Thread: new idler pulley has play?

hey everyone swapping out most of my pulleys since they all have play, every pulley other than my power steering, crank, and alternator (which is basically new since old one shredded a belt due to terrible axial movement) so I received all the tensioners and idlers last night and installed them waiting on water pump and a/c pulley to come in today but I noticed the new idler with grooves in the supercharger belt side has visible play when installed all the other pulleys were tight when I installed them. after i went to the store and tried a different idler and that had visible play too? ended up just putting the one I got in the mail online back on for now since it was cheaper. is this normal brand is acdelco and the other one from the store is gates. did I get 2 bad parts? also my water pump is only like a year old and as I said has noticeable play, can actually see the belt moving side to side on the tensioner while engine is running could it just be from everything else having play. water pump is the zzp brand have a acdelco replacement coming in the mail

put a new water pump on, its shot. and the loose pulley, take it off and inspect the shaft it rides on, it might be worn out. the tensioner pulley near the alt, its shaft wore out on me. had to replace the whole alt bracket for that one.

just remembered the new water pump is a gates brand as long as fedex makes it on time should have it done by today but for the pulley shaft what would I check for. I know the mating surface of the shaft and bearing is tight. had to use a pulley puller to remove the pulley each time I was swapping out the 2 new ones and use the bolt to fasten it back onto the shaft (did it at least 6 or 7 times) might be able to use a pry bar now but I know if I take the pulley off later its not coming off by hand. if you push on both the bearings of the "faulty" pulleys while off the car you can feel a slight play as well. should I go to a different parts store lol ironically its the only plastic pulley should I find a metal pulley that's grooved and 3 inches made for another car?

ive never had to use a puller for any of them pulleys, nor have i had to press them back on. you sure your getting the right part# parts for your year car?

if its on there that tight, f it leave it, run it. as long as you cant hear it making a racket, f it.

if the clutch on the ac was not grinding leave it alone.

water pumps also have their own bearing inside them. you may of got a pos brand maybe? or a poor rebuilt one. i ran a duralast for 40 bucks for years, when that engine blew up i saved it and put in my parts box.