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YACT: How can I make sure my pulley won't fly off again??

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Placer14

Platinum Member
Hey guys, I got a 96 GMC Sonoma...for some reason, something is causing the bolt on my pulley to loosen and cause the whole pulley assembly and belt to fly off. Is there anything I can do to make sure that the pulley doesn't come off in the future? (And make it so I can take it off and do maintinance on it in the future if i need to?)

Someone suggested lock-tight compound on the bolt. Anything else? 🙂
Thanks.

*Edit:
Hehe...sorry....i'm somewhat ignorant about cars...

This one...

Located here...
 
Originally posted by: Placer14
Hey guys, I got a 96 GMC Sonoma...for some reason, something is causing the bolt on my pulley to loosen and cause the whole pulley assembly and belt to fly off. Is there anything I can do to make sure that the pulley doesn't come off in the future? (And make it so I can take it off and do maintinance on it in the future if i need to?)

Someone suggested lock-tight compound on the bolt. Anything else? 🙂
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Replacing the entire unit? Maybe there is a warranty on it.
 
Yeah, get some lock tite - You can pick it up at any auto parts joint. Most likely you're going to have to heat it with a torch if you ever need to get it off again.



Which will probably happen 72 hours after application.

S.
 
That's the belt tensoner, remove bolt and apply locktte

Sorry for the ms speelngs bt my keyboard s screwed 🙁
 
Hey Roger...that's a stationary pulley. The tensioner is down further to the left. As far as the bearing, it's a brand new assembly and the dealership i had to get it from said regreasing it wasn't necessary.

If I put lock-tite on it, the only way to get it off again is to torch it off, huh? 🙁 Is there any other way? I don't ahve a torch handy if I need to do that. Thanks for the responses.
 
You don't have to torch it off, but you DO have to heat up the bolt to chemically break down the lock-tite. There are several varieties of lock-tite; some require heat, some don't. Check the packages prior to buying.

S.
 
I'm wondering...would the heat (if necessary to break down the compond) from the engine be enough to break it down? Are we talking +150 degrees F or what?
 
Get the blue medium strength Loc-Tite and use that. It will hold the bolt in and you won't need to use an impact to get it off when if and when you need to.
 
Originally posted by: WhiteKnight77
Get the blue medium strength Loc-Tite and use that. It will hold the bolt in and you won't need to use an impact to get it off when if and when you need to.
Click to expand...
Blue sucks, use the permanent red loctite.

Preferrably the high temp, high strength kind.

 
I'm curious why it came off in the first place. Did you recover the old bolt? It must be some kind of shoulder bolt. If it's got fine pitch threads, it shouldn't just come loose. Something's fishy. I'd get one from the parts counter at the dealer just to be sure you have the proper one there.

Edit: What's this? 😕
 
Originally posted by: WhiteKnight77
Get the blue medium strength Loc-Tite and use that. It will hold the bolt in and you won't need to use an impact to get it off when if and when you need to.
Click to expand...


yes blue loktite.Lock tight/however u want to spell it

use brakeclean,Non Chlorinated on the bolt/threads,and the threads you are putting the bolt inot,

and let the brakekleen dry for Several mins before you use the loctite

Buy Real Permatex loctite,for the extra money,it Works!

Let sit for minimum 6 hours before use
 
Originally posted by: cavemanmoron
Originally posted by: WhiteKnight77
Get the blue medium strength Loc-Tite and use that. It will hold the bolt in and you won't need to use an impact to get it off when if and when you need to.
Click to expand...


yes blue loktite.Lock tight/however u want to spell it

use brakeclean,Non Chlorinated on the bolt/threads,and the threads you are putting the bolt inot,

and let the brakekleen dry for Several mins before you use the loctite

Buy Real Permatex loctite,for the extra money,it Works!

Let sit for minimum 6 hours before use
Click to expand...
Permatex "thread locker" isn't real, it's generic. Loctite is the original brand.
 
Originally posted by: Ornery
I'm curious why it came off in the first place. Did you recover the old bolt? It must be some kind of shoulder bolt. If it's got fine pitch threads, it shouldn't just come loose. Something's fishy. I'd get one from the parts counter at the dealer just to be sure you have the proper one there.

Edit: What's this? 😕
Click to expand...

Sorry fro the slow reply...been out today...

The bolt IS a shoulder bolt and the thread is somewaht fine. The pulley in there now is a dealership part. I just screwed it into the original threading, but I'm gonna take it out and loctite it tomorrow.

