Help a lady out...what exactly is an idle pulley and what does it do? Am I risky major damage to my Max by driving it when this part needs replacing? The dealership was out of the part Saturday and have it on order...the whining noise it makes when I turn the engine on is high annoying. Thanks.

 

Idle pulley? I just checked my Nissan Service Manual (the one the guys at the dealer use) and can't find any reference to a "idle pulley".

The whining noise you descibe sounds more like a loose belt....usually the pully itself doesn't go bad! It's either the piece of machinery it's attached to (alternator, etc) or the belt that drives it is bad or loose.

I would think about a second opinion if you are able....

 

Sounds like a loose belt to me.

 

Sounds like the dealer is trying to rip you off.

 

idle pulley is what puts tension on the alt belt. they do go bad and they start whining, if they go completetly bad it will cause your alt belt to break. put some belt dressing on the belts and make sure they're not loose. if that doesn't stop the noise, it might be the idle pulley. costs about 40 bucks online. when you take it and spin it you can tell how bad it really is, should be able to spin smoothly, no noise.

 

I'm guessing they mean the tensioner pulley (11925M). My stealer claims the adjustment bolt on mine is stripped (by them of course) and wanted $130 to replace it....

(hey Irish any luck on the FSM section? I ordered one, but it may be a couple of weeks to get "thru customs")

 

you're right. nissan calls it idle pulley

 

Thanks for the info guys. It's going to cost me the $50 deductible to get this fixed. I was told it's warranty work. My 100k extended warranty had 150 miles left on it when I took the car in to the dealsership Sat. They are leaving my paperwork open until they can get the part and finish the job. My extended warranty turned out to be worth the money. About 3000 miles or two months ago. I had the total rear axle assembly and the left front strut replaced. ...that bill alone covered the cost of the policy. So, I did get something for my money.

 

cool
i'll keep that in mind when i get my next new car

 

out of curiousity, what symptoms prompted you to replace the front strut? noise or bouncing on that corner etc...

 

It was a clicking sound whenever I turned to the left and sometimes to the right. I first suspected my cv joint. I didn't really notice any bouncing that seemed out of the normal. But I'm hard on a car..for some reason if there is a pothole in the road I always find it while going 40mph or faster. I'm also pretty good at rubbing curbs....so I never to the pretty expensive rims.

 

what made them replace the rear axel assembly? I think I may have a bad axel spindle.

Thanks,

Mark

 

Idler pulley. I broke the tensioner when I installed my UDP, and it was only 30 bucks to fix it. Then again, the dealer didnt install it, another shop did it.

 

Its called Idler Pulley to be exac, it provides tension on the alternator and compressor belt- they share one belt. I've had 2 of them go bad on my Maxima, the 1st one was under warranty. They broke my timing chain cover tab- where one bolt for the idler bracket goes through. Told me they would repleace the cover under warranty, I told them to *** off and don't mess with my car no more. I don't want my timing chain cover leaking from some idiot who doesn't know what hes doing. I'm going to repleace my timing chain cover with a polished out one while I am in there doing my timing chain, guides, tensioners and new Tomei Cams. I think the idler pulley cost me like 40 bux brand new, it takes like 10 min to repleace.