Finally got my flanged idler pulley and went to put it on the car today. Was able to get everything disassembled and the belt off but I just can’t seem to properly get a wrench on the bolt holding the idler. There’s a metal line running right in the way of it. I saw a couple videos on YouTube and their engines (both 2005 cars) did not have this line like my 2007. I tried my sockets and I can’t even put the socket by itself on the bolt because of that metal line. Ratcheting wrenches can’t get in there even the flex head ones. Too bulky. A line wrench with a slight bend was able to get on but felt like I might have been rounding off the bolt so I was scared to keep trying that. I ended up putting everything back together. Has anyone overcome this? Only silver lining I have is that I was able to spin the pulley by hand and there’s no bearing noise.

 

Might remove the bracket and change the pulley out on the bench. You just need to keep removing things until you have access.
Do you have a shop manual? It worth having for sure.
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Hi Outpost.
The answer below is good, re removing the bracket.
There are also several types of tools for confined spaces.
Offset ring spanners, swivel ratchet spanners, and double socket spanners.
Some photos below as examples.

swivel ratchet spanners

double socket swivel spanner


double offset ring spanners


Pete M

 

Thanks for these suggestions! I will look into some new wrenches. I think the kind like the last style posted would work great. I went back out to the car and had another go with it. I found the bracket holding the metal line and took loose the bolts that secure it. It gave me some wiggle room but not nearly as much as I needed to use a socket. Now if I get a wrench that lets me get the idler bolt loose I might still have a challenge getting the bolt all the way out. That line might block me and even if I’m able to bend it enough to get it out it might be hard to get it back in.

 

Got the job done today. It was punishment for my forearms and hands. The offset wrench helped me break the bolt loose. Then I used a flex head, ratcheting wrench once the bolt was out far enough. Then to deal with the metal line, I took the bracket bolts loose and used a piece of wood that I cut that looks like a doorstop, and I wedged that in between the line and the crank pulley till I had enough clearance to get the bolt all the way out. The old idler looked like it had seen better days with 102k miles on it.

First start up of the car and no belt tensioner slapping noise and the belt tracking nicely along the pulleys so I’m thinking the issue is resolved. The real test will be in the fall when weather cools down again as this was mostly a cold weather issue.

 

06+ N/A cars have SAI hardware running across the front end. also exists in euro market SC cars, glad i don't have to work on those.