Dragon997

Whew! Just after returning from 800 mile road trip on Pick Yer Tour weekend in the Texas hill country the lower idler roller failed today less than 1/4 mile from leaving home. Had noticed a new high pitch rattling sound from the engine area when I arrived home from our weekend in Kerrville. Suspected it might be alternator or one of the idler rollers but was going to put off troubleshooting until next week. Fortunately I kept the original rollers I proactively replaced when changing out the water pump 9 years and 24,938 miles ago. They will tide things over until the new upper and lower rollers and belt arrive from FCP Euro next week. Swap out was easy. Removed the air box and they’re all right there.

Here is the failed lower roller…

Ericson38

Love the Kerrville area, thinking of moving back to Texas, and that would be the general area. I just changed my two idlers and alternator two weeks ago. The tensioner bearing seemed good, so didn't have to tackle that one.

TerrestrialFlyte

I was at the HCR PYT event too. Good drive. Went last year in my C2S, but this year we took my wife’s 987.2 BS. I considered replacing my idlers when I did my water pump, but didn’t. How long did it squeak before failing?

Edit: Doesn’t seem like it was squealing long if you first noticed it on the trip home.

Dragon997

All I can tell you there wasn’t any unusual sound coming from the motor before starting out on the drive to Kerrville nor beginning the 4.5 hour drive back home. The upper and lower rollers had just under 25,000 miles on them when the lower roller failed. Would have expected it to last much longer. Best to be proactive and change them both if you’re replacing the water pump. Do the tensioner roller as well if it’s making any noise or feels rough as you give it a spin.

Khloesdad

I just replaced all 3 pulleys last friday. {just in case} About a 20 minute job.

workhurts

What brand to buy for a 997.2? Prices seem all over the place with Porsche brand being 5-10x more expensive for pulleys.

Ericson38

I could do the two idlers in 30 minutes, but you did those and the tensioner pulley in 20 minutes? Are you a 997.1 or .2 ?

997.2
Belt Tensioner / bolt DIY - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums

997.1
997.1 Drive Belt Tensioner - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums

TerrestrialFlyte

For 997.1 on FCP Euro the upper, lower and tensioner pulleys came to about $275 in the cart (before shipping and tax). Genuine Porsche, and there were some other brands that were slightly more expensive.

Khloesdad

997.1.

yelcab

There is this thing called "preventive maintenance" where you replace parts before they fail so that they don't strand you someplace. On a 997.1, the water pump, thermostat, all three pulleys including the hard to replace tensioner pulley, and the belt all fit into the replacement at 60,000 miles schedule.

Dragon997

Yelcab is right about preventive maintenance. That’s what I did when the upper, lower, and tensioner rollers (pulleys) were replaced along with the water pump on my 997.1 at 55962 total miles. Even with that the lower roller failed after less than half the miles on the original. The new rollers (and belt) from FCP Euro were installed yesterday.

TerrestrialFlyte

That tensioner pulley sounds like a pain in the ***!

Khloesdad

Only on the 997.2