Life of idler bearing ? - DeVille Cadillac Cars & Trucks

if there is nothing wrong with the ac pulley bearing , just disconnect the power to the compressor and use it as an idle pulley
because the ac pulley is in the system , and another belt that by passes that pulley will have the belt grooves running on a flat idler and the belt life is considerably reduced to over come that will require another idler pulley and bracket

so easy
one off those pulleys
is seized.fact

Turn them ALL by hand, engine off (not crank)
if its tight? its bad. if loose as a goose,flopping about its bad
there is no COMMON
bearing fail on all old cars, no bearings here last life of engine,not one. there may be an.idler bearing there and bad...
no engine stated,
4AFE toyota or 7aFE,
why not get mechanic to fix it, and not guess.
like the 99.9% do. today.

a good bearing new ,above
feels like a stick in warm butter its good
if you can feel non rotation turning play ,its bad/
play end to end or rocking is bad.
if feels rough its bad.
if wont turn, gee, must I answer that?
if spins super easy that is ok on used bearings.
but not other bad examples.
how is that on bearings 101
if you and gone to Timken bearings web site
it shows and tells every bearing failure seen
in 100 years, all there,
and how to not to wreck them installed.

Squealing noises are either
* a worn or loose belt. replace the belt.
* an A/C belt idler bearing. Replace belt and idler.
* alternator bearing: replace the alternator.
* timing belt idler bearing(s). Replace the timing belt and all bearings (there's a full kit for this).

The dealer will have a listing for the entire idler. Most shops dont service just the bearings anymore. It's a wash with labor to press them out and back in when you factor the extra time reading the number off the old bearing and getting one since no one lists them.

best advice is to ignore if more than one fellow mechanic has looked then i can only assume that its the material the belt is made of giving the noise as and when it gets warm ,There is no cure other than change the make of belt and try that ,also all the idler pullers pull them off then remove one of the seals on the bearing and wash out with some brake and clutch cleaner spray then a drop of oil and work some grease into the bearing .yes i know some mechanics will want to renew the idlers but this old dinasaur of a fleet truck fitter was taught different .Also this works and givers the idlers a new lease of life ,also at the same time clean the plastic facing that the belt runs against as they do get a bit dirty with old belt stuck to them

is it more of a whomp whomp whomp noise that varies frequency depending on speed ?
Could be a worn wheel bearing
They are a sealed unit if it is a wheel bearing .

Dayco No Slack Idler/Tensioner Pulleys are built with smoother surfaces and tighter dimensional tolerances, which translates to less vibration and, therefore, longer belt life. Lubricated ball bearings and double high-temperature seals help ensure peak bearing performance, the most critical element of a pulley''s service life. This specific "grooved", serpentine belt driven pulley contains specially formulated glass-filled polymers to help ensure a high-strength, cooler-running, wear-resistant "plastic" pulley.

usually due to a bad bearing, or from resistance due to a frozen or failing assemble, as in power steering, alternator, or an idler. The best way to determine is to remove the belt and check all pulleys for play and resistance.

Its bearings are going.
Temporary fix: lubricate the bearings of the pulley with 3-in-1 oil.
Keep lubricating the bearings whenever they make noise.
Fix you'll eventually need to do: replace pulley (new bearings come with the new pulley). keep the new bearings lubricated (with bearing grease), and your idler pulley will last 100,000 miles.

Could be the A/C compressor because there is a bearing that turns on the shaft even when the cooling isn't running and they do often fail.