Hanr3...

Yeah, that makes sense. It would be just my luck that it would fail during a snowstorm. I happened to be on RockAuto.com today to purchasea heater core anyway, so Im debating just throwing in the tensioner (or pulley) on the same order. Im going outside now to try your method. I dont have a hot dog stick, but I think a straw might also work.

I figure I`ll just buy thetensioner or pulleyand throw it in the back of the truck so I`ll have it. That way, if it doesn`t fail before the weather is warm again, I can just wait until then. A belt is easy enough to find from any parts store, so I won`t worry about that. Thanks for the help.

Edit: 12/27/2008

Indeed, it was the tensioner. As soon as I pulled out the bolt,the thing fell apart into five pieces! The replacement is easy - 30-45 minutes tops. The trick is to keep the serp belt as still as possible, so that it stays in place. If you let it come off any of the pulleys, then it could be a b**** to get it back into the right position.Again, taking one`s time pays off.

Pic #1: Bad tensioner before removal
Pic #2: Demolished tensioner after removal