Review on 🔧 ACDelco Professional 38114 Drive Belt Tensioner Assembly - Optimized With Pulley by Bryan Moon

I bought this part for my 2001 Ford Taurus wagon with OHV (Vulcan) engine. I chose it because some reviewers said it lasted longer than other brands they've tried. I previously replaced the idler pulley but that didn't fix the chirping. Inspection showed me that the original tensioner (101,000 miles) no longer pulled the belt past the minimum tension mark. After installing this replacement, the chirping disappeared. And the voltage mark is now close to the maximum. I've only driven 50 or 60 miles but so far it's been quiet. Seems to be a decent replacement, but a few things could be better: 1. The original Motorcraft has a notch where the head of the torx screw fits. Not in this part. This difference reduces the length of the screw by 1/8 inch. Probably not deadly. . . but that means slightly less grip and a greater chance of the part wobbling a bit over time, leading to belt wear. 2. The original Motorcraft had some type of rubber or composite washer on the bolt shank. Mine is mostly worn out. There was no replacement in this kit.3. No new screw. I would also have liked a new mounting bolt with a more reasonable hex head.4. Different size of the bolt on the tensioner. The original Motorcraft uses a 15mm bolt on the idler pulley. This AC Delco replacement uses a 16mm screw. You must grasp this screw and turn it clockwise (on an overhead valve engine) to loosen the belt tension. It's okay to go from a 15mm to a 16mm box wrench, but just so you know.5. More than just "cosmetic" damage to the surface of the tensioner. This only applies if you bought the item through the warehouse deal. I did this to save $10. The box was sealed and dirty as expected. But there was a small dent on the pulley. I decided this wasn't enough to seriously affect the belt, but still. . . It's not just cosmetic. All in all I give this part 4 stars. At $31 versus $50 for the Motorcraft, that's a lot.