I have a 2003 quad cab 4x4 3.9. I replaced the belt tensioner about 4 months ago since it was ticking when the motor had a load on it. If I am sitting with the truck in drive it will tick. If I put it in nuetral and the load was off of it, it went away. After I replaced the belt tensioner it went away even in drive, that is until the new one wore out I am assuming. When I replaced it I noticed that it was exactly the same one I was replacing it with. I bought the new one from Advanced Auto. Tells me someone had replaced it before. MY question here is, has anyone replaced it before with another brand and had better results?

 

Absolutely. I bought my truck used with 41,000 miles on it, bought it on New Year's Eve, 2005. When I bought my truck had a real bad belt squeal. I replaced the belt, still had the squeal. Then I bought a tensioner at Auto Zone, and the belt would sling off of the pulleys every time I started the truck. Everything looked like it was all lined up OK, so I exchanged the tensioner for another one at Auto Zone. It did the same thing, slung the belt off when I started up the truck and also chewed up the sides of the belt.

Then I got to looking at the original tensioner. I finally realized that the Auto Zone tensioner was built and shaped completely different from the OEM tensioner. Then I checked the Napa website and saw their tensioner looked exactly like the OEM tensioner. It also cost twice as much as the Auto Zone tensioner. I bought the Napa tensioner and a new belt, installed them both and have had no tensioner problems at all since then. That was over 100,000 miles ago and it still works fine now.

Jimmy

 

That makes me feel more confident in buying a NAPA brand. TY much for the advice.

 

Mine ticks too even after replacing but it seems the pully or shaft on the water pump is slightly warped or something.

According to my brother and his dodge friends that work for dodge these trucks have **** poor bearings and water pumps; esp aftermarket pumps i think that is my problem creamstock noticed.. might be something to check out.

 

Well the good thing is I know it is the belt tensioner because when I put the new one on 4 months ago it stopped. I think the belt tensioner I bought through advanced wasn't made good enough and it went bad again.

 

I got the Dayco brand from Rock Auto and it did not tick as much but slowly started to again just because it broke in. .they should be able to move and if they tick there is a problem somewhere that is causing the belt to loosen/tighten up cuasing it to twitch. think about how the tensionor works. I would really look carefully at the belt and rest of the system and check out for pullies that might be wobbling.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will check that out. I was told there is a spring inside the tensioner that loosens up after time. Though maybe it was just a cheaper part and not holding up.