In operation, the pully doesnt spin smoothly. I hear somewhat of a grinding sound coming from it while running, and also while manually turning it.

What's the diagnosis, doc? Is it on its way to seizure, or already there? And should I be considering removing it, until I can afford to get a replacement?

Also, has anyone tried using the stock belt with the rerouting configuration w/out a smog pully? serpentine setup.

Thanks

 

It's time to replace it.

You can remove it and reroute the belt. However, you need to get a longer belt. There is a tech article on removing the smog with a pic of how to reroute it and belt length.