Car guide pulley

Guide / deflection roller moves the timing belt. Most cars need several deflection rollers. They are used to determine the route that the belt will take. With the help of guide / deflection roller it is possible to change the direction. However, it is possible to add stability to the entire system. Guide roles must fit the belt used. It is necessary to take this into consideration when buying spare car parts. Normally, guide rollers of other cars can not be used.

Since the deflection /guide roller is under a strong mechanical loading, it is subject to relatively quick wear. Therefore, it is highly recommended to replace deflection rollers each time you change the timing belt. This is necessary if there are signs of wear on the belt tensioner. In this case, all parts of the timing belt system must have the same operation life. If the deflection roller breaks or bursts, the timing belt will malfunction. Since a crack of the timing belt can be the result of roller failure, this situation should be avoided whenever possible. It is necessary to follow the terms of replacement to minimize the probability of failure.

The installation of a deflection / guide roller is not difficult, but only on a good car mechanic can replace the timing belt. A non-specialist can easily cause more damage. In addition, a special instrument is needed. Do you want to purchase car parts? If you need rear-view mirror, turn-indicator relay interrupter, brake shoes, strut bearing, side doors, tensioner, oil pump or any other spare car part, you will find it in our online shop of car parts. We have a wide assortment of car parts for many car brands and models.

How to detect malfunctions of the timing belt pulley?

Diagnostics of the timing belt pulley is very difficult, since its malfunction is not always accompanied by extraneous sounds. Usually, failure of the component is indicated by indirect symptoms.

Routine inspection and replacement of tensioner pulleys and idler pulleys of the timing belt may be neglected by both novice and experienced drivers. However, to prevent failures of the timing mechanism, the pulleys should be replaced at the intervals stated by the vehicle manufacturer.

You may notice that the timing belt pulley needs diagnostics by the following symptoms:

• extraneous sounds are heard from the component during operation of the engine;
• increased free play in the bearings of the tensioner pulley or the idler pulley;
• the belt surface has become glossy;
• the belt drive is severely vibrating (important for engines operating on diesel fuel);
• mechanical defects have been detected during inspection of the timing mechanism components.

The reasons of the timing belt pulley malfunctions

Quite often, the components fail due to the ingress of foreign objects between the pulley and the belt: sand, mud, gravel, and metal particles increase the abrasive wear of the contacting surfaces, and lead to appearance of chips on the outer cage of the component.

Many faults of the pulleys of the timing mechanism are caused by the failure to follow the instructions on installation and adjustment of the belt drive elements. Avoid incorrect installation of the pulley, belt displacement, or incorrect tension. Otherwise, there increases the risk of uneven wear of the components, jamming of the bearings or increase of their free play, breakage of the retainers, which entails the risk of complete breakage of the pulley.

Using improper tools or applying too intense shocks during installation may cause dents and chips on the surface of the components. An attempt to restore, with the use of a screwdriver and a hammer, a pulley that fell down due to careless handling, is not only fraught with the failure of the component itself, but also increases the risk of failure of other components' of the drive.

Motor oil and gasoline are very dangerous for the timing mechanism. They destroy the belt and the sealing elements of the pulleys, which results in accumulation of dirt and moisture penetration into the unit, and later - in the failure of the bearings. When heated, a malfunctioning bearing may cause melting of plastic parts.

Replacing the timing belt pulley

The component should be replaced during each routine replacement of the belt, on the average, after each 60,000 to 90,000 km of mileage. Do not ignore this recommendation, since repair of the engine caused by a broken belt will cost more than installation of a new component at the prescribed maintenance intervals.

You can replace the component by yourself, or you may have it replaced at a service station.