Spring Tensioners
About Spring Tensioners
A modern car engine consists of hundreds and thousands of tiny parts. While some of them might seem so insignificant, all of them are essential to the health of the car. One of them is the spring tensioner.
Engines are made of metals. After long years of running, the engine components start to experience a lot of wear and tear. But some of those components sustain more wear than others. Spring tensioners are a small component that ensures the proper working of the belt drives. Because the belt drives fail to deliver the power, it doesn’t have enough tension. As the belt experiences heavy stress and heat, it is the spring tensioners that make sure that the belt stays under tension even if the belt starts to sag a little bit. This article will give you a basic understanding of the working of the tensioners and when and how to replace them.
Telltale Signs of an ageing spring tensioner
As it is a vital part of the engine’s functioning, the defect starts to show as soon as you start the car. It will give out a couple of obvious signs as well. Some of which you can hear. But to see other signs, you will have to lift up the engine hood and look inside. This guide will help you with diagnosing the most common signs that you would find because of a broken spring tensioner. In fact, diagnosing the problem is the most important part of fixing any problem with the spring tensioner. And that step requires the most skill. In this article, you will also find some really useful tips that you can follow while shopping for them online.
Noise from the front of the car
This is the most common sign of a failing spring tensioner. If your car is old, there is nothing strange if your car is a bit noisier than the newer cars on the road. But if the car is squeaking or squealing unusually, then it can be that the spring tensioner has worn out too much. This will be more noticeable when you start the car for the first time in the morning. This is when the tensioner will fail to maintain proper tension as it would have cooled down. On the other hand, if the noise is not a squealing noise but a grinding one, the problem can be with the pulley instead. The grinding noise arises when metal parts of the pulley rub against each other.
Abnormal wear on the belt
If the drive belt is wearing unusually, this is most probably because the spring tensioner is not working properly. Usually, the drive belt wears in a uniform pattern equally on all sides and throughout the length of the belt. If this is not the case with your car, you should probably check the spring tensioner for damage. But in this case, the problem might be with the pulley rather than the spring tensioner itself. If you fail to fix this problem in time and change the drive belt, there is a chance for the belt to break when the car is running.
Loss in the belt efficiency
The spring tensioner is responsible for the proper working of the drive belt. If there is anything wrong with the spring tensioner, it will reflect in the ability of the belt. You will notice a reduction in the performance of the belt-driven accessories. This might affect the performance of the engine, the power output of the alternator, etc. This will eventually cause the draining of the car battery, as well. Another part of the car that can be affected by a bad spring tensioner is the water pump. This car tool is responsible for the circulation of coolant. If it is not performing up to the mark, it can have some pretty serious consequences.
Formation of rust and cracks
If you happen to notice the formation of rust between the arm and base of the spring tensioner, then it is time for you to replace the tensioner. This rust, or sometimes crack, happens when the internal components of the tensioner experience very high levels of wear. In some cases, rather than cracks forming in between the tensioner, it can be on the tensioner itself. You can check for cracks in the housing and bracket of the belt tensioner. Another place where cracks commonly occur is the mounting bracket of the tensioner.
Tips on how to buy Spring Tensioners Online
Finding the right type of spring tensioner can be a little hard. The thing is it is hard to tell the difference between two types of tensioners just by looking at them. But installing the wrong one can end up costing you a lot. But choosing one is easy if you know what to look for. Here are a few tips that you can follow when you shop for tensioners.
- Choose the type of tensioner – Depending on the type and model of your vehicle, the tensioner will be different. The most common type of them is the serpentine tensioner and the automatic belt tensioner. Don’t try to replace it with another type of tensioner as it will change the dynamics of the engine.
- Look for cheaper aftermarket alternatives – You might find a tensioner that is of the same quality as the original equipment manufacturer parts in the aftermarket category. Some of these might also give you a couple of years of warranty as well. You can also look for adjustable spring tensioners.
- Rust free parts – When it comes to spring tensioners, the main reason for failure is the rusting of the components. Tensioners with corrosion protection will, therefore, last longer than a regular ones. These might cost you a bit more than the regular ones, but they will pay off in the long run.
- Compare the prices between various vendors – You will see that the prices of the same type of tensioners differ between vendors. With a bit of searching, you will be able to find a cheap spring tensioner that doesn’t compromise on the quality department.
Spring tensioners might seem like a very insignificant part of a vehicle. They are also cheap. But without it in proper working condition, it is safe and extremely inefficient to run a car. The best way to ensure the proper health of your vehicle is to follow the scheduled maintenance. Also, look for any unusual sounds from the car. Finally, don’t forget to check out all the other amazing products in the car supplies category. Our product search engine is home to more than 500 shops and brands including Fenner Drives, Vetus, KS tools, Rexelusa, Murtfeldt, and Oreillyauto.
Question & Answer
How does a belt tensioner work?
The primary objective of belt tensioners is to ensure that the belt-driven components of the car work properly. It is the belt that transfers the power from the engine to various other equipment inside a car hood like the alternator, power steering, water pump, compressor, etc. A belt tensioner has four main parts: The pulley, the spring, a tensioner arm, and the base. The base holds all the other three elements of the tensioner. While it is the pulley that allows the belt to slide, the tensioner arm ensures that the belt has enough tension to provide the friction to run the equipment.
How does an automatic spring tensioner work?
Unlike normal spring tensioners, an automatic one has an extra moving arm attached to its body. This arm will constantly push against the belt to ensure the efficient working of the system. A powerful spring inside the tensioner will provide the force for the arm to push against the belt. Normal tensioners do not have such an arm. Therefore, you will have to manually adjust the tensioner when you feel like the belt is starting to slip. While automatic spring tensioners are a nice feature, they also are more likely to sustain failure than a dynamic spring tensioner.
How to replace a spring tensioner?
In order to access the spring tensioner, you have to first open the engine hood. Before doing that, make sure the engine is cooled down to a safe temperature. Then look for the belt that has the problem. The bolt holding the spring tensioner will be near the belt pulley, which you can remove using a standard spanner. Push the pin of the tensioner using your finger to loosen it. After that, you will be able to remove it easily. To fix the brand-new tensioner, you can follow the same set of steps in reverse. After placing the tensioner, make sure that the handle is properly pushing against the belt.