Somebody tell me how to release tension on the belt tensioner. I have an annoying click in the front of the engine that sounds like either a bad pulley or the A/C compressor, and I want to release the tension on the serpentine belt while the engine is idling to see if it stops when the accessories don't turn.

I have the fan shroud and fan off and I gunked the snot our of the front of the engine and don't see a square socket or anything to take the tension off the belt. I'm very reluctant to pry on the bolt itself unless that's how you have to do it.

Advice, please.

 

Never seen one so can't help, but..........

I would remove the belt first and then start the COLD engine, a cold engine can run for a few minutes without water pump or alternator.
And much easier to track down a noise without the fan turning.

If noise is gone then it is an accessory pulley making the noise, you can spin them by hand or use a cordless drill with suitable attachment and belt.
I have an old idler pulley that has the sides, and jammed bearings, lol, bolt fits drill chuck nicely and then a thin shorter belt from something I can't remember.

Wife complains I never throw out all the bits and pieces around the garage.
My theory is that you have to have at least 10lbs of "junk" to find one usable piece, I have found hundreds of usable pieces.................you can do the math, my wife does, and frequently

 

Thanks, Ron. I've been googling this issue and all repairs refer to the square hole for a ratchet or breaker bar. I just came in after looking around for 20 minutes, and there is no hole in the tensioner, period.

I didn't mention, and should have that the truck has A/C and power steering. After peeking around, it appears that the entire cradle assembly for a/c and p/s pumps may move to tension the belt. I'll go further tomorrow.

Yes, the fan and belt are removed so that I can check the various accessories. I have the shroud off because I want to flush the radiator, and it's just a whole lot easier to get to the water neck without all the stuff in the way.

Onward through the fog. Please post any other thoughts, and I'll update this thread when and if I find out what's going on. And thanks for the reply.

The guys mentioned when I bought the truck that it had gotten a used engine swap. I wonder if it's a diffeent year engine? Bolt that holds on the tensioner pulley is 18MM, for example.

 

Only a couple of bolts to go all the way and take rad out to do a "flip test".
And trans cooler lines if applicable.

With rad out put rad cap on it
Put rad on it's side so cooling tubes go up and down
Put hand over lower hose opening and fill rad with water using upper hose opening.

When rad is full stop the water
Remove hand and rad should drain in a few seconds, opening at top and bottom are the same size so no air drain issue.

Tilt rad a bit to get all the water out of lower hose opening.
Now the "flip test"

Flip rad up side down
If ANY water comes out then it could only come from blocked cooling tubes.

With rad out you can lay it flat and fill it with warm water and CLR mix, let it sit for 20 minutes then flush it.
Repeat as you see fit.

You can do the same with heater core but using the heater hoses disconnected from engine end, blow out core, just blow in one hose with other hose pointed down at the ground.
Then fill with warm water and CLR, let sit, and flush it out, repeat until you have good flow thru core using garden hose

 

Ron,

Nothing further needed in this post. I've located the tensioner, down low on the passenger side. I was assuming from my GM experience that the idler pulley under the P/S and A/C pumps on the driver's side was also the tensioner. It's not.

Jeez, I hate learning a new platform and brand.

It appears my clicking noise is the P/S pump. Time to order another and flush the cooling system while I await it's arrival. Thanks for the advice on flushing.

Onward through the fog.