The pulley on the supercharger tensioner has seized on my mom'* 00 SSEi. I'm not sure exactly how to change it by looking at it. Is it really as simple as using a torx bit to remove the pulley? Or does the whole tensioner assembly have to be taken off to change it? I included a picture below of which pulley is bad. Any quick info on how to change it? Thanks!!

Its been a bit since I've had mine apart, but if I remember correctly it is held on by three studs under the coil pack. The tensioner & idler will come off together & well as the coil pack . The top two hold the coil pack with a nut take those off than remove the studs, after that remove the third stud at the bottom & everything comes off.

You can replace the pulley only. Using the torx bit.. remember this bolt is reverse thread. Therefore clockwise to loosen and counter-clockwise to retighten with new pulley.

Thanks you two. I'm going to look around and see if I can get one at advance auto. I just realized that my tools are in the back of the CTS and my mom has that. ugh. Looks like I get to make a 20 mile trip again tonight.


BTW, the SSEi is unglody SLOW with the */c belt off. The car'* still amazingly averaging 24.5 MPG though.

I got this changed out today. Literally 20 minutes of labor and it was out. The new replacement part from Advance Auto was of MUCH higher quality than the stock part. It cost me $22 for the pulley. The dealer wanted nearly $200 for PARTS ONLY!! (and it would have been the same crappy plastic.) I highly recommend the Dayco part from Advance Auto. It even comes with a warranty. The GM part does not.

I've heard that the tensioner was hard to loosen/move, but I had absolutely no problem at all. I could literally move the thing by pushing with two fingers. I mean I'm strong, but I don't think I should be strong enough to move the tensioner THAT easily??

I've had most be fairly tight from being pushed on in the opposite way for tensioning.

Although the removal of that bolt never feels right to me because it'* a reverse thread.