Balance shaft tensioner pulley?

[mitsubro93]

Hey is it safe to re-use the old balance shaft tensioner pulley? I re-used the old one, but I want to make sure this is safe before I actually accumulate miles on my dsm.

 

[rEclipserGST]

So, you are asking if we think it is okay for you to reuse an already used balance shaft tensioner? So, it'll be on it's 3rd turn?

 

[motomattx]

As cheap as it is and as much damage it can cause, I would just replace it anytime its removed.

 

[mitsubro93]

Yeah it would be on it’s 3rd turn more then likely I agree with you motomattx I think it’s important to replace every part has a purpose imo especially something below a timing cover. Also I reused my idler pulley and while they say these can last the “lifetime” of the vehicle I think it should get replaced as well.

Ah and you say it causes damage. See when I first opened my timing cover to do my t belt job the balance shaft tensioner wasn’t even holding the belt tight it was sagging! The timing marks for the balance sprocket and crank sprocket still lined up so I dismissed it? I attached two photos one how it was when I first opened it and the second one was after I retightened it with a new balance shaft belt. So who knows what damage that has already done if it did any damage.. that’s prolly why when I drive my car it feels shaky around 2k rpm until I pass 2k rpm but maybe that’s because of my exhaust leak

 

[motomattx]

The damage that it can do is not so much to the balance shaft mechanism itself, the problem is that if that small belt is allowed to break from a locked up tensioner pulley, it can tangle in the main timing belt and cause catastrophic engine damage when the main belt skipps timing.

 

[mitsubro93]

Very informative I would have never guessed that I will definitely be replacing this pulley. Are the chances high of such an event occuring? I’m assuming the same would go for the idler pulley.

 

[mitsubro93]

How about replacing the idler pulley is that of high importance? I mean this car does have 180k miles although I know my engine was swapped I’m thinking it was maybe just my cylinder head which was swapped meaning my idler pulley has 180k

 

[pauleyman]

They make kits that have all the pieces. Replace it all. It's simply silly to even consider not replacing these parts. 50$ vs thousands in damage.

 

[mitsubro93]

Yeah I agree with you on that for sure. Its gonna be spring time in two months I may have to recompress my new auto tensioner slightly to put the pin back inside of it so I can get to that idler pulley. Will this do anything negative to a new mitsubishi auto tensioner?

 

[pauleyman]

Yeah I agree with you on that for sure. Its gonna be spring time in two months I may have to recompress my new auto tensioner slightly to put the pin back inside of it so I can get to that idler pulley. Will this do anything negative to a new mitsubishi auto tensioner?

It's fine. Just dont compress it quickly. Even gently it's a 30 sec process in a vice

 

[mitsubro93]

Thanks for the info!

 

[mitsubro93]

Hey guys is it just me or is my balance shaft pulley on back wards?

 

[rEclipserGST]

Hey guys is it just me or is my balance shaft pulley on back wards?

It's just you

 

[mitsubro93]

Thanks for clarifying that! Okay this is my last question do 1g and 2g dsms use the same size balance shaft pulley? I only ask because on eBay i see an ntn oem balance shaft pulley going for 30$! I also found a Koyo idler pulley for 30$ says fits 1996 eclipse gst I just wanna make sure before I get it