Info missing from 92 shop manuals?

[slycer2002]

Am I missing something? I can't find anything in the 1992 Ranger/Explorer/Aerostar manuals that covers how to change engine pulleys like the idler and the tensioner. I have a 92 Ranger 3.0, and I recently had an issue where there was an ungodly squealing coming from under my hood. With the noise it was making I figured there was a hog being slaughtered or Bieber was taking one for the team. When I popped my hood, I found I was wrong and it was either my belt or a pulley. I replaced the serpentine belt, idler pulley, and tensioner pulley. I have not replaced the tensioner itself, though that one is next up. Now, the squeal is gone (you win this time, Bieber!) but something is still not right. None of the information I found online exactly covered the parts I was replacing. I'm pretty sure I got the tensioner pulley back on correctly, but I'm not sure about the idler. I have a few questions, but I can't find decent answers for them. There was a washer on the back of the OEM pulley that I had to remove to get the pulley off the bolt. Do I reuse this, or throw it away? I've found conflicting information. Either way, when I go to bolt the pulley back down, if I bolt it all the way the pulley won't spin. If I leave it loose enough that it spins it doesn't seem like it spins correctly and I have actually seen the bolt start turning as well. I would really like to fix this myself, as it seems like it shouldn't be that difficult but I'm at a loss. Any help would be most appreciated. Even a nudge to the correct page in the manual if I truly have missed it. Thanks in advance!

 

[RonD]

Probably a change that won't be in a manual because it was discovered a spacer was needed until after the fact.

If there was a spacer/washer then it should go back in.

And just as a "heads up", squealing belt means some pulleys will have glazing, this comes from the belt slipping, the slipping is the squealing you hear.
If you just put a new belt on it can start squealing again fairly soon, but now because of the glazing not a bad belt or pulley(original problem).
So before putting on a new belt you should "rough up" all the pulleys with fine grit Emory cloth or sand paper, so remove any glazing, shiny spots.
Belt works by friction, glazing reduces that friction, like tires on ice.

 

[slycer2002]

Thanks for the reply, Ron. I saw your advice to someone else along the same lines, and I plan to do it as soon as I can get the pulley issue resolved. For whatever reason, the pulley isn't sitting right on the shoulder of the bolt so it can spin freely with the bolt fully tightened down. I've got the spacer on the back of it like it was, but it just won't sit right. I guess I'll have to just keep fiddling with it and hopefully I can get it to seat right. Thanks for the help.

 

[slycer2002]

I finally got this issue taken care of. Turns out all the pulleys that the box stores and rockauto.com said would work for this, won't. At least, not without a new bolt to go along with it. The newer, aftermarket pulleys wouldn't work with the factory bolt. When tightening them down, they would snug to the point where the pulley wouldn't spin. I ended up having to track down an OEM Ford pulley to fix it. It would be nice if these aftermarket companies would sell ALL of the hardware to complete this repair for us DIYers.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Thanks for the update.