WARNING! Don't Buy Cheap Parts!!

[jorgensensc]

Okay I'm putting this here since so many of our trucks are running the LS based motors. Moderators move it if you must.
So Three weeks ago I decide to change out the Idler arm pulleys (yes that means two) on the '06 Trailblazer SS with the ever so wonderful LS2 (55k mile). So I call up GM and they want 77.00 for the upper and 66.00 for the lower. Well that just seems to darn much for a couple of tensioners. So I head down to the local parts store (I won't name the store, but it sounds a lot like AutoPhone ) and pick up the two idler pulley assemblies for 33.00 and 22.00 respectively. Okay cool. Well all is well until two days ago. My wife says "Honey, the TB is making that sound again. I didn't think a lot of it. So today I'm running around doing errands and feeling pretty darn good about getting so much accomplished in one day! I head on to get my little girl from school and give it some gas getting on the freeway (BMW next to me was annoying me) and all of the sudden I had no power steering. I look down and the dash says the battery isn't charging., Aww Crud! I must have thrown the belt. No worries I will just limp it to the next exit. Just then I look down and see the temp gauge Pegged at 260. Crap!! So I put it in neutral, turn off the engine and coast to the exit , down the ramp, and into the community college Parking Lot. I pop the hood and sure enough, the belt is wrapped around the fan. After ten minutes untangling it I decide to try and get it back on the engine and limp it home. So while trying to get it on the Idler Arm Pulley completely falls apart. Yes comes apart in multiple pieces!! Well, needless to say I was waiting for a tow for an hour.
The moral of the story is: as we all know, you get what you pay for.
And yes, Chevy has the two pulleys on hold for me now. I called them while waiting for the tow truck.
I hope you can all get a little chuckle out of this, as well as a good lesson.
Shawn