s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

roscoe · Aug 16, 2005

Took a little road trip today, about 200miles. Got to within 1 mile of home and smelled burning rubber as a semi passed me and I turned onto my road. Went 3/4 mile more and the lights dimmed, volt meter to 10 !!! 1/8 till home so I kept going. It seems the smooth idler roller just to the drivers side of the alternator has siezed up, causing the serpentine belt to slide across it, eventually breaking the belt. It was hot !! Belt only 10 months old and still looked new when I checked it last month. So ?? Is this a typical failure? I have never had or heard of one of these siezing before. Should be an easy fix, once I get the parts. Glad it happened close to home or I would still be walkin to get a tow truck.

Pascal · Aug 16, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

I just changed the serp belt on my Jeep last week. Gave the idler a spin while the belt was off and made another trip to NAPA. It sounded dry and rough and the surface was well worn too. The aligning ridge in the center was worn flat. Some use a greasing needle to work under the seal and give it some gun grease then seal it with a bit or RTV. My now SIL had one go in the middle of winter when he was sparkin my daughter.... Was making a noise and wobbled around on the mount when he started it up in the driveway so loaned him one of our vehicles to git him on home till he fixed it the next day. Glad you only had a close call and not a long walk..... JD

roscoe · Aug 16, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

...."when he was sparkin my daughter".... I guess that doesn't mean what I thought it meant, otherwise he would have been dead. !!!!

snapperbait · Aug 16, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Typical failure, far as I'm concerned.. I had the tentioner pulley crap out on me in the middle of BFE, Georgia at 6am on a saturday some years back... The pulley got so hot that it seperated from the bearing and flew off with the bolt and siezed bearing still in place... I found what was left of the pulley months later, lodged in a tight spot on the core support while trying to track down a rattle in the front end... Ever since, I carry a spare pulley, a 5/8ths socket & ratchet to change it, and a couple of belts.... Never again...Knock on wood!..

Bob_VT · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Yes a common failure but an easy fix. Just be aware of the quality of the replacement. There are cheap chinese manufactured ones out there that DO NOT last. Purchase only OEM part.

TilliamWe · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Seizing of the idler pulley is probably not as common as the tensioner pulley failing. Oh Bob, by the way, on the subject of inferior parts, not all OEM is great. The OEM tensioner pulley that was used on the 5.7 (at least in Yukon/Tahoe) from the factory was admitted junk, and GM had it redesigned. And when my sister's needed one at 40k & we bought the redesigned tensioner, it came from the dealer, yes, but GM or Delco didn't make it. I seem to remember it saying Made in Taiwan or Hencho E Mexico on it. It was still working when they sold the truck with 70k, so I don't know if it lasted longer or not. Those idlers are pretty chinsey & lightweight to begine with.

KRS · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Your engine didn't overheat???? or was the water pump still turning?

roscoe · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

I looked at the gauges as soon as the lights dimmed. Volts were down, but temp was only slightly elevated when I pulled into the driveway. I don't know how long the idler was siezed, but the belt was still turning, as it was running the air conditioning just 10 minutes earlier. Only went 1/8 mile after the fan snapped. I was very lucky.

roscoe · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

$20 part, made in Canada . $26 belt. Done.

crazy charlie · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

The seizing is fairly common and thats what ruined the belt.If you had pulled over right away it would have spared the belt but you would have had to pay for a tow.Since you were not far from home ,a belt and a pulley will probably cost less than a pulley and a tow.You will be doing pretty good if you can get a quality surpentine belt for $26 as Roscoe states.I would expext to pay more.Charlie

roscoe · Aug 17, 2005

Re: s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

Yep, regular belt was $19, but I splurged and got the premium belt for $26.xx. Carquest.

s blazer serpentine belt idler roller siezed !!

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