1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Weird pulley sound?

  1. RayanMX

    RayanMX New Member

    Mar 8, 2011
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    Interesting!

    How can I check if it needs replacement?

    Just by wiggling the spring/shock?

    TIA
     
  2. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

    Jun 12, 2009
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    Damn, I just bought one of those, Litens brand of Pelican for $110. Amazon has the Gates 3804 Belt Tensioner for $73!!!
     
  3. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2009
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    Darn new I should have looked around more. Got mine at Rock Auto for.just over $80 with a 5% discount code. Got the idler pulley too, figured I'd freshen it too while I'm there..

    Paul has over 25000 miles on his Gates....of course he drives like a little old lady.. LOL
     
  4. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 4, 2009
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    You cannot really see the bushings by looking right down at it. You have to jack up your car, take off the passenger wheel, and remove the front part "1/2" of inner fender liner.

    Then you can fold it back so you can use a LED flashlight and look up for the little "Shock like" part on the tensioner. It is black about 4- 6 inches long. It is in a hard to see location, it is kind of below and behind the tensioner spring.

    You need to look at the bushings on both ends were it connects. My front one completely broke and fell out and the "little shock" was rattleing against the post making the metal to metal sound. :frown2:
     
  5. livnaboard

    livnaboard New Member

    Sep 21, 2013
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    Video Private again?

    BUMP....trying to see if this is the same as I am having on mine.

    03 MCS, 15%, 122k miles
     
  6. RayanMX

    RayanMX New Member

    Mar 8, 2011
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    Well, it turned out it was the tensioner pulley.

    Good luck with yours!!!

    Cheers!