Idler pulley (torque spec) & Clutch fan delete (what's the purpose)

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Carnage44

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Guys I need your input. But first let me give you some backstory: I heard some squealing noise coming from under the hood of my 2009 Ram 1500 Big Horn 5.7 Hemi. I pinpointed it to the idler pulley. Which I replaced and I replaced the serpentine belt while I was there. In doing so this fixed the noise. I looked for torque specs for the bolt that holds the idler pulley on. I found somebody mentioned 45 ft. lbs. for this bolt. So I set my torque wrench to 45, placed it on the bolt and waiting for the clicks. Well I snap the head of the bolt off. TALK ABOUT BEING PISSED! This is where I would like your input. Should I have it towed to a shop and let them extract the bolt out? Or, is it something I should tackle? And if I do it should I just go ahead and do a clutch fan delete, 180 t-stat, V6 E-fan and tune?

Here is what I (we) need to know:
(and I hope this post helps other people so they don't do what I did)

1) What is the correct torque spec for the idler pulley?
2) What is the purpose of the clutch fan delete? And is it worth it?
3) What does it take to extract the bolt out? Do I have to remove the fan and fan shroud or can I do it without removing anything besides the pulley & belt? (I have never extracted out a bolt. Nothing YouTube can't fix)

Sorry I feel like I'm all over the place with this post. Definitely two different subjects haha. Thanks in advance
 
Last edited:

crackerjack1957

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2015
Posts
2,016
Reaction score
2,378
Ram Year
2014 Sport 1500 CC 4x4
Engine
Hemi 5.7...65RFE...4.56
1) What is the correct torque spec for the idler pulley? (30 Ft. Lbs.)
2) What is the purpose of the clutch fan delete? And is it worth it? (Faster warm ups, less wear on water pump, very slight HP increase)
3) What does it take to tap the bolt out? Do I have to remove the fan and fan shroud or can I do it without removing anything besides the pulley & belt? (I have never tapped out a bolt. Nothing YouTube can't fix) (Sometimes you can back out with center punch & hammer....if not....left hand drill bit.....if that fails you will need a screw extractor)
 

Attachments

  • torque.png
    torque.png
    232 KB · Views: 40
OP
OP
Carnage44

Carnage44

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.7 Hemi
It is barely recessed in the hole.
And what I was thinking was.. If I could adhere the head of the bolt back onto the stem of the bolt and reverse it out of the hole. But IDK if any epoxy would be able to handle the torque. It was just a spit balling idea
 
Last edited:

crackerjack1957

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2015
Posts
2,016
Reaction score
2,378
Ram Year
2014 Sport 1500 CC 4x4
Engine
Hemi 5.7...65RFE...4.56
It's recessed in the hole
Since you have never attempted to remove a broken bolt/screw and you cannot spin it counter-clockwise by hand or hammer with a pointed punch, I advise you to have somebody else to remove.
You could do more damage by drilling or welding on bolt.

JB Weld in a recessed hole could make the removal of bolt harder than necessary.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Carnage44

Carnage44

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Well you have to start somewhere haha. Before I have it towed to a shop I will be trying a bolt extractor that will fit on a drill.
For example: Alden Grabit Pro
I'll keep you guys updated and will try to get pictures
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Carnage44

Carnage44

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.7 Hemi
 UPDATE: I did have to take off the fan shroud & clutch fan as I did not have enough room in the area to use the extractor bit attached to my impact drill. Which is ok because I'm doing the clutch fan delete mod anyways... So YouTube has always been a great tool for me ;) But it can also get you in trouble, let me explain. I searched " clutch fan delete Dodge ram" on YouTube and there is a great video, with a ton of views, that helps you through removal of the fan & shroud. He shows you this tool he made from a flat bar of metal and two bolts. This flat bar helps to hold the water pump pulley from spinning on you when you start to torque on the nut that the fan is connected to (see screenshot.) Then he goes on and puts his wrench onto the fan nut and hits the wrench with a hammer. It worked for him so I thought it surely it has to work for me. I buy the materials I need to make that metal flat bar tool. My first mistake; I bought some zinc plated machine screws when I knew I should have bought Grade-8 bolts. But I was at home going to give it a go anyways. My second mistake; I was hitting the adjustable wrench with a hammer because, at the time, I didn't have any breaker bars big enough to go around the end of the wrench. So in conclusion; I bent the crap out of those zinc bolts and the downward momentum carried the hammer right into the lip of my power steering pulley busting a piece of it off |: AND NOW THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (see picture)....
I came back to it a couple days later but this time with Grade-8 bolts and a big breaker bar. I finally got the clutch fan & shroud off giving me enough room to extract the bolt that holds the idler pulley on (see pictures.) When I was using the cutting side of the extractor bit the bolt started to back itself out and I didn't have to use the extractor side of the bit, then I just used a pair of vice grips the rest of the way. And after all that I finally got the idler pulley back on but with a new headache. I have had my rig towed to a shop to fix the power steering pump pulley and I need the spots where the running boards mount to be welded anyways. Lessons learned is take your time and make sure to have the correct tools for the job.

