Wtf tensioner pulley disintegrated on highway!!
Driving to my parents Christmas Eve, I noticed a clatter sound from my engine. My power steering was gone and alternator light came on. I still had power on gas pedal. Fortunately was just a mile from the house. I opened my hood and to my great surprise my drive belt was shredded. Then I looked at the tendioner pulley and it was in gone! No plastic portion of the pulley at all! See pics! Im going to the dealer Monday to get the pulley and belt!
I'm glad you didn't have to go far!
On the M271 engine, there's one serpentine belt, and it also drives the water pump. So, when that belt goes, there's no water pump, and there's near zero cooling of the engine (just by heat conduction in the stationary water - there's very little convection).
Fwiw, for others, what the typical belt, pulleys, and belt routing looks like.
The water pump is under the big pulley with the 4 bolts.

Back to wrapping presents...
Last edited by RedGray; Dec 24, 2016 at 06:09 PM.
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The mecganic also said that my experience with the bad tensioner pulley is very common, and he repairs 4 or 5 of these a week..
Thanks!
I'm already replacing the tensioner and pulley in my restoration project.
Sounds like a good idea to do the belt, tensioner, and pulley at 50K mile intervals, when I'll also be replacing the timing chain.
Does the belt have to be off to check the alternator pulley? Do you just stick a normal flat head screw driver to see if seized? Or need a spline tool? What spline tool?


