timing belt idler pulley needs

farmall · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:52 pm

I am going thru the 100k timing belt replacement. Is moparpartsonline the only source for the timing belt idler pulley. They are roght at $90 ea right now. I am probably nearer to 115k miles but an excesssive out-of-town-for-long-periods work schedule has keep me from this task. I am going for the minor work this time and will get to the waterpump next go round. Thanks guys.

msilbernagel · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:43 pm

farmall wrote:

I am going thru the 100k timing belt replacement. Is moparpartsonline the only source for the timing belt idler pulley. They are roght at $90 ea right now. I am probably nearer to 115k miles but an excesssive out-of-town-for-long-periods work schedule has keep me from this task. I am going for the minor work this time and will get to the waterpump next go round. Thanks guys.

There has been some discussion lately with regard to quality of parts from suppliers outside of the OEM chain. Some of that conversation is included in the thread reference below.

By way of an example, if you search for 5142573AA on Google (click 'shopping', sort for low price), Crown's part appears available for under $45 individually with shipping included.

Be interesting to hear the consensus - but whatever goes in you want to have some sense the part will be Ok 100k miles from now.

A good alternate source is the shop that's putting the timing belt kit together: http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=65184

My guess is that he has some sound advice on quality along with good leads on alternative suppliers.

Mark

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:54 am

I'm not sure why they would have a $90 price posted. OEM pulleys (5142573AA) are readily available for around $45 each plus shipping with Crown's going for a bit less.

farmall · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:14 pm

papaindigo wrote:

I'm not sure why they would have a $90 price posted. OEM pulleys (5142573AA) are readily available for around $45 each plus shipping with Crown's going for a bit less.

The part number that I was looking up is 5142798AA. I thought that this was the right # for the timing belt idler pulley. Have I been searching for the wrong part#? Thanks for the input so far. Does anyone know of any CRDs near me in Camden SC?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:24 pm

5142798AA is the timing belt tensioner pulley which some mistakenly refer to as a idler. ca. $90 is about the right price for that part but you only need 1 and then only if it's bearing is iffy.

For the true idlers you need 2 but again only if the bearings are iffy.

farmall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:55 am

Are the OEM timing belt tru idlers plastic?? Or have mine already been changed? I have looked thru some photos and most that I see are the same black plastic pulleys. It looks like the part# on the bearing is NTN 6303LHAX.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:31 pm

farmall wrote:

It looks like the part# on the bearing is NTN 6303LHAX.

Are you suggesting replacing the bearing? I wouldn't hesitate on a steel wheel but I'd be a bit concerned with how the plastic will hold up.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:58 pm

It's been a while so my memory may be off but IIRC a member, whose handle escapes me right now, was looking at options on those idlers and the way the bearing is installed is such that you cannot press the bearing out and press a new one in but I forget why. geordi may remember more than I do.

farmall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:19 pm

dirtmover wrote:

farmall wrote:

It looks like the part# on the bearing is NTN 6303LHAX.

Are you suggesting replacing the bearing? I wouldn't hesitate on a steel wheel but I'd be a bit concerned with how the plastic will hold up.

No, I wondered if the OEM timing belt idlers were plastic or not. I was not considering replacing the bearing: That was just the number that I could read on the originals. I finally got the belt on this evening. The belt that I removed was a Goodyear. I turned the motor over by hand several revolutions and then I fired it up momentarily and it ran fine. So,,, are the original pulleys plastic?

dylan7495 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:38 pm

papaindigo wrote:

5142798AA is the timing belt tensioner pulley which some mistakenly refer to as a idler. ca. $90 is about the right price for that part but you only need 1 and then only if it's bearing is iffy.

For the true idlers you need 2 but again only if the bearings are iffy.

So are you saying that if the idlers and tensioners look and spin ok and are quiet then leave them be? On the timing belt as well as the accessory drive belt? This could save me close to $500. Just for the tensioners and pulleys. Chrysler rips us off down here in South Africa.

Billwill · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:36 am

dylan7495 wrote:

papaindigo wrote:

5142798AA is the timing belt tensioner pulley which some mistakenly refer to as a idler. ca. $90 is about the right price for that part but you only need 1 and then only if it's bearing is iffy.

For the true idlers you need 2 but again only if the bearings are iffy.

So are you saying that if the idlers and tensioners look and spin ok and are quiet then leave them be? On the timing belt as well as the accessory drive belt? This could save me close to $500. Just for the tensioners and pulleys. Chrysler rips us off down here in South Africa.

If you are going to all of the trouble replacing the timing belt then it is worth your while to replace the idlers and tensioner pulley at the same time. A lot of CRD owners replace the water pump at the same time just to be on the safe side.
You can try order the parts from overseas....as you say OEM parts from Chrysler in SA are way too expensive.

Edit to add: Make sure you get the correct parts....there may be differences between the 2.8 CRD USA models and the ones we have here in SA :shock:

dirtmover · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:36 am

Billwill wrote:

If you are going to all of the trouble replacing the timing belt then it is worth your while to replace the idlers and tensioner pulley at the same time.

Not only that, the maintenance schedule is requiring the idlers be changed at the same time as the belt, at least over here it does.

- Replace the engine timing belt and idler pulleys.
- Inspect the engine timing belt tensioner, replace
if necessary.†

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:57 pm

dylan7495 wrote:

papaindigo wrote:

5142798AA is the timing belt tensioner pulley which some mistakenly refer to as a idler. ca. $90 is about the right price for that part but you only need 1 and then only if it's bearing is iffy.

For the true idlers you need 2 but again only if the bearings are iffy.

So are you saying that if the idlers and tensioners look and spin ok and are quiet then leave them be? On the timing belt as well as the accessory drive belt? This could save me close to $500. Just for the tensioners and pulleys. Chrysler rips us off down here in South Africa.

Order your parts from the US....it will take a little while longer but you will save a metric butt-ton of money.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:24 pm

Sealed bearings are sealed bearings. IMHO and experience they can die days after removed from the box or run forever you pays your money and take your chances. I know that's not much help but the best I can say is if the idler/tensioner bearings are solid (minimal bearing wiggle) and are not weeping grease you can leave them in and they will last as long as they last or you can replace them and get the same life span.

The underlying problem is you won't know the condition of those bearings until you are well into the engine at which point if they are bad and you don't have replacements the engine is down while you wait for parts. That almost puts you at the spot of order the bearings so you have them on hand if needed but don't use them unless you have to in which case maybe another person in your area will need them.

In my personal case if I go to 2020, which is when I'll hit 100k miles, to replace my timing belt I'll replace the bearings regardless but if I do a belt replacement in about a year at 50K miles if the bearings are solid I'll leave them alone.

timing belt idler pulley needs

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