Broken Idler Pulley (w/ pics)

[dcook_14]

So I was checking things over before heading to the track tonight, and I'm glad I did. I have an '03 Cobra motor, and apparently I sheered of the stud or whatever holds the idler pulley on the bridge (idk what else to call it) by the power steering reservoir. I went from this

To this

There wasn't any squeaking or grinding to let me know if a bearing in the idler was going out or anything. Is there any way to get the rest of that stud out of there and just put in a new pulley, or will I have to get a whole new bridge?

 

[greengt88]

shit..that sux. the bridge is kind of a bastard to get off there. u will absolutely need a new one...never seen that before. seen plenty of pulleys/tensioner grenade, but never the pulley stub on the bridge! my boy just broke both bolts for his auxilary idler last week, so that wasnt too bad. thank god for easy-outs. i pulled my bridge off last week also and the alt. brackets. its a bitch. not really too bad though.more bolts on there then u think. the worst is working around the PS lines and coolant overflow tank. might take an hour to get off there. check ebay and the market for a new bridge...you're wallet will get raped if u go through ford. maybe call MPS auto salvage if no luck on the bay or market on here.....hope that helps...also make sure u have the correct size bolts for the pulley...that was my friends problem...he bought a car with a swapped motor. after his shit broke we referenced mine, and he had puny bolts/washers holing his pulley on....factory pulley bolts have super thick captured washers on them. so double check that. bolt on urs in pics dont look right....i just posted a thread in engine/tuning called " my new pulley setup"

 

[dcook_14]

I've taken the bridge off before but the motor was out of the car when I did it. I can't imagine it's going to be real fun to do with it in the car.

I checked out your thread, are the bolts in the idlers the ones that came stock or are those what came with your new pulleys? In my pic the pulley below the blower pulley doesn't even look like there is a bolt in there...

 

[cbr repsol]

looks like your missing/snapped a bolt on the blue idler as well

 

[03cobra#694]

looks like your missing/snapped a bolt on the blue idler as well

Good eye, I went back and looked at the pic, and I think you're right.

 

[Bdubbs]

I've taken the bridge off mine because I snapped one of the bolts that hold the idler on. Take your time it's really not to hard. Once all the bolts are out, the bridge comes out much easier dropping it down underneath, instead of trying to pull it up and out.

 

[dcook_14]

Is that little nub that's broken off something I can take out or is it casted with the rest of the bridge?

And yeah, I don't know how the hell I lost the bolts to both the pulleys. I'm guessing the pulley was starting to come off and the belt put enough pressure to sheer that thing off.

 

[dcook_14]

looks like your missing/snapped a bolt on the blue idler as well

Yep, I just went out and pulled the belt off and that idler slid right off the bridge.

How did I lose both those bolts???

 

[greengt88]

i actually had found a brand new factory bridge and purchased it...it had the 2 stock idlers and tensioner on it. so i reused them when i installed the billetflow pulleys....they didnt come with any hardware other than the 3 bolts for the auxillary idler...i found its easiest to take all the bolts out of the bridge, leave the studs on it though...tap or pry it straight out, turn the left hand tensioner side down and lift it right out....very helpful to have a friend to hold PS lines and coolant lines out of the way.

 

[cbr repsol]

How did I lose both those bolts???

Probably vibration of the motor while running....if those have been taken out before . which im pretty sure they have cause they are painted to match your cam covers. I use loc-tight on the bolt threads, so a problem like this doesnt happen.

 

[dcook_14]

Well I'm definitely going to get some locktite and go over the other bolts in the engine compartment...

 

[03zincyellowsvt]

hey if you need a stock pulley bridge id let it go cheap, its been sitting in my parents garage since my F1 install

 

[WOTjunkie]

thats some pretty crazy sh*t!!