How to Eliminate other Stuff Before Spending 100 Quid on a Tensioner?

Hi,

Here's another case of a squealing fan belt. It's a 1996 300TDi. It's screaming sooo bad that I simply cannot show my face outside my garage.

I've tried the following so far: re-applying more tension to the tensioner because I thought it had gone loose (squealing increased)

Removed the whole belt and tensioner and tried the ancillaries with hand. There don't seem to be any sound coming out of water pump, alternator, power steering or fan bearing. But then, I guess, there's a difference between me and the engine spinning them.

I can see that the tensioner has worn the belt rather unevenly. The outer sides of the belt has been worn more than the middle. There is a slight play in the tensioner's pulley but ALAS! I cannot remember when I last fitted it - is there supposed to be a slight play or does it have to be hard as a rock??

So, the question: before I go and spend £100 on a tensioner and £10 on a belt, is there a way of putting my mind at ease and eliminating other possible causes for squealing?

TBH, I'm worried it might be the water pump. (both the water pump and the tensioner been replaced 18 months ago, though)

Oh, yeah, and another thing. What if the bar that holds the tensioner, is not perfectly aligned?

Loosen the tensioner and stick a penny behind it in the gap tighten it again the noise will go away this will confirm its the tensioner mine is still like this and seems ok but you should really change it if it proves to be this
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f38/300tdi-squeeling-belt-penny-trick-64595.html

If you need one i have got one, i thought it was my tensioner but it wasnt, never fitted it. Pm me if its needed

Start to wd40 the belt. If the screaming stops .. It's the belt which is worn or stuffed with sand particles. Then wd40 the tensioner .. But it needs a lot and you need to massage it ;o) take of the belt of and push to the outer limits in both directions numerous times ..

This has worked for me on the td5 several times on the tensioner ..

Mine squeals too, the tensioner pulley has free-play in the bearing. Last time it happened I bought a new tensioner which went the same way after a year, now I have 2 squealing tensioner pulleys. I've just bought 2 new bearings off ebay (£5 each). If the penny trick don't work, try a new bearing, the seller is a member of this forum, do a search.

Thanks everyone for the ideas!

Jongould said:

If you need one i have got one, i thought it was my tensioner but it wasnt, never fitted it. Pm me if its needed

Click to expand...

Bear with me! I'll do the penny trick on Saturday (cannot do it earlier because it's dark by the time I get back home) and will let you know if I need a new tensioner.

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Anyone has an idea if that metal rod thing that holds the tensioner can be skewed?

motorhead said:

Thanks everyone for the ideas!



Bear with me! I'll do the penny trick on Saturday (cannot do it earlier because it's dark by the time I get back home) and will let you know if I need a new tensioner.

--

Anyone has an idea if that metal rod thing that holds the tensioner can be skewed?

Click to expand...

Its a common fault yeh soe poeple change the tensioner to find it still sqeaks

I changed the bearing and it cured mine! Bit of a fiddly job, having a vice to clamp the tensioner while you work is really helpful!

I had my tensioner go a while back: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/if-your-belt-tensioner-goes-dont-buy-new-1-a-97502.html its the same bearing for the TDI and V8

ok, cheers for the ideas! I did the penny trick and it now squeals MUCH worse. So, I guess it is the bearing after all.

I tried to listen to the water pump and alternator with a metal pipe (playing doctors lol!) there's only some buzzing and humming going on. The squeal definitely comes either from the tensioner or the belt itself.

I'll try to buy the bearing off ebay. Do I need any other bits for this job (in other words: will I break something when taking the pulley apart)?

motorhead said:

ok, cheers for the ideas! I did the penny trick and it now squeals MUCH worse. So, I guess it is the bearing after all.

I tried to listen to the water pump and alternator with a metal pipe (playing doctors lol!) there's only some buzzing and humming going on. The squeal definitely comes either from the tensioner or the belt itself.

I'll try to buy the bearing off ebay. Do I need any other bits for this job (in other words: will I break something when taking the pulley apart)?

Click to expand...

Beanch vice sutible drift

motorhead said:

ok, cheers for the ideas! I did the penny trick and it now squeals MUCH worse. So, I guess it is the bearing after all.

I tried to listen to the water pump and alternator with a metal pipe (playing doctors lol!) there's only some buzzing and humming going on. The squeal definitely comes either from the tensioner or the belt itself.

I'll try to buy the bearing off ebay. Do I need any other bits for this job (in other words: will I break something when taking the pulley apart)?

Click to expand...

Bench vice sutible drift

Another thing. How do I know that I've applied enough torque to the tensioner nut? If I go too hard, I might shear it off... and then again, if it's not properly done, it's bound to squeal anyway...

motorhead said:

Another thing. How do I know that I've applied enough torque to the tensioner nut? If I go too hard, I might shear it off... and then again, if it's not properly done, it's bound to squeal anyway...

Click to expand...

no need to be super tight there is no torque value listed in the rave for it

iirc the idler bolt is a cack hander (left hand thread)
was the cause of me bending the bracket first time i tried removing the bearing,
so i ended up with a new anyway.