SC Idler from Fensport didn't last long...

[Basirk]

The disadvantage of having a large SC pulley is that you need a smaller idler pulley as the stock one won't fit anymore. My Cusco idler failed rather spectacularly just over a year ago and the Fensport replacement (from the SC Large Pulley kit) has lasted a year (it's got square bearings!). It's also plastic!

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement idler pulley that'll last?

Cheers,

Chris

[Lauren]

Chris that's strange as i have had mine on the car since the conversion was done back in 2001 and it has never caused a problem at all.

I have done an easy 30K plus miles.

Are you sure you haven't overtightened your belt?

[tony2311]

sounds like the belt been over tighten as the plastic pulley is still ok!

[Basirk]

I'll mention it to Millway. I did ask them to tention the SC belt a while ago as it was slipping. Maybe it was a bit too much for the pulley?

[MegatronUK]

Plastic idlers are a bane on the automotive world. I've seen hundreds of cars where the plastic cambelt idler has failed and resulted in a mangled engine (last one was a diesel mondeo a fortnight ago - roughly £600 in damage alone).

Ok, so an SC pulley shouldn't cause anything like as spectacular damage, but for the sake of a couple quid more, manufacturers and after market tuners should really be using solid metal idlers and pulleys now.

[shish]

chris,

i had some idlers made up a while ago to replace the toyota ones, unfortunaly due to some bad communication i wasn't able to use them as they where made slightly wrong and i had allready arranged to buy a new one from toyota.

If someone can get me one of the smaller cusco/fensport idlers i can approch the guy who made them to see if he can replicate them.

The ones i had made used aircraft-grade bearings and where machined from aluminium: