98 Idler Pulley help PLEASE

[tankman]

So I'm tryin to remove the a/c idler pulley on my '98 but after removing the screw it's stuck on. Any suggestions as how to remove? With it tucked away under the water pump it's next to impossible to access, except by grabbing with my hand. Looks impossible to get a pry bar in from the top, or even the bottom. I'm thinking maybe the only way to get behind it is to take off the water pump .. . . . any ideas??:ugh

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

If you are replacing it, I will usually TAP it with a hammer on the outside edge to loosen it up from the center shaft.

If you are NOT, then I will spray some WD40 in the hole area so that the lubricant will penetrate and allow it to be worked off. I also will remove the lower AC belt tensioner and come in from the bottom to pop it loose.

Allthebest, Paul

 

[tankman]

thanks Paul,
I wiggled, sprayed and pry from the top to no avail, so I removed the tensioner and and pry from the bottom and the thing wouldn't budge. I removed the water pump and everything involved with that, and tried prying from the top. With the extra room allowed by taking off the pump it was easy to get good leverage. I broke the mounting stud off!!
So rather than removing the A/c compressor mount I thought I'd take the new idler pulley and try to rig that. Of course the pulley is metric and the only spacer I can get a hold of is sae, so using some shim stock and some washers I got it in place, replaced all the other things and it now purrs like a kitten.

SUCCESS