I also just added a screenshot picture from Google of the serpentine belt diagram on a 5.7 Hemi for at least a 2009 year model
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230128-132857.png
    Screenshot_20230128-132857.png
    520.7 KB · Views: 32
  • PXL_20230127_181607306~2.jpg
    PXL_20230127_181607306~2.jpg
    99.3 KB · Views: 31
  • PXL_20230127_181607306.jpg
    PXL_20230127_181607306.jpg
    199.3 KB · Views: 26
  • PXL_20230127_181649058.PORTRAIT.jpg
    PXL_20230127_181649058.PORTRAIT.jpg
    110 KB · Views: 24
  • PXL_20230127_181703821.PORTRAIT.jpg
    PXL_20230127_181703821.PORTRAIT.jpg
    109.3 KB · Views: 24
  • PXL_20230127_182706791.PORTRAIT.jpg
    PXL_20230127_182706791.PORTRAIT.jpg
    183 KB · Views: 29
  • PXL_20230127_184935579.PORTRAIT.jpg
    PXL_20230127_184935579.PORTRAIT.jpg
    259 KB · Views: 27
  • PXL_20230127_184940517.PORTRAIT.jpg
    PXL_20230127_184940517.PORTRAIT.jpg
    257.9 KB · Views: 27
  • PXL_20230127_183253627.PORTRAIT~2.jpg
    PXL_20230127_183253627.PORTRAIT~2.jpg
    158 KB · Views: 31
  • PXL_20230127_185121800.PORTRAIT~2.jpg
    PXL_20230127_185121800.PORTRAIT~2.jpg
    211.2 KB · Views: 31
  • Screenshot_20230128-132753~2.png
    Screenshot_20230128-132753~2.png
    924.3 KB · Views: 34
Last edited:

Lu87

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2023
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
Ram Year
2009
Engine
Hemi 5.7
So what torque did you use on the idler pulley?
 
OP
OP
Carnage44

Carnage44

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.7 Hemi
@Lu87 I just went hand tight and then just a touch past that. I seen somewhere that it calls for 21 ft/lbs but @crackerjack1957 wrote on this post above that it takes 30 ft/lbs. I know for a fact that it is NOT 45 ft/lbs haha!
 

Stringer45

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2023
Posts
41
Reaction score
13
Location
FL
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 HEMI
1) What is the correct torque spec for the idler pulley? (30 Ft. Lbs.)
2) What is the purpose of the clutch fan delete? And is it worth it? (Faster warm ups, less wear on water pump, very slight HP increase)
3) What does it take to tap the bolt out? Do I have to remove the fan and fan shroud or can I do it without removing anything besides the pulley & belt? (I have never tapped out a bolt. Nothing YouTube can't fix) (Sometimes you can back out with center punch & hammer....if not....left hand drill bit.....if that fails you will need a screw extractor)
thanks for the bad info.

did you bother to read the chart you uploaded?

30ft lb = broken bolt in the engine thanks ****
 

danielmid

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Posts
1,491
Reaction score
2,647
Location
Southeast WI
Ram Year
2015 Sport 4x4
Engine
Hemi 5.7
thanks for the bad info.

did you bother to read the chart you uploaded?

30ft lb = broken bolt in the engine thanks ****
Chart pretty clearly says 30? Maybe take some responsibility on yourself and not blaming a forum comment/chart for your issue?
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
1,502
Reaction score
2,223
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
Guys I need your input. But first let me give you some backstory: I heard some squealing noise coming from under the hood of my 2009 Ram 1500 Big Horn 5.7 Hemi. I pinpointed it to the idler pulley. Which I replaced and I replaced the serpentine belt while I was there. In doing so this fixed the noise. I looked for torque specs for the bolt that holds the idler pulley on. I found somebody mentioned 45 ft. lbs. for this bolt. So I set my torque wrench to 45, placed it on the bolt and waiting for the clicks. Well I snap the head of the bolt off. TALK ABOUT BEING PISSED! This is where I would like your input. Should I have it towed to a shop and let them extract the bolt out? Or, is it something I should tackle? And if I do it should I just go ahead and do a clutch fan delete, 180 t-stat, V6 E-fan and tune?

