2004 Aveo serpentine tensioner pully removal

[shilohin]

I have an '04 Aveo with a/c and the serpentine belt tensioner pulley is getting noisy when cold. It quietens down fast as the engine warms and can't hear it when the engine is normal operating temp. The car has just over 100,000 miles and recently had dealer replace timing belt parts & gaskets and a new alternator.

I would like to replace the belt tensioner pulley without replacing the whole tensioner. My question is regarding the tensioner pulley bolt. Anyone know if it's a right threaded (tighten) or left threaded (tighten) bolt? I want to be careful because I've had problems with a lot of bolts on this car get frozen and break off very easily when trying to remove them. Thanks.

[aleekat]

If the pulley rotates clockwise when running, that is tightening. Otherwise the bolt would unscrew itself.

[shilohin]

Okay, thanks. I've decided to have a local mechanic change the part but now I'm having a different problem. When I looked up the part online, parts stores are showing both a serpentine belt tensioner pulley AND an idler pulley. The car had the timing belt AND timing belt pulley replaced in Feb. The pulley I need replacing is between the power steering pump and the a/c compressor, and the serpentine belt runs on the pulley. Is it called the idler pulley or serpentine belt tensioner pulley? Thanks for the help!

[shilohin]

Turned out that the spring inside the belt tensioner was broken into pieces. I took it to a local mechanic and they replaced the whole tensioner for $35.00! I was shocked it wasn't much more than that!