ok so i started up my truck this morning and a awful grinding noise came from one of the pulleys. (3.0 v.6)170000 miles. Took off belts alternator pulley seems to be fine the two big pulleys behind the fan seem to be tight. the only thing left i can think of the begin replacing mite be the clutch fan. as the engine runs it just sounds like metat to metal grinding mabye bearing are going out? If it is the cluth fan and it decides to go out before i get it replaced will the fan just freeze up stop turning or is there a chance it will explode destoying my radiator or other things?

 

Might be the fan idler pulley, not the clutch.

another loud pully is the A/C tensioner (if you have A/C)


My fan idler pully (Toyota calls it a "fan bracket") (Some call it a "fake water pump") was ready to fail at 256,000. Toyota will only sell the assembly with the clutch and fan $500 bucks. Yeah right. E-bay has the lowest price. NAPA can get the unit too.

I just cut it off flush and switched to an electric Ford 2-speed fan instead.

 

found out what it was its the stupid bearing on the end of my water pump bracket. $286 for parts

 

ouch gotta love the insane price for parts for the 3.0

 

Quick ? for ya Weak - was it the part driven by the timing belt or the one driven by the accessory belts (alt., p/s, a/c)?
Quick ? for Red - do you know if NAPA can get just the bracket w/o the fan & clutch? I'm having enough trouble convincing them that it's not the water pump.
Thanks.

 

Its called The Fan Bracket Pulley.

 

lol. Depends .

 

hey the answer came 6 yrs later.... sweet... hahaha

 

lol. iknow, but thought it may help others in the future. especially regarding the Auto parts supp"liers sending people parts that dont fit & or work properly for that application.