Here is what I (we) need to know:
(and I hope this post helps other people so they don't do what I did)

1) What is the correct torque spec for the idler pulley?
2) What is the purpose of the clutch fan delete? And is it worth it?
3) What does it take to extract the bolt out? Do I have to remove the fan and fan shroud or can I do it without removing anything besides the pulley & belt? (I have never extracted out a bolt. Nothing YouTube can't fix)

Sorry I feel like I'm all over the place with this post. Definitely two different subjects haha. Thanks in advance
The 10x1.5 bolt on the 5.3 Chevy I'm currently replacing the driveline on calls for 37 lb ft for the serpentine idler. I got to about 25 when the threads in the aluminum bracket let go. I was able to install a Heli-coil and torque it to factory specs. This truck is an immaculate 2006 GMC Sierra with every conceivable bell and whistle. 197,000 miles.

Throughout this build, I've run across many places where prior owner (singular) did his own work and must have been a member of the club which embraces the practice of "tighten fasteners til they feel as though they're about to break, and back off 1/4 turn". I've chased all the threads on the rebuilt engine and transmission. Seems that paint is a favorite activity of the rebuilders.

The MEGA Tight fastener is the one time use crankshaft/ harmonic balancer bolt. It has a 4 stage sequence to tighten it. Net final torque on it is about 350 ft lbs. The balancer isn't keyed, so they compensate by super tight specs!
 

crackerjack1957

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2015
Posts
2,016
Reaction score
2,378
Ram Year
2014 Sport 1500 CC 4x4
Engine
Hemi 5.7...65RFE...4.56
thanks for the bad info.

did you bother to read the chart you uploaded?

30ft lb = broken bolt in the engine thanks ****
What's up boltbreaker, probably not your 1st or last
Yeah I see that I got the pulleys crossed but don't have an edit option to correct.
Evidently you didn't read chart either or you would have caught before breakage.

I would suggest you buy some digital calipers to measure bolts & use this chart to keep from breaking bolts if you are going to use a torque wrench if unsure of bolt torque specs.
I have never used a torque wrench on a bolt below grade 8 or any bolt on engine accessories.
Can't recall braking any M8 grade bolts at all in my 50 plus years of wrenching.........LoL

Bolt torque chart:

Bolt torque calculator:

Torque conversion calculator:
 
Last edited:

Redfisher1974

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2023
Posts
347
Reaction score
412
Location
Palmerston Ontario Canada
Ram Year
2017
Engine
3.6
To be fair its not a “regular bolt” (presay) it has a machined v taper that the bearing rides on. That being said i can see a torque setting helpful to not over tighten it and maybe cause issue with bearing? Honestly i was surprised when i removed mine and saw no other parts just a bolt and no shaft or insert for bearing to ride on. Anywho even at 18 ft lbs i was nervous that it would snap.. seems very weak. But even without torque wrench you can feel the weakness, know what i mean?
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
1,502
Reaction score
2,223
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
What's up boltbreaker, probably not your 1st or last
Yeah I see that I got the pulley's crossed & will correct.
Evidently you didn't read chart either or you would have caught.

I would suggest you buy some digital calipers to measure bolts & use this chart to keep from breaking bolts if you are going to use a torque wrench if unsure of bolt torque specs.
I have never used a torque wrench on a bolt below M8 grade or any bolt on engine accessories.
Can't recall braking any M8 grade bolts at all in my 50 plus years of wrenching.........LoL

Bolt torque chart:

Bolt torque calculator:

Torque conversion calculator:

To be fair its not a “regular bolt” (presay) it has a machined v taper that the bearing rides on. That being said i can see a torque setting helpful to not over tighten it and maybe cause issue with bearing? Honestly i was surprised when i removed mine and saw no other parts just a bolt and no shaft or insert for bearing to ride on. Anywho even at 18 ft lbs i was nervous that it would snap.. seems very weak. But even without torque wrench you can feel the weakness, know what i mean?
Most of those idler pulleys use a 203 bearing. I pressed a new one on this GMC, and have done so MANY times. These bearings are cheap compared to the whole pulley.
 

Stringer45

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2023
Posts
41
Reaction score
13
Location
FL
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 HEMI
Chart pretty clearly says 30? Maybe take some responsibility on yourself and not blaming a forum comment/chart for your issue?
wrong bolt there, einstein.

also, stop spreading misinformation
 
Top