My 2004 Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 had an interment squealing. Here's what I did to fix the problem. I usually go factory but after some research the Gates was a no brainer. I got everything off amazon.

Gates 38001 - Idle Pulley
Gates 38385 - Belt Tensioner
Gates K060882 - Multi V-Groove Belt

Notice the differences...I was happy to see the improved quality in the Gates Belt Tensioner.

The Gates Belt Tensioner has a 5-Star bolt that is much easier to get out than the factory 8mm bolt that has to be a mid deep dish. A full deep dish socket would fit and then the extension put you into the fan.



The Idler Pulley was identical to the factory one. They may have the same supplier.

Squeal is gone and it only took around an hour to swap everything out.

 

their belts are great. i just bought one for my truck. kinda expensive but its well worth it.

 

A fully enclosed spring housing should make a big difference in longevity.
Thanks for posting the part #'s

 

Kind of an unrelated comment here, but DAMN that's a clean engine =]

 

I bet the new belt alone got rid of the squeal. Replacing the tension and idler pulley never hurt though. The tension pulley looks to be much tougher.

 

Would this work on the 4.0?

 

cleaner than mine!

 

My piece of **** 3.0 has the same problem but its a lost cause to do anything to a 3.0.

 

just went grab these from oriellys from reading this post got em on in 45 min no sqeak thanks for good review, it made me go get em

 

Yup solved my problem.

 

It sure will. I replaced the idler and tensioner on the wife's Explorer 4.0
last summer. They are very similiar, but maybe or maybe not the same
part numbers...?

Plan to do the same on the Ranger when I have the time.

 

I'm a new member and I asked this question in another post...Now I have some answers...cheep belts stink! I'll think about getting the tensioner and idler as well...

 

Remember to try the Gatorback first. 9 times out of 10 it's the craptastic Motorcraft belt that sucks!!

 

I went to NAPA and got a new belt, tension pulley assy and idler pulley. Everything is working perfect now. It turns out NAPA parts are from Gates anyway. My tensioner was worn, it was moving too easy once I compared it to the new one. Now I Just have to figure out some other problems that have been popping up and causing engine codes.

 

Yeah I got pulley squeal, how much did all that run you?

 

It was about $167 for the tension assembley, an idler pulley and the belt. The big question for anyone else who may know, coincidentally, after the replacement, I got random codes for misfire and low voltage to my MAP sensor. Is this normal? I cleared them and my truck is running really really good. It was having problems with jerking if I pushed the gas with low RPM...I wonder is a bad tensioner was a root of a lot of those problems if it was allowing too much slack in the belt for my accessories?

 

86 shipped for everything from amazon.com

 

I wish I could have waited for Amazon to send me the parts I needed. That is much cheaper than the parts store. I just couldn't bare listening to that squeel all the way to work and home. its a 20 min drive to work!

 

Teflon spray, $5.
Spray the outside of the belt, works for about a week for me.

 

I tried that, lasted about 10 seconds! the tensioner was WAY worn...everything is perfect now though.

 

I only have it on start up and in idle for about .......... 10 mins or less

that just seems like you prolong the problem

 

I did the free shipping and it got here in 2 days.

 

that would have been 2 days of embarrasing torture! That tensioner was so worn I could almost pull the belt off by hand...I could have had a catastrophe on the highway at 70mph.

 

My 3.0L did the same thing they replaced every pulley at for except the tensioner with no luck then i took it to my local mechanic and in 10 mins he knew exactly which one it was without being told the others had been replaced. And the aftermarket already has double the miles as the origional tensioner and no squeals or anything.