Ugh!!! -Rant-

[korbendallas68]

Damn. Like I couldn't be stressed out enough having to move to huge city... My f'ing car wants to break on me!! I knew this would happen!! Grrr....

The damn belt tensioner somehow broke!! It like melted!!

I have another one at my parents house... BUT that's like 300 some miles away, and there's no way I'll be able to change it in a parking lot. Damn. Hopefully I can find somewhere to get it fixed... And not kill my pocket book...

[SappySE107]

I didnt think the tensioner was that hard to replace. Maybe the grand am doesnt have the room over there or something?

[korbendallas68]

It looks like there's about 1 1/2 inches of room... may be 2... I think maybe you're right. That bolt isn't long if I remember. But I need that part back at home. Dang.

[korbendallas68]

Yay! I fixed it! Only $80 poorer.

$15 Taxi Ride + $65 Part

It took like 15 minutes to change. Very easy to do.

[SappySE107]

Sure beats paying someone to do it plus the part!

[korbendallas68]

Yeah, your right about that. And the pulley is very easy to get in and out. You *have to* go through the bottom to get to it. Then use a size 19mm open wrench (I think) to pull up on the end of the pulley to get the belt back on. So easy.

lol, It would of been free... But the part I needed was too far away to get, oh well.

[korbendallas68]

Here's the pulley. I read somewhere that the pulley should be considered a regular maintence item? They said the bearings will go out after so many miles... Well mine had 186K Whoda thunk it?

I guess my bearings will stoped working...

[XLR8ING]

Lol....I see those melted pulleys couple times a week, but honestly, it's more Fords than GMs.

[korbendallas68]

When is the typical milage on the ones you change?

[XLR8ING]

Sorry, I manage a parts store, so not really sure on the mileage.

[SappySE107]

It seems to be the forgotten item...never hear much about them. Ill probably get a new one next spring just for the hell of it though, no point in taking chances when mine probably has 133k on it or so. I guess every 100k would be a good idea unless someone has a GM listing for when to do it.