I have a 2000 5.9L SLT about 145K mileage. About 2 months ago, got to work and had an awful grinding noise from the engine. Guy at worked looked at it quick, said thought it was the idler pulley. So I stopped picked one up, made it about a mile before my shop and the belt came loose, but made it in. Picked it up later, and the owner explained that I'd be ok for a short time with the current belt, but would need a new one soon. And they had to order some other part, because something's plastic and wouldn't fit, and he walked in on the mechanic "frankensteining" the idler pulley I brought with this other part he had to get. So he didn't have the idler pulley to give back to me to return, but I'm under the impression it was replaced from how he explained it. Ok. Been going to this shop over 10 years now with several different cars, never had a reason to think he was screwing me over. Prices always right at or cheaper for repairs I've had done, doesn't jack up the parts prices from what they sell them to the public at, really no issues at all. Always gets me in the same day, drives me home/picks me up.
Three weeks later, belt starts shredding. Talk to the mechanic, and I mention how he just replaced the idler pulley. He says no, I just replaced the bearing. Told him what owner told me, and he just shook his head. And I realized owner has had some heart attacks recently, he's now turned into a greedy PoS, and he returned the idler pulley t I had bought-which I only did out of convenience because the warehouse store is right by my work; hence I wouldn't have to wait a day for them order if not in stock at local store. Then come to find out, after questioning him about some other stuff I'd had done, owner will not warranty/stand by his work he's done. He just says oh the engine's old/shot, not the shop's fault and it's very rare for parts to be bad....yeah ok lol. Overall, I trust the mechanic, but not the owner. Sorry, I know that's not all relevant, I'm just venting and still ticked about him acting like this. So, I'm off to find a new mechanic/shop and they all suck from what I'm hearing around from others. I just want to be prepared. I have a little more than basic knowledge, but by no means an expert. I do not have the tools to mess with the belt myself.
So they put a new belt on-as I knew was going to be needed. That was a Gates brand. 3 days later, started shredding-even worse than last one. Go back in, needs a tensioner pulley and new belt. Those brands for both were Dayco. Within a day, it started chirping. Never chirped before. And it's just gotten louder. After it's warmed up, the chirp stops at idle, but it starts up when I accelerate. It's still on the track, no wear on the belt, belt seems tight. Stopped back at the shop(the above issues with them were figured out after this), owner said looked like the "wheel" was moving front and back(no idea which that was he was referring-probably trying to avoid telling me idler pulley?) He said double check with the mechanic. Mechanic looked, said it's fine, it's probably the paint on the tensioner and the new belt, keep driving it'll go away soon. I'm very hesitant to believe that. I've always been under the assumption, chirping/squealing is generally a sign of a bad tensioner. So, did I get a crap tensioner? Or an adjustment issue? Any clue what I should be looking out for?
Three weeks later, belt starts shredding. Talk to the mechanic, and I mention how he just replaced the idler pulley. He says no, I just replaced the bearing. Told him what owner told me, and he just shook his head. And I realized owner has had some heart attacks recently, he's now turned into a greedy PoS, and he returned the idler pulley t I had bought-which I only did out of convenience because the warehouse store is right by my work; hence I wouldn't have to wait a day for them order if not in stock at local store. Then come to find out, after questioning him about some other stuff I'd had done, owner will not warranty/stand by his work he's done. He just says oh the engine's old/shot, not the shop's fault and it's very rare for parts to be bad....yeah ok lol. Overall, I trust the mechanic, but not the owner. Sorry, I know that's not all relevant, I'm just venting and still ticked about him acting like this. So, I'm off to find a new mechanic/shop and they all suck from what I'm hearing around from others. I just want to be prepared. I have a little more than basic knowledge, but by no means an expert. I do not have the tools to mess with the belt myself.
So they put a new belt on-as I knew was going to be needed. That was a Gates brand. 3 days later, started shredding-even worse than last one. Go back in, needs a tensioner pulley and new belt. Those brands for both were Dayco. Within a day, it started chirping. Never chirped before. And it's just gotten louder. After it's warmed up, the chirp stops at idle, but it starts up when I accelerate. It's still on the track, no wear on the belt, belt seems tight. Stopped back at the shop(the above issues with them were figured out after this), owner said looked like the "wheel" was moving front and back(no idea which that was he was referring-probably trying to avoid telling me idler pulley?) He said double check with the mechanic. Mechanic looked, said it's fine, it's probably the paint on the tensioner and the new belt, keep driving it'll go away soon. I'm very hesitant to believe that. I've always been under the assumption, chirping/squealing is generally a sign of a bad tensioner. So, did I get a crap tensioner? Or an adjustment issue? Any clue what I should be looking out for?
