Long story short, I had to take off the idler pulley while replacing my alternator. I had to leave town for a week and just put the pulley back on, only to find that it doesn't move up or down anymore when I tighten the adjusting bolt - the bolt just goes up and down in the cutout hole in which it sits. I can't imagine that I misplaced anything since I tried to stay very organized, but there has to be something that holds that adjusting bolt in place so that the idler pulley gets pushed up or down in its track (instead of the pulley staying there and the bolt moving up or down.

Here is a picture of what I have. Please tell me what I'm missing because I'm pulling my hair out over here.

 

loosen your alternator by the nut that you screw that alternator bolt into. It is prolly blocking the path for the bolt and pulley to go up and down, which if you look on the back side of the bracket it slides up and down on, you will see it. when you loosen the alternator up just move that nut to the other position it can sit in. it that doesnt work, take the alternator off and then see if your pulley works then.

 

had that happen a week ago.

 

There should be a square nut looking thing on the "backside" of the pulley assembly. Also make sure you're installing it correctly. The nub on the adjuster piece should be below the bracket I think.

 

Thanks for the responses. The problem I was describing above wasn't actually a problem at all. I was just misunderstanding how the adjusting bolt worked. Interestingly enough, I had the problem with the alternator nut getting in the way of the pulley bolt right before I ended up taking the whole assembly apart, but I figured it out