spltshft

You should be able to replace the five dollar bearings in the pulley so you don't have to buy a whole new pulley. I would take the belt partially off and check all pulleys for play. I had this on a Dakota turned out to be a failing water pump.

Especial86

iTrader: (1)

Here is a pic of the bearing and part # that's in all the idler pulleys..

PJB

Thanks.

06kingranchf150

I just had the same issue a few days ago. Was the smooth drivers side idler pulley. Cheap and takes 10 min to do.

Krupp

I changed both belt pulleys and the idler/tensioner on my 2006 and that annoying noise when away. It was worse when it was cold outside.

04f150lariet

just take the belt off and spin everything you will hear the loud/odd ball one. I had two idler pulleys go out in a row. could hear it at idle and while driving. very common cheap easy fixes.

lilmike1988

I had the same thing happen to me. I got a couple of 6203 bearings for like 4 dollars ea. at a local bearing shop. Replaced the bearing on the tensioner pulley with a 3-jaw bearing puller and impact. It fixed the noise I let it idle for about 10 min then drove it up the street about 3 miles or so and heard a noise I pulled in a gas station parking lot shut the engine off and popped the hood. I then saw the pulley had slipped off the bearing and started grinding on the timing cover. So I got it home went to autozone the next morning and bought a whole new tensioner for 35 bucks. Sometimes it just better to just spend the money on a whole new part than to band-aid an old part. Sometimes it Doesn't pay be cheap.

spltshft

I wouldn't call what you were doing as being cheap. I am a heavy duty mechanic for a well service company in Alberta. We we're seeing a couple of bearing failures on the idler and tensioner bearings of our trucks so we put in place that regardless every six months the bearings are changed out. However you have to use your best judgment. If you can push that bearing in with your thumbs and it is a friction fit bearing then I might be time to change the whole pulley. I have yet to see a pulley come off a freshly pressed bearing.

PJB

I had a mechanic friend change both idler pulleys and the noise is still there. He's pretty sure its the ac compressor whining.


The ribbed pulley was bad, it wobbled. He changed the other idler pulley because that's the side where the noise seemed to be and the tensioner was ok.

VTX1800N1

Not always. My 2005 5.4 has two different sizes. The three smooth pulleys are 6203 2RS bearings. The one ribbed pulley is 6303 2RS. The 6303 has the same inside diameter, but a larger outside diameter.

I was able to find the 6203 everywhere- very common bearing. The 6303 was hard to find. The only place I was able to source it at a reasonable price was www.thebigbearingstore.com. I got all 4 bearings there. Low prices and fast shipment. I just changed mine a few days ago and all is quiet again.

http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/se...al-Ball/Detail

http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/se...al-Ball/Detail