The tensioner arm spring is loose for the accessory belt and the pulley that has the belt for the alternator is frozen. In my searches these parts are 400 dollars or more. Is there a cheaper option? Where is the best place to find these parts. I found a 2002 at a junk yard but it was not a S series.
Thanks for any help.
T

 

Unfortunately supply and demand has caused inflated prices on that particular car. The S model was plagued by extremely high repair costs which consequently got them crushed for scrap instead of being repaired. I think i would bite the bullet and repair it then sell it. To somebody you don't know. To somebody who does not know where you live.

 

there are only a couple of reasons the tensioner pulleys fail. most common is the bearing freezes up, so the pulley will not turn. this is a simple fix. remove the pulley, press out/in new bearing. i believe it is a 6206, quite common. i have done a couple of these. i used a vise, got a piece of wood, and cut a hole with a hole saw. then i used a socket to press out the old bearing. use another piece of wood to press in the new. however, after all is done, retighten the pulley on the tensioner, and spin it a few times to make sure there is clearance. you may have to reposition the bearing. a new bearing is like 5 bucks. the other problem is the spring inside breaks, if that is the case, you have to buy a new one. i see them on ebay all the time, but they are pricey. remember that the easy way to pull the assembly off the car is to first remove the pulley. if you follow the instructions in the fsm, like the dealer, it will take hours. if you just remove the pulley(after the serpentine belts, of course), it will take minutes. tasca has the best prices on the net:
wp/compressor:
TENSIONER | Genuine Mazda | KJ01-15-980C

alt:
TENSIONER | Genuine Mazda | KJ02-15-980B

these used to be the same price, now the wp(smooth pulley) tensioner is a bit less. i consider this a critical part of the engine, if it fails, you will have to tow the car home. if you plan on keeping the car, get a new one. remember that web pricing is based on mazda of north america SUGGESTED list price. local dealers have their own pricing matrix, so if you buy this over the counter at your local dealer, be prepared to pay a LOT more. kinda makes you wonder about their service, too.