snap). Still cost me $250 for the tensioner assy and labor. But I guess of everything under there, this was probably the cheapest of the lot if a pulley had to go. I wonder if it hadn't broken if the pulley was available seperately and might have been cheaper - oh well, at least I didn't have to pay for a tow. 115K on it.....

mrkake · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:00 pm

You can get the pulleys separately but you are better off replacing the tensioner too. I have one that is squealing intermittently too so now I am more worried than before. I better get the parts ordered to have on hand.

Cacher123 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:23 pm

mrkake wrote:

You can get the pulleys separately but you are better off replacing the tensioner too. I have one that is squealing intermittently too so now I am more worried than before. I better get the parts ordered to have on hand.

Don't wait!
Unfortunately, when mine froze, the mount on the tensioner is what actually broke.

trailman · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:34 pm

My tensioner and pulley is supposed to be in on the 15th. Every morning it gets scarier and scarier to start my KJ. The whine is pretty obnoxious for about a minute. I hope something doesn't break apart under there before my part comes in.

SoDakJeep · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:26 pm

that same thing happend to me when I was in Colorado Springs. left me stranded on the side of the road luckly Marty from Rocklizard helped me out of that situation. At least you made it to where you were going I was over 800 miles from home when mine wnet.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:46 pm

Its fairly cheap AND VERY EASY to replace if its whinning do not wait until you are stuck, just change it :roll:

Shattered a pulley today.....

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