bad pulley

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

Hi,
I have a bad pulley or pulleys. It sounds really bad at idle but goes away when I give her some diesel. The belt tensioner is vibrating a lot. Do you think that is the one giving me the problem. The guy at the tire shop also said that he thinks my alternator is going bad, he listened to it with his stethoscope. Do you think I just need to replace the pulley on it. I just bought the alternator, it was a rebuilt model but the pulley looks new.

Thanks for your help

FineDining

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Sun May 02, 2010 9:59 pm

Are you sure it's not the idle decoupler pulley? It can make a squealing sound at idle but seems to go away under acceleration. They seem to be a common problem after 50-60K miles.

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

Its more of a chirping than a squealing. I was hoping it wasn't the alternator because I just replaced it and the noise doesn't seem to be coming from it but like I said its hard to tell. Is it normal to have the tensioner pulley vibrating a lot?

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Sun May 02, 2010 10:27 pm

From what I understand about the idle decoupler, it absorbs a lot of the shock that these little 4 banger diesels generate. When mine went out, it sounded more like a belt chirping until it got worse. If the decoupler is going out, it could cause the tensioner pulley to vibrate but don't rule out the possibility that the tensioner pulley may be going out too.

kccrd · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:35 pm **Posts:** 267

With a proper decoupler pulley on the alternator the tensioner pulley will not vibrate at all. I replaced my alternater pulley almost 2 years ago and that solved my little chirping sound and also allowed the alternater to send a charge to the battery. To this day with 130k now I do not have any problems with the alternator or the tensioner pulley. Your rebuilt alternator might not have the decoupler pulley on it. A standard pulley will look the same on the outside but will not have the proper insides to help take vibration out of the serpentine belt. The pulley I replaced was only $ 53.00 and about a half hour to change.

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Sun May 02, 2010 10:29 pm

Definitely the alternator pulley.It's froze up and putting stress on your tensioner causing it to jump around.Chirping will only get worse.

racertracer · **Posted:** Sun May 02, 2010 10:32 pm

If you haven't replaced the alternator decoupler, then I would say that's your problem.

Unfortunately it may have pulled down the other pulleys with it.

Change the decoupler first, that might have been your problem all along and not your alternator.

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

Alright, that sounds good. Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot. is the explanation for why it makes noise only at idle because when the engine is running the additional gas/combustion events smooth out things out?

VMKJCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 12:33 am

x100

I have the same noise (would start at idle and go away when driving).

I replaced the alternator pully and it went away. Here is my post about it and also the part number.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50728

geordi · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 1:43 am

FYI: I was having a pulsating light problem at night (voltage meter wobbling between 14.2 and 15.6 volts 3-4 times per second) and figured out that it also was the pulley on the alternator.

I couldn't get the stupid thing off of the alternator however. Advance Auto sold me a complete alternator WITH THE PROPER DECOUPLER ON IT for $155. Can't beat that deal, the engine is much smoother now and no charging issues.

JavierCRD05 · **Joined:** Thu May 13, 2010 6:55 pm **Posts:** 4

Dear all,

Where I can buy de Alternator Decoupler Pulley?

If anyone can give me a website, where I can buy it, I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

JavierCRD05

jeepdan · **Posted:** Fri May 14, 2010 3:32 pm

Mopar Parts America Part Number 53013554AE

bad pulley

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