So I heard some scraping while driving, sounded worse while idling... figured it might be something with the idler pulley. Popped the hood and took a look - my idler pulley strut nut is gone, I think.

http://imgur.com/GG2HvZ2


My camera phone is on the fritz, but there's the bracket, with the little arm jutting out below it, but nothing holding it there. I'm pretty sure this might be my problem, but how bad is this?

Wonderful drawing: http://imgur.com/YkOSFT8

What's the worst that could happen, and how long do I potentially have before it does? I need to buy a new idler pulley strut nut or something - anybody know what part I need?

Thanks!

There is nothing wrong/missing from the belt tensioner assembly in the photo you posted. The lock nut for the belt tensioner is in the center of the pulley below it. If the tensioner is making any kind of noise, it would be from the bearing in the idler pulley.

Most likely something else is making the noise.

The picture I posted was a good picture I found here on the forums of the assembly - mine is missing that entire nut, just an empty bracket with a hole in it sitting there. I circled the missing piece in red... or am I looking at the wrong thing? heh


Edit: I'm going to replace the idler pulley anyway, and do the belts while I'm down there, but I'm pretty sure I'm missing an entire piece...

I mis-understood what you were saying. I thought the picture was your car.

Those break because people try to turn them without first loosening the idler pulley lock nut. Since you are replacing the whole assembly, problem solved.

I haven't even touched it yet and I've had the car for over three years now - could it have survived this long without this part? (Actually, I did have somebody else replace the alternator about 2 years ago - but that's the last we've touched the belt assembly)

I'm ordering the idler pulley already, but that's just the pulley itself - I'm not sure what the part this is exactly and google isn't turning it up for me (or my googling is terrible).

Does anybody know how bad this could be to run for another ~30 miles? Gotta get to work in the morning and pick up the parts there in town, or head ~15 miles to the closest autozone if they even have it tonight.

Also, thanks for the responses and the help.

The tension is kept on the belt by the idler pulley. The missing part is just an easy way of moving the idler pulley to create that tension. You loosen the bolt in the center of the pulley, move the pulley by the tensioner screw (that you are missing) or by pushing on the pulley and then tighten the bolt in the center of the idler pulley.

I don't know if an auto parts store such as autozone has the complete tensioner assembly. It is an expensive thing from Nissan, 11925-31U0C, $79.65 list, $60 on-line.

The big nut thing you are missing is 11934-31U0B, $6.62 list, $5.32 on-line.
The wavy spring washer for the nut is 11939-31U00, $1.50 list, $2.21 on-line.
The shaft that the nut screws on is 11948-31U0A, $13.42 list, $10.13 on-line.

PM Maxima_Joe here on the org for parts or check out the for sale forum. If there is a junk yard near you, that would be the best bet.

Awesome, thank you so much.

11935U --> 11934-31U0B

11911G --> 11939-31U00

11925G --> 11948-31U0A

11925M --> 11925-31U0C (whole assembly) $60.12

If you want new parts check your local dealer. I bought a 96 Maxima with missing part from the tensioner pulley assembly and I just got the pieces missing and re-used the rest. Worked great. And it was cheap. Or hit up a junk yard in your area.

Junkyard!!! I got EVERYTHING and the mount that bolts into the crank case for like 10 bucks. Just find one that is not rusted closed and moves fairly freely

You also get it right away with a Junkyard visit. Got mine from an I30 there.