Hello
My name is patrick, and I need some help… with my truck.
The bearings for my idler pulley rusted out and the pulley fell off, location unknown.
When I took the old hardware off (bolt, large spacer thing, small spacer thing, old rusted bearing) I of course took note as to how things were assembled. I then went to Advance Auto and asked for a 94 Ranger 4 cylinder pulley. I put the bolt through the large spacer, then the bearing, then the small spacer with the spacer “prongs” facing away from the pulley. Then I put the pulley in and the plastic of the pulley rubs on the large spacer and the pulley arm causing the pulley to stop spinning when tightened.

Am I installing the spacers wrong? Am I missing Parts? Or is the pulley I have the wrong part? Is there a piece broken from the pulley arm? Has anyone seen a digital version of a parts diagram I could possibly have a copy of? Here are some pictures, I realize now as I write this I may need to take a couple more showing how I assembled it.

Please help











Thanks

 

I took everything back up to the auto part store and they told me that I could just not use the factory spacers (apparently the small spacer is a for ease of manufacture.) and I went to midstate bolt and screw and had them make me some for about a buck. So I rigged it and it is working ATM.

 

yeah wrong pully..same thing happend to me..

 

First of all, I have to say I am very impressed with your images and graphics. I'm glad you got it working. More than likely what you have will work. As long as you're not placing any direct tension on the bearing itself, and it's securely mounted to the pulley arm, you'll be good to go for another 100K.

 

yea, I've had an issue ordering parts for my 94 before. if you have a normal 94 as most of them are, a pre 10/94 build date, then most of the time it is actually easier to order parts for a 93 ranger. at the end of 94 they switched in the 95 and up 4-banger motor and for some reason a lot of the parts stores bring up the later 94 parts which dont work on the pre 10/94 build 2.3s. this happened to me with the idler pulley and the thermostat housing, and also the upper radiator hose once and the serpentine belt...

 

Ah yes, The year they went to OBDII.
And also gained a few HP.

Should be fine the way it is.

 

Thanks, thats the info I really needed all along. I suspected something like this also, so I went to the advanced auto website and it showed many different pulleys for my truck. Two for each brand. I thought it was weird and asked about it at the store but they just kind of shrugged it off.
So, Thanks a lot for the info.
Keith

 

An answer:

I caught hell finding the idler pulley for my dad's 94 ranger 2.3. I got the run around by several part houses and used a couple of searches to put options together and find a part locally available and fits.

The idler pulley in question is a smooth pulley at the belt surface. NOT grooved surface.

The bearing ID should be 11/16" or 0.6875" or 17.46 mm however you measure it.

The pulley OD is real close to 3-3/4" or 3.75" or 95.25 mm however you measure it. This measurement can be a hair smaller or hair larger cause the belt tensioner can make up the difference.

I found info about both metal and plastic versions being available. My broke pulley was plastic. The replacement I bought is medal.

see Advance Auto part number 89026.
I found the ford part number first which is F57Z-3F671-A. You can search that part number online and find it. Ford shows that it fits ford ranger 4 cyl 2.3 and ford Aerostar v6, 4.0. Advance auto didn't have the same pulley listed under ranger, I found it under Aerostar.

Hope this helps y'all.

See attached pic from ford website.