Hi

A while back I replaced an idler pulley on my son's '97 3.0 V6 Magna. Today I noticed that the rearward rib of the drive belt was practically non existant. Thinking that I may have fitted it incorrectly at the time, I replaced the drive belt today paying extra care to ensure that the ribs fitted in the grooves correctly.

After only 5 minutes of running, the same thing has occurred. Looking closely at the alignment of the A/C pulley, the idler and the alternator, it appears that the idler is sitting forward of the others by about the width of a groove causing runout. There is no adjustment to place the idler pulley a little rearward.

Anyone had this problem? Is there a solution? Could I have been given the wrong pulley at the time?

Cheers and thanks in advance.

32Alpha

Only problem I've come across on this forum is people not seating the belt correctly so that one of the outside ribs of the 4 rib or 6 rib belt rides on the edge of one of the pulleys. Since then I've checked this very carefully and yes, it is easy to get it wrong.

The idler should have it's ridge towards the engine and the belt runs on its back, ie smooth side of belt on the smooth surface of the idler.

http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac19/rons105/pulley_zps43d23a7c.jpg

If you still have the old pulley, pull the new one off and compare them. Do you have a part number for the new pulley?

Sometimes the belt can unpeel a section along its length and wrap around the crank pulley, damaging bits under the cam belt cover, so whatever the problem is, don't delay in fixing it.

Hi

I am certain that I have installed the pulley and belt correctly. I notice that your picture does not have the pulley in question included. It's got me stumped.

Cheers

32Alpha

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e9/diwellb/pulley_zps43d23a7c.jpg

Right! Picture I put up is from the TJ manual.

Checked the TH manual section, but that doesn't show it either. Yours is a TE I think.

Vaguely remember mention of that pulley that doesn't appear on later models.

IIRC that pulley can be left off, but others need to confirm that.

There's no back and forward adjustment possible for any of the idlers, as it is supposed to be perfectly aligned when installed. You could check if the bearing in it is fully seated (assuming it has a press in bearing) or alternatively you just plain have the wrong one.

I believe the idler pulley can be left of, or taken off, and a shorter belt be used. Yyou will probably find quite a few TE's and TF"s where that is the case.

in mine the bolt that holds the pully shifts back and forth so you can adjust it did they give you the right pulley? cuase mine has no groves on its just a smooth black pulley like completly flat

Hi all

Thanks for everyone's input - the problem has been resolved.

I fitted the drive belt without refitting the idler pulley and it tensions up fine. Obviously the Mitsubishi Spare Parts guy gave me the wrong pulley when I replaced it initially. If I recall correctly he said he had trouble finding the part number. God knows what he gave me. Pity he didn't tell me that I didn't need to replace it at all - just throw it away.

Thanks again

32Alpha

I just measured my TF pulley and the width is 36mm not including the lipped flange. I also checked some old photos and there is no washer underneath the pulley bearing to push it further forward. Also, the lip is on the outside, not on the engine side so it does not explain why your belt has worn on the engine side (or rearward rib, as you put it).

I just measured my TF pulley and the width is 36mm not including the lipped flange. I also checked some old photos and there is no washer underneath the pulley bearing to push it further forward. Also, the lip is on the outside, not on the engine side so it does not explain why your belt has worn on the engine side (or rearward rib, as you put it).

Hi

That's interesting - I had the pulley with the flange to the engine side. The car is back together using the workaround that I mentioned. If that fails, I will see if the discarded pulley fits the other way around.

Cheers

32 Alpha

Mits guy as an idiot, mits removed that pulley as a recall years ago due to noise. Bet they slugged you for the pulley as well

Correct belt once pulley removed is a 6pk1195

Hi

That's interesting - I had the pulley with the flange to the engine side. The car is back together using the workaround that I mentioned. If that fails, I will see if the discarded pulley fits the other way around.

Cheers

32 Alpha

Putting it on back to front probably caused the problem. I would be tempted to take the pulley back to Mitsu and ask for a refund. Interesting that their system didn't red flag the recall or deletion of the pulley when he went searching for a part number.

6PK1195 is definitely the right belt once the pulley is deleted.

Nice to see the problem has been resolved anyway.

Mits guy as an idiot, mits removed that pulley as a recall years ago due to noise. Bet they slugged you for the pulley as well

Correct belt once pulley removed is a 6pk1195

Hi

Thanks for that - yep, IIRC the incorrect pulley was around $180. Too late to do anything about it now.

6PK1195 is the new belt that I just got from Burson. He said that there were 2 belts for the same application, one slightly longer. He thought that it was something to do with a change to the A/C pulley. I asked for the most commonly purchased one and he seems to have given me the correct one. Perhaps the slightly longer one is for use by people still running the original pulley set-up?

Cheers

32Alpha

Worth chasing a refund at $180 then. lol

There is a 6PK1205 belt listed if I recall correctly, 6 refers to the number of ribs, numbers at end refer to belt length in mm.

(Just did some research on the correct belt when the idler is installed, and got some confusing answers. Is the original belt that came off a 5 or a 6 rib one?)

I'm glad this thread started as it might have just solved a small issue I had.

Yes, I fitted a new pulley a few months ago as part of the cam belt change.

It was the first cam belt change as we purchased our TF Magna with only 76,000km on it a few years back so I presumed everything on it was original. It was not that easy to remove the aircon belt and a few of the rubber v-tracks sheared off over the crank pulley but as the belt was cracked anyway I thought it had just hardened with age. It was a 6PK1195 and as I said, I thought it was original especially as it had Mitsubishi marked on it. The original pulley was running with this belt fitted.

When I ordered the cam belt kit including correct pulley, I also ordered new power steering & aircon belts. The aircon belt supplied was another 6PK1195 which I thought was correct as as it was the same as the old one.

The new belt just fitted OK over the crank pulley because as it was new, it was a bit more 'stretchy'. I still had to tension it but not using a great deal of travel on the tensioner. I don't consider it to be over tightened.

I remember thinking when putting it on, how difficult it would be for me or the NRMA to do it out in the street because normally there is a fair bit of slack.

Even though the 1195 belt is running OK with the pulley fitted, what you are all saying is that I should have been supplied a 1205? Is that correct?

Nope, there is only a 10 mm difference in the 2 belts, so either one will do. The shorter one is just a bit harder to get on, as you found out, that is all. If you delete that front pulley the tensioner will take up the slack using the same belt.