Help Me Diagnose Bad Tensioner, 2005 Sebring 2.7L
 

Thanks, team, I have a '05 Sebring 2.7L Convertible that I changed the belt on recently during the time I replaced the alternator. Well, it chewed through that belt. I replaced it and now it squeaks. As I inspect it, it is only halfway seated on the idler, and fully on the pullies. I suspect that stripping the pivot bolt seat/hole in the engine block has caused some misalignment. It even squeaks with the original bolt. The tensioner itself seems true in the vice, and I replaced the tensioner pulley. I need to hit the road with the car and am about to pull my hair out. I think a helicoil will solve the strip bolt portion of the problem...but is that causing THE MAIN PROBLEM of the belt not seating properly?

RSVP,
-w.

Hard to say without looking at it, but chances are pretty good that if the idler is not mounted properly to the engine block, it won't be aligned where it needs to be. When you install the helicoil, make suer the threads are seated fully in the hole and don't project out past the face of the block. Make sure also that you have the correct idler in there.