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Upper tensioner pulley failure.

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Tweek's Turbos

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have pics just not uploaded yet.

So at about 11:00 pm Sat night on my way back from visiting my big sis 3 hours away, and with my whole family in the car. I started to get the death whine. I pulled over and check the pulleys. No smoke, so I kept going. About 15 miles later it was getting loud. I re checked, but knew the trip would soon be over.

At about 11:40ish, the pulley started to get quiet. I shut the car down and coasted to a stop. The plastic had completly worn down, and the best was resting on the groved portion of the metal bearing. Later inspection found the plastic part still round but horribly seperated from the metal bearing. The belt is in perfect shape, Its also not more than 5 months old. So its good I don't need to replace it.

The driver from olympus dropped off the pully, its a Ruvill brand. Made in Germany. I wanted to pay $35, but they would only go as low as $39. I'll try and get a ride to the house and pop it on at lunch.

Big thanks to Immo for picking my family up off the side of the highway and taking them back to my place. AAA wasn't sure where I was broken down, and I didn't know if the flatbed would be a crew cab. So I woke him up at 1AM and he drove to find me.

Also big thanks to Oliversexpedition for getting them all out to the Airports/Metro yesterday morning. Eveybody was able to catch the plane or bus.
 
#3 ·
Wow. A WASSAAB mission. I wish you woulda called. I keep an extra idler pulley with me at all times. Way to go Paul and Frank.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Tweek's Turbos said:
I have pics just not uploaded yet.

So at about 11:00 pm Sat night on my way back from visiting my big sis 3 hours away, and with my whole family in the car. I started to get the death whine. I pulled over and check the pulleys. No smoke, so I kept going. About 15 miles later it was getting loud. I re checked, but knew the trip would soon be over.

At about 11:40ish, the pulley started to get quiet. I shut the car down and coasted to a stop. The plastic had completly worn down, and the best was resting on the groved portion of the metal bearing. Later inspection found the plastic part still round but horribly seperated from the metal bearing. The belt is in perfect shape, Its also not more than 5 months old. So its good I don't need to replace it.

The driver from olympus dropped off the pully, its a Ruvill brand. Made in Germany. I wanted to pay $35, but they would only go as low as $39. I'll try and get a ride to the house and pop it on at lunch.

Big thanks to Immo for picking my family up off the side of the highway and taking them back to my place. AAA wasn't sure where I was broken down, and I didn't know if the flatbed would be a crew cab. So I woke him up at 1AM and he drove to find me.

Also big thanks to Oliversexpedition for getting them all out to the Airports/Metro yesterday morning. Eveybody was able to catch the plane or bus.
Click to expand...
That sux Tweeks.
Why not buy a Wazee pulley? What do you think about those?
http://wazeepulleys.com/saab/pulleys.htm

It's alluminum and the bearings can be replaced for $2 apparantly.

The price used to be $34.99 but they hiked it to $47.99 recently :(
 
#7 ·
Discussion starter · #9 ·
I found the original thread:
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1090623#post1090623

Pully was last changed 4 1/2 years ago.

Tweek's Turbos said:
My tax return finally arrived so I was off to the dealership, and then to Goldwing for some scrap parts.

I picked up an Idler pulley and Tensioner Pulley along with serpentine belt, from the dealership, I know I paid to much.
Next I was off to Goldwing, They are about 10 minutes north of Syracuse by saab. I hung out for a while, talked to a guy who had 5 saabs on his dealership lot, and Kyle who works there. I was able to trade one of my Ignition Cassetes for 2 foglights, one from a 9-3 and one from a 9-5 that should work, but if not, I can bring it back. Later that day I ordered a Forge Dump, and a Dawes Device. So I am pretty excited.

I get the car back to the house, and begin removing the belts and tensioner pulley. The Idler pulley was held on by a T-40 torx thingy, The space between the fenderwell and the pulley is to small for a ratchet, so after 4 trips to the hardware store (just 4 blocks away) in my sister's mitsu yuck, I ended up with a drill bit T-40 which I cut in half so it was about a half an inch long. Then I had a 5/16 nut pressed on and welded. I thought this would work with a wrench but the nut spun even with the weld. I ended up just using the nut as a backing so a really small wrench was put on the torx head, then a large wratchet like a 17mm completely over the wrench and I gave it a good tug, finally this thing came off. With both new pulleys I looped the belt back on, then realised the belt was way to tight..I went back into town to find the answer luckily one of the tech guys from the dealership was on his way home, so he agreed to show me what I needed to do. I needed a half inch extention for a ratchet, it gets placed in a square hole just behind the tensioner pulley tuged twards the front of the car. The belts loosen and then you can wrap the last pulley. The Owners Manual has a good diagram of the belt route.

Today, I'm calling up Nick Taliaferro about some Viggen parts.
Click to expand...
 
#14 ·
Tweek's Turbos said:
Big thanks to Immo for picking my family up off the side of the highway and taking them back to my place. AAA wasn't sure where I was broken down, and I didn't know if the flatbed would be a crew cab. So I woke him up at 1AM and he drove to find me.
Click to expand...
Always happy to help...;)
 
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#15 ·
Rudedog said:
Wow. A WASSAAB mission. I wish you woulda called. I keep an extra idler pulley with me at all times. Way to go Paul and Frank.
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He was 10 miles south of Warrenton... Not that I'm that much closer than you are...
 
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#16 ·
Funny I find this thread Ben, haha. Driving down 690 wed night at like 70, noticed the car sounded a little loud when I all of the sudden, sounded like an explosion under my hood. Bye bye idler pully....car has been sitting at the wegmans in dewitt since then. Sucks
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Roffl, I'll be driving by there either 1am Sat morning or 10amish Sat morning depending on traffic and weather on 81. Need anything?

I will also thro the pic cd in the car, I lost internet about the same time so I will post up the pics from NY.
 
#18 ·
Got everything put back together in the Wegmans parking lot last night....looks like the tensioner pully, the bearing doesnt feel all that great. Guess I will need to look into one of those sooner then later as well.

As for me, I should be good for awhile I hope....or at least till spring when she goes for sale.
 
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