I was replacing my serpentine belt today and as I was rotating the tensioner with a breaker bar and the piece just snapped! A few questions

1) I figured it is as simple as putting in the breaker bar and rotating it counter clockwise, is there some more complex science to this to prevent it from breaking when rotating it? Could someone explain why this happened so that when I replace this it doesn't happen again?

2) If I want to replace this part, what is this part called at the dealership? The drive belt tensioner arm?

3) Can anyone point me to a how-to on how to replace this?

http://instagram.com/p/bbb8Q5lTvs/#

Thanks everyone.

 

It sucks that it snapped... and yes I'm pretty sure that's what is called..there is a how to , search serpentine belt and timing belt how to... good luck bro

 

They break all the time, bad design or metal flaw. I think the dealer wants like $150 for it, I couldn't find one anywhere else. I just use oil filter pliers and grab around the tensioner to take the belt on/off. If you get a new one its just the two bolts that hold it on.

 

It's just called a serpertine belt tensioner. I don't remember what the Evo one looks like, but they usually have a bolt to put a wrench on to turn it, or a 3/8" or 1/2" hole to use a ratchet on.

 

Yeah, that's how you do it and yeah, thats how it breaks.

 

I found this: http://www.mitsubishiparts.net/cart/?id=0&pn=MD373939

Looks like its what I need. So I basically just take off the two bolts, top and to the right but leave the one with the big brass washer on?

 

Yea that POS breaks all the time as mentioned. I'm on #2


Breaks again and **** it I'll use channel locks on the SOB

 

I just used the half inch drive on a breaker bar. Didn't break on me though, didn't know they were prone to failure. Think I'll buy a spare when swapping the belt out next time.

 

I don't get how people break these. I am doing these things every single day and have never once broken a single one in nearly 10 years working on these cars.

Although I did change one my personal cars ones out the other day because it looked like death lol

 

Yes.. both bolts use different torque specs

 

I've only ever broken one on my car. Same as above and seen many post on here with the same place chipped off.

I have also done others without them breaking so who knows

 

People must be over-extending them or going the wrong way and not saying so. The aluminum is stronger than the spring pressure and the spring only weakens with age. There is no reason for it to break unless you are doing something wrong with it.

 

It's not rocket science

Well maybe to some

To add:

You can only go one way, over extending I could see. Though mine broke after very little rotation at all.

My second one has been fine so far 80k on it or so and untensioned it multiple times now

Most of the broken ones posted on here over the years have broken in the exact same place. So like I said who knows

 

Is it possible to just leave it broken and replace the belt by just taking the entire tensioner off and putting it back on with the belt?

I also broke it by turning it barely 15 degrees.

 

If you just broke the square drive off then it's possible, just difficult due to the spring tension and the optimal leverage point being broken.
If you run the belt around everything but the idler bearing you should be able to pry the tensioner enough to slip the belt over the idler until you can get a replacement.