Long shot? 4.6 diagram/picture of belt tensioner mounting

I drew one up for mine (97 Bird) because the one along the fenderwell was so small and I needed to see it in front of me. Did you check for a diagram there somewhere.

Supposedly you can find a diagram at the AutoZone website.

The belt routing is not an issue.

"there is a little strange-looking metal piece ..."

I looked. Nothing, Nada, and Zilch.

Al

"The monkey and the baboon was playing 7-up. The monkey won the money but he scared to pick it up. The monkey stumbled, mama. The baboon fell. The monkey grab the money and he run like hell!" - from "Dirty Motherfuyer", Roosevelt Sykes, around 1935

Sorry, I hit send and then re-read your question. My T-bird shows three bolts. The center one is also bolted to the support for the coil. The piece in question appears to be some sort of defense against belt movement. It goes with the bolt that is center right. If you place it there in a few different positions it should become clear. If not I can take a picture of it for you.

I just got back from a state inspection of my 95 T-Bird 4.6 at a local big box auto repair shop. The car has 71k miles. Car passed as usual but they suggested replacing the belt tensioner. They stuck a 3 foot long heavy duty screw driver between the tensioner and the engine and wiggled th tensioner arm about 1/2 inch out. Running the engine showed no in/out deflection. Is this typical failure mode or working as designed ? Steve

That nailed it. Dead.

I assume you took the pic and posted it.

Hence I thank you once. Twice. Thrice.

Truly helpful. I still can't figger exactly what function the guide (??) fulfills, but it's important. The tensioner and pulley seems to have locked up when it wasn't properly oriented. There is no guide (??) on certain other Ford tensioners.

Now when the temp in my garage falls below 140 F. I will be able to configure the tensioner/belt properly. :-)

Cheers, Al

"The monkey and the baboon was playing 7-up. The monkey won the money but he scared to pick it up. The monkey stumbled, mama. The baboon fell. The monkey grab the money and he run like hell!" - from "Dirty Motherfuyer", Roosevelt Sykes, around 1935

They pried the arm *down* about 1/2 "?

On my 94 TB 4.6, there is a square hole in the tensioner arm. Will take I think a 1/2 " torque wrench, handy for changing belts.

There may be a foot-pounds spec for releasing the tension on the belt, I dunno.

With the motor off, you can push the tensioner down to get a crude measure of tensioner pressure/spring strength.

If you can throttle it up to 4k rpm or so without belt slippage, I dunno I'd worry about it.

Puddin'

"Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens!" -Friedrich Schiller

| |They pried the arm *down* about 1/2 "? | |

No, Not up and down, out towards the radiator.

Steve

Glad to help.

Since its on at least 3 years that we know of it must be for

Didn't even unhook belt somewhere to release tension? Just pried tensioner toward front of cah-cah?

Like no state inspection I've ever seen. Maybe someone else here can reflect on this action.

If you're worried about tensioner, take a 1/2 " breaker bar, release belt at, say, alternator, grab tensioner, work it around looking for play.

Puddin'

"Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens!" -Friedrich Schiller

| |Like no state inspection I've ever seen. Maybe someone else here |can reflect on this action. |

Actually it has nothing to do with the state inspection. Part of their free 21 point check of your car anytime you bring it in.

Translation: We can't make much on a state inspection so we might as well look for trouble.

I don't recall the specifics but there was a TSB about belts coming off some of the 4.6's and I suspect that little guide/retainer was the cure for the belts popping off.

The tensioner