QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1993 Chrysler Concorde 3.5 . My spacer to the idler pulley is not there . Do I have to have the exact one replaced or can I find a close enough part to replace it ? I don't have much money , and I need my car ASAP .
ANSWER: Hi Renee,
Are you speaking of the pump pulley proper, or the tensioner pulley? The manual highlights that the spacer that comes with the replacement pump-pulley or pump (as the case may be) needs to be used or you may end up with an alignment error between its pulley and the crankshaft pulley/tensioner pulley plane which will cause either excessive belt noise, of the pulley rubbing against a nearby part. I don't know the exact history of this project (which parts are new, why wasn't there a spacer that came with the part?) so it may work out to use whatever spacer you have, but then again there is that risk of mis-alignment. If you can look at another replacement pulley or pump as the case maybe which would be an identical pair to what you are working with, then you might know exactly what you need to find for a proper fit. Or perhaps buy a new pulley that is designed for the pump in question? Or return the part that came without the proper spacer and get another part that comes with the proper spacer for the part to which it is to be mated? Or the pump can be installed temporarily to see if it is 'in the plane' or not.
There are details about both the pulley and the pump that whoever is doing the job needs to be aware of so as not to damage the pump or its hoses, etc. I can xerox these pages and postal mail them to you if you have a couple of days for the US mail to deliver them to you.
Roland
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QUESTION: I'm sorry . This is the pulley to the power steering belt . I did buy a new pulley and belt , but the spacer does not come with it . I must have broke off my care when the pulley and belt broke . So I have no idea what it looks like at all . I bought a new pulley and belt a couple weeks ago , and my son fixed it for me , it wasn't too difficult to fix at home . He did think some thing was missing , but he put the new parts back on just the way he took them off , and the spacer was not on there at all . I need to know if possibly , we can buy some thing close , and use it for a spacer .
AnswerHi Renee,
The best I can suggest is that you check with a Chrysler dealer parts department to see if they show a spacer that they can get to you from a parts depot quickly. Alternatively, try to return the new pulley and see if a different aftermarket pulley or a dealer pulley will come with the proper spacer. I doubt you can find a general purpose spacer that will fit properly. The last resort would be to get a used pump from a wrecking yard and either use it as is, or simply use the spacer from it, though that involves the work of removing it.
Roland
