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Old 11-24-2004, 01:24 PM   #5
osprey
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Orange Park, Florida
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Re: Removing the idler pulley

I just spent a couple of PAINFULL evenings changing the belt and idler pulley on my 2000 Windstar (3.8). First, my pulley was held with a 1/2" REVERSE-THREADED bolt. Second...and most painful was that of stretching the belt over the pulleys. Absolutely forget about the 'special' tools from Autozone. The clearance wouldn't allow a socket to fit, the sockets were all metric, and the open-end attachments wouldn't stay on the bolt head. If the car was on a rack, then 'maybe' there would be enough room to torque from below...but definitely wasn't enough room from the top. I invented my own tool. I used a box end wrench on the pulley bolt. I tied a rope to the other end of the wrench and pulled it while my wife slipped the belt into place. This effort worked like a charm.
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