3.0 Idler pulley bearing revisted, yet again

[projectSHO89]

Need new bearings for both of the idler pulleys on my 89 (very badly, the car has been on jackstands since Saturday).

Following Paul's (SHOZ123) advice, I had my local Ford store get a pair of the Gen III idler pulley part number F6DZ-8678-A from the local Motorcraft distributor in town this morning.

Went to pick them up and decided to open the package. Now I'm confused.

The part in the package is an idler assembly of some kind (he verified it was for the 3.4L SHO) but is of such a construction that I wasn't sure if it was the correct item to donate the bearing into my pulleys.

It does have a bearing somewhere inside the assembly on the 4-ribbed pulley, it also has a very stout spring. It looks like the center of the spring has a bushing that can be pressed out, but I don't want to ruin an overpriced part if I can help it.

I didn't have my digital Kodak with me, I'm going back in a few minutes with it to snap a couple pictures to post to see if this is even the correct item.

Any advice?

Steve

<small>[ January 07, 2003, 12:52 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[rangerj]

Steve,

The bearing you are looking for is made by NSK. The number on the bearing is BD20-15DWA. I will try to find the Gen III bearing receipt from the last time I did this, and get you a part number.

I am not real optomistic about finding the receipt.

Here is another way I have approached this problem. I pressed out my Gen I bearing out of the pulley. I bought a bearing that was a few thousanths larger. Then I had a machine shop mill the pulley so that the new bearing had a press fit. It ended up costing me about half of what a new pulley and bearing would have cost.

If I remember right, it was a Timken bearing, and it cost about $25. The machine work was about $35. They even pressed in the bearing. I got lucky, it was a small local shop and they were not real busy at the time.

The inner hole in the bearing was so close to the same dimension, that the bearing mounted as if it was the original.
rangerj

 

[projectSHO89]

Got the photos and uploaded them to PhotoIsland.

Warning, THEY ARE HI-RES (BIG)!

Is this the right part to donate a bearing to my Gen I pulleys?

Steve

<small>[ January 07, 2003, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[projectSHO89]

Paul! Wake up!

I see you're here today (and it's only your second day on the new job)!

Steve

 

[luigisho]

Steve, I think the idler pulley for those cars that are useable look sort of like the Gen I&II's except there is no lip on the edge of the pulley. The pics you posted is of a pulley unfamiliar to me. I'm not sure if just the bearing is swappable or I think maybe the entire pulley is usable. I forget as I haven't looked at the two in comparison for a long time.

I figured Paul would have been around by now.

 

[projectSHO89]

Well, I've determined that the part number provided and photographed is in fact the wrong item. What is shown is the water pump belt tensioner from the rear of the engine.

Still looking for someone with specific information who has done the bearing swap. Some info has trickled in that one of the front idler pulleys will work as a donor, but it was not defined whether all years of the Gen III used the same pulley/bearing.

Steve

 

[RI-SHO]

If its what I am thinking about, its probaly the idler pulley they sell at Autozone that they say fits the Gen I/II SHO but has no lip and just rounded edges.

Will the bearing from this pulley work to replace the bearing from our idler/tensioner pullies?

 

[luigisho]

Have you tried some of the v8 folks? Quite a few were v6ers before they went with the newer cars and may have this info also. Maybe Don M. or Kirk?

 

[projectSHO89]

I posted it to the TECHSHO and SHOTimes mailing lists, neither of them were among the several respondents.

Several indicated that it was the 99 front idler pulley, but no one was able to chime in with first-hand experience.

Since the front pulley for the Gen 3 runs about the same cost as the correct Pulley assembly, I went ahead and just ordered them from Green Sales. Green was able to say "Sure, we'll ship it today, no problem" instead of " a day or two" so they got the order. $80 each and they still have one of each on hand.

Unfortunately, the $30 replacement bearing from a Gen 3 part appears to be an urban legend....

Steve

 

[SHOZ123]

Sorry, that is the tensioner pulley, not the idler pulley. I will get a pic of the idler pulley and post it.

 

[SHOZ123]

I tried a fit of the Gen 3 pulley on my 3.0L spare and if you got the Gen 3 retaining washer it is a direct replacement. No bearing pulling required. Although the Gen 3 pulleys are wider this should not affect the belt. They bearings are the exact same in all Gen 2 pulleys and the three idler pulleys on the Gen 3. The area the belt rides on is the exact same diameter. The 3.0L pulley is a bit wider in diameter due to the ridges.

Here's a pic of it on the 3.0L motor.

Here a side by side pic of the narrow 3.0L pulley and the Gen 3 pulley.

And another showing the back side of the Gen 3...

And another of the front

side of the Gen 3....

<small>[ January 08, 2003, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: SHOZ123 ]</small>

 

[pjtoledo]

Some of the idler pullies from a 93 ATX have the same bearing pressed into them. Looks just like one in those pictures.

Perry Toledo,Ohio

 

[projectSHO89]

If you look at the idler pully assembly part numbers for the Gen 2 ATX and for the Gen 3, you'll notice something interesting.....

Steve

 

[RI-SHO]

Can you use the older washer from the Gen II MTX pulley?? Or does it have to be the Gen III washer?