Porsche Cayman S Serpentine Belt Idle Pulley

On my 2006 987.1 Cayman S, with about 36,000 miles on it, I noticed a slight whisper/rumble at idle that did not seem to be there previously. This was noticed during a longer drive when coming to a stop while motor still running.

I pulled the panel behind the seats to access the front of the engine, and removed the belt. I suspected a failing water pump bearing rumble (it as fine), but found instead that the small center idle bearing was somewhat tight (not seized), not spinning freely as expected like all the other pulley bearings.

I easily obtained a new bearing, bolt, washer, and spacer from a Porsche dealer for all needed parts (parts fiche was available on their website, and part numbers confirmed by VIN with the parts department). It was easy to swap out once the parts were received. I replaced the serpentine belt at the same time. Buttoned it up and all was quiet again.

Photos before replacement - see smaller idle pulley at center