Question about engine idler pulley.

[beason]

at the end of last year, i shredded the drive belt on my volvo penta 5.0 gxi. During repair i noticed the idler pulley (not the tensioner) bearings were very rough. At the beginning of this season, (March) i replaced the entire thing with a new one.

Just last weekend, i started hearing squeaking from the engine compartment, and fearing another shredded belt, we packed up and headed in. When i got it home on the hose, clearing the salt water out, i investigated the noise, and found it to be the idler i just replaced. When i shot a blast of spray silicone lube in the bearing it stopped.

I dont mind replacing this thing, if i need to, but being that its practically new, should i try packing the bearings? leave it as is as long as its quiet? replace it all together?

thoughts?

 

[Saline Marina]

Usually an accessory drive idler pulley has one or two standard deep groove ball bearings, something like a 6203 or 6006, I don't know exactly for sure but its likely engraved or etched on the bearing, or molded on its rubber seal. Typically these can't be packed without destroying the rubber seal, but you could easily replace it with an arbor press and the right pilots (can substitute a lathe to make the pilots instead of owning or purchasing them). The bearings are "commodity" and probably made by 3-5 different manufacturers. Is it possible there is some type of water spray which is corroding the bearing in that location? I believe there are stainless steel equivalent bearings at higher cost. Spray lube will keep it going, I like Starrett M1 to help with the bearings on my metalworking bandsaw which sometimes do this. I should replace them but too many other projects. The M1 has some mild corrosion resisting properties as well.

Just an aside on bearings, they are made all over the world, and I trust the ones made in China or India with a creative brand name the least. If I can find SKF, Fafnir, Timken, ***, NTN, NSK, to name a few it seems to work out better and so that's what I seek to find once I know the size.

Another aside, I am wondering if your replacement part was OEM Volvo Penta or an aftermarket part. Its possible that the aftermarket part cut costs somewhere. I find the first place automotive aftermarket parts fall short of OEM is in the paint, the coating, or the plating, to achieve their lower price point. They start to rust almost immediately, whereas the OEM parts will go quite a bit longer.

 

[Grub54891]

I had success 2 years ago on the explorer- the idler was starting to squeak,I took a pick,lifted the seal lip,and was able to get a squirt of lubraplate grease in there. Hasn't squeaked yet. I check it at every oil change and its not rough or sloppy.

 

[Mike New]

I have a 2006 V8 5Lt. GXi-F which I purchased 2 months ago, a great motor!!
when checking over the motor to update the service record. I noticed that the sepentine belt on the inner edge was worn.
Further investigation showed that the idler pulley is positioned to far forward resulting in the inner edge of the belt running off the pulley.
records show that only the belt has been changed so I guess this error was in the alignment when the engine was delivered.
I intend to correct the problem when I install a closed cooling system over the christmas period.