Hi folks, New member here in search for some help on a '99 Mystique I picked up for my other half.

I bought a new serpintine belt tensioner for this car and purchased the "Premium" model that matched the factory model I removed from the car.

For whatever reason, the belt rubs the center hub of the tensioner.

I did try two different lengths of belts. I found that the Gates VS Dayco belts were about 10mm longer than one another, and neither belt made any difference.
I also rotated the engine to see if the belt would settle in - but no luck.

I'd buy the generic tensioner, but the reviews on the flat faced unit are horrible (lasts, 2 months, lasts 2 weeks, etc etc).

Any Idea WHY I'm having this issue? Do I need to buy a Ford Belt Only?

Here's a photo of the contact:



Here's a photo of the belt Diagram:



Here's a photo of the belt routing in the rear:



Here's a photo of the belt loading in the front:

 

Update: called the local Ford Dealer, they told me the Serpintine belt is obsoleted, and can't be obtained through Ford any longer.