Also, Ornery, good eye. That was the spacer/washer that goes between the pulley and the block. It must've flown in there when the old pulley few off. The only piece I eer found from the old assembly was the actual pulley (in the road) and now this. I'm still missing the bearings, the bolt and a washer. I hope it didn't fly into the engine somewhere to cause problems later.

My concern really is what is causing it to come off. I know I put it on tightly the time just before it flew off last time. And something is still rattling in there, but suspect it to be bearings in the tensioner. If you guys any more suggestions, I welcome them.

Thanks for the reponses so far. I'm gonna look into the various grades of loctite and take into consideration your suggestions. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Placer14
Originally posted by: Ornery
I'm curious why it came off in the first place. Did you recover the old bolt? It must be some kind of shoulder bolt. If it's got fine pitch threads, it shouldn't just come loose. Something's fishy. I'd get one from the parts counter at the dealer just to be sure you have the proper one there.

Edit: What's this? 😕
Click to expand...

Sorry fro the slow reply...been out today...

The bolt IS a shoulder bolt and the thread is somewaht fine. The pulley in there now is a dealership part. I just screwed it into the original threading, but I'm gonna take it out and loctite it tomorrow.

Also, Ornery, good eye. That was the spacer/washer that goes between the pulley and the block. It must've flown in there when the old pulley few off. The only piece I eer found from the old assembly was the actual pulley (in the road) and now this. I'm still missing the bearings, the bolt and a washer. I hope it didn't fly into the engine somewhere to cause problems later.

My concern really is what is causing it to come off. I know I put it on tightly the time just before it flew off last time. And something is still rattling in there, but suspect it to be bearings in the tensioner. If you guys any more suggestions, I welcome them.

Thanks for the reponses so far. I'm gonna look into the various grades of loctite and take into consideration your suggestions. 🙂
Click to expand...

Have you considered replacing the pulley and bolt with new parts?
 
Originally posted by: IamElectro
Originally posted by: Placer14
Originally posted by: Ornery
I'm curious why it came off in the first place. Did you recover the old bolt? It must be some kind of shoulder bolt. If it's got fine pitch threads, it shouldn't just come loose. Something's fishy. I'd get one from the parts counter at the dealer just to be sure you have the proper one there.

Edit: What's this? 😕
Click to expand...

Sorry fro the slow reply...been out today...

The bolt IS a shoulder bolt and the thread is somewaht fine. The pulley in there now is a dealership part. I just screwed it into the original threading, but I'm gonna take it out and loctite it tomorrow.

Also, Ornery, good eye. That was the spacer/washer that goes between the pulley and the block. It must've flown in there when the old pulley few off. The only piece I eer found from the old assembly was the actual pulley (in the road) and now this. I'm still missing the bearings, the bolt and a washer. I hope it didn't fly into the engine somewhere to cause problems later.

My concern really is what is causing it to come off. I know I put it on tightly the time just before it flew off last time. And something is still rattling in there, but suspect it to be bearings in the tensioner. If you guys any more suggestions, I welcome them.

Thanks for the reponses so far. I'm gonna look into the various grades of loctite and take into consideration your suggestions. 🙂
Click to expand...

Have you considered replacing the pulley and bolt with new parts?
Click to expand...

"As far as the bearing, it's a brand new assembly and the dealership i had to get it from said regreasing it wasn't necessary." Yes...it's new.
 
I need to understand something, has the new idler pully come off since you replaced it?

If not, the old one could have been loosen by the bad idler bearing. I have seen this quite a few times.
 
Originally posted by: Quixfire
I need to understand something, has the new idler pully come off since you replaced it?

If not, the old one could have been loosen by the bad idler bearing. I have seen this quite a few times.
Click to expand...

The NEW idler pulley was installed yesterday. It has not flown off yet, though I did all of 4 miles on it yesterday. When the pulley flew off the first time, I feel it did so because we were replacing the alternator and my dipshit brother started loosening that pulley thinking it was the tensioner. I don't think he ever tightened it back. Either way, approx 2-3 weeks later, the pulley came off and destroyed the serpetine belt.

I replaced the belt but reinstalled the original pulley. After installation, it made quite a bit of noise due to what i feel was bad bearings. (I did regrease the bearing before putting it in but that made no difference) I intended on replacing the pulley but I forgot about doing it. Approx 2 weeks later, the pulley few off again and I lost all the parts except the pulley itself (in the middle of the road) and later the washer/spacer that goes between the pulley and block. I bought a new pulley assembly from the dealer and installed that yesterday. Plans to loctite it this weekend have been made after the work week is over.

🙂
 
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