The idler pulley on my 2004 disintegrated this afternoon and serpentine belt shredded. I've got a new pulley and belt on order.

To install the serpentine belt, the shop manual says to release tension on the tensioner by turning the 17mm cast bolt counter-clockwise and then lock it in place with a 5mm pin. Some observations:

1. It's difficult to move the tensioner much with a standard 8-in socket wrench. I can move it well with a cheater pipe but it limits my range of motion.
2. The tensioner cylinder makes quite the squeaking noise when it moves.

Should it be that difficult to move? Have any of you experienced a noisy tensioner cylinder?

I think I need to rotate it more so that the groove on the tensioner lines up with the hole in the case. Is that correct? That's as far as I can move it without a cheater pipe. I could try a shorter one.

Thanks.



Rotate tensioner until blue oval lines up with red arrow?