I just bought a gatorback timing belt component kit. It includes a belt and one pulley for the tensioner. My question is to those who have bought this product before. Did you receive a idler pulley or is the kit not suppose to come with one?

Also, what did you use to remove the cam gears? Autozone doesn't rent the cam gear remover that my chiltons calls for.

Are you sure the pulley is for the tensioner and not the idler pulley?

Nope, not sure, I haven't started to take my car apart yet. I figured the kit would come with a tensioner pulley and an idler pulley, but I only got 1. Just trying to figure if I should return it to autozone and get one with two pulleys.

Should I be buying bearings for these pulleys?
So far I have a water pump, new tensioner and belt and one pulley.
Anything else I should be replacing?
Car has 133k miles and I am doing the 120k replacement.

Are you doing anything with the head gasket or the top end like cams or lifters? If not then you don't need to pull those gears. As for the pulley it is prolly the idler pulley, but I would ask them about it if I were you. If it was me I would get the new style mechanical tensioner from the parts diansaur instead of the hydrolic. I believe the design is simpler and better, plus it comes with a new pulley and it is cheaper than the old style tensioner. It also replaces the bracket and swing arm for the pulley on the old style setup. That is key for me because when mine failed it was acctually the pulley breaking off of that bracket arm not the tensioner....

BTW Good call going with the gatorback belts they are nice quality belts, much better than the last OEM I bought IMO...

I am replacing the water pump. Inner timing belt cover has to come off for that, so the gears do too. Well this is what I have read in my chiltons.

http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Cam_Gear_Install

I would use DarkOne's suggestion with the 1/4" extension in the cams. Just pull the valve cover, rotate the engine to top dead center and you will see the holes in the cams.

+1 for the mechanical tensioner from Parts Dinosaur. It came with both pulleys as well.

Chances are the pulley you have is the idler pulley that mounts on the head. I may be wrong, though. If not, go ahead and order the idler pulley and change it while your in there.

I believe you can change the water pump without moving the backing of the cover, but you'll have to bend it out of the way while you're doing it.

**EDIT**
Just unbolt it from the block and hold it out of the way so you don't have to remove the cam gears.

Originally posted by cougar694u
+1 for the mechanical tensioner from Parts Dinosaur. It came with both pulleys as well. Chances are the pulley you have is the idler pulley that mounts on the head. I may be wrong, though. If not, go ahead and order the idler pulley and change it while your in there. I believe you can change the water pump without moving the backing of the cover, but you'll have to bend it out of the way while you're doing it. **EDIT** Just unbolt it from the block and hold it out of the way so you don't have to remove the cam gears.

^^^ exactly correct just move the cover out of your way to work with the pump. There is only one bolt that is sort of a PITA but it's better than doing unnecessary work.

Originally posted by cougar694u
**EDIT** Just unbolt it from the block and hold it out of the way so you don't have to remove the cam gears.

unless yours is old enough that it shatters after putting the slightest tension on it.

Thanks for the advise. I am glad I don't have to remove the cams. But my question is still for people who got the gator kit. Is it suppose to come with one pulley or two?

Well I never bought the gator "kit" before just the belt. Did it come with a list of part numbers or have you found out wich pulley it is in there yet? My advice would still be to find out what pulley you got and if it is the idler pulley then I would return that tensioner you bought and get the mechanical one from partsdiansaur.com

Well, it seems the pulley I got is the idler, so know I am curious about the mechanical tensioner. Does anyone have any information on it, or installed it? How long will the mechanical tensioner last? I don't want to blow up my engine :)