I was checking under the hood of my 97 Legacy 2.2 and noticed that the AC idler pully is making a slight squeeking/scratching noise that comes and goes.

 

Sounds like it need lubrication.

 

Before I start pulling it apart, can they be lubed and if so with what?

 

Or do I need to replace it?

 

TIA

I am thinking you are really describing the belt tensioner pully. If so, there is no way to lubricate the bearing, as it is a sealed unit. When my tensioner started making noise, I just replaced it.

I was checking under the hood of my 97 Legacy 2.2 and noticed that the AC idler pully is making a slight squeeking/scratching noise that comes and goes.

 

Sounds like it need lubrication.

 

Before I start pulling it apart, can they be lubed and if so with what?

 

Or do I need to replace it?

 

TIA

 

i have replacment bearings for both the ac idler pulley and the compressor pulley. let me know if you are interested.

It is acutally possible to regrease the tensioner pulley, though popping off the grease seals is a bit tricky. I regreased mine at the first hint of noise, and it hasn't come back. So long as there's no play in the bearing, I feel it's fine to regrease them.

 

You'll have to take off you accessory belts to confirm that it is indeed the AC pulley that's causing the noise. If so, it may be your AC clutch engaging and disengaging that's causing the noise. Does your A/C work?

i ran into a problem with that tensioner pulley also on my 96 ej22 and it turns out someone didnt loosen the locknut before they moved the adjusting nut which broke the little plastic piece behind the locknut...so the pulley was spinning on the metal tensioner bracket making a god awful noise.....i went to the junkyard and picked up 2 of them....easy enough to get off and only $5.00 for both of them.....

.....i went to the junkyard and picked up 2 of them....easy enough to get off and only $5.00 for both of them.....

 

EVOthis,

 

Which JY did you go to? Is it near Kennett Square? Wilmington is a stone's throw.

 

Edit:

And Yes, I am talking about the belt tensioner pully for the AC.

I have removed mine, pryed the lip of the seal up and dripped engine oil into and let soak sitting horizontal a time or 2....almost 300K miles and still going, hasnt squeaked in 80K or so......

Suzam....yes the junkyard i usually go to is called Mason Dixon......all you do is get on route 1 and follow it all the way south....the junkyard is basically on the border between maryland and Pennsylvania.....if you know were the concord mall is...from the concord mall to mason dixon it may take you 40-50 min.

 

the other junkyard i recently found is located on gum tree road in chocranville....its called continental auto supply....ITS AMAZING.....its an import junkyard.....only like hondas, saabs, nissans, and subarus......they have a pretty good selection of first and second gen. legacys and imprezas......even some old XT6's.....

 

if i were you i would head down to mason dixon and grab 1 if not 2 (just in case)

Mason dixon is much larger than continental and seems to be more organized also.....