300tdi - serpentine belt

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

trax99

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,149
Location
Montgomeryshire
Mines started squeking like a bearings about to go - question is, whether it's the belt tensioner or the water pump, any ideas
or should I go the whole hog and change both?:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
My main squeak was the alternator bearings collapsing .. but by the time I got a tuit the sound was more of a clanging bell ... ;)
 
More often than not it is the tensioner bearing.

You can just pop the belt off and then feel/listen for any play in the bearings. Noisey when spun by hand or any 'in-out' or 'up-down' movement is a bad thing :)

HTH
 
i would change the belt before you go spending money you dont need to spend. the belt will squeal when it is worn and sounds like a bearing is going. the alternator belt on the 300 tdi is one of the easiest belts on any vehicle i have ever changed ! takes about five mins from opening the bonnet to closing it again. if that dont cure it then you can look at other things.
 
every time to date that ive had that squeak....its cost me alternator
after every play day the damn things are so full of mud they give up the ghost within a month....yet never had a tensioner or waterpump go west
 
Agree with andy - take off the belt , spin tensioner/alternator/water pump . You will have a good idea from this and it costs nothing .
If tensioner is the problem source a bearing off ebay for a few euro/£.
I think its often the rear bearing on the alternator that fails - the heat dries it out .
And of course some 300 Tdi's make quite a racket due to slight misalignment of pulleys etc. - tensioner pulley in particular .
 
Hmmm, ta for your advice I think i'll off the belt 2morrow for a quick check, 1 question though, how do I check the back bearing on the alternator?:rolleyes:
 
Spray both sides of the tensioner bearing with wd40 while the engine is idling.
If the bearing is at fault the noise will stop instantly.


an ya belt will be covered in wd40 so ya might as well buy a new one any way:rolleyes:


take the belt off an check for play on all pulleys first;)
 
have recently changed belts on my 300tdi discovery and now wont stop squealing have tried belt dressing and talcum powder which is ok for day or two then back again sounds like a steam train CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF have been told i need to fit a GATES belt
 
have recently changed belts on my 300tdi discovery and now wont stop squealing have tried belt dressing and talcum powder which is ok for day or two then back again sounds like a steam train CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF have been told i need to fit a GATES belt

Try the penny trick first. Costs...a penny and a few minutes
 
Ta Battenberg, BUT it looks as if it's the alternater bearing, using my flat blade stethescope theres a hell of a rumble in the alternater body - can you get replacement bearings for alternaters?
 
Ta Battenberg, BUT it looks as if it's the alternater bearing, using my flat blade stethescope theres a hell of a rumble in the alternater body - can you get replacement bearings for alternaters?

no I dont think so... nor the electrical brush pack.

take off the belt and have a feel of the bearing, it should be silky smooth not notchy..!

I had the same problem, but picked up a Magnetti Merrelli OEM alt. for around £70-80 from paddocks.
 
Back
Top