Alternator Belt tensioner

[Tezzel]

Hello All

I hope you guys don't mind a nube posting a question as is first thread but I was directed here by a mate after swearing at my 80 for most of this afternoon, any help would be gratefully received. I have searched but couldn't find the answer.

I have an 80 1.9TDi M reg and attempted first cambelt change on it today. All good until we tried to replace alternator belt and couldn't reset the tensioner back down. Can anyone;

1) Describe how to do this and how a normal tensioner assembly should behave (don't know if mines awkward or broken!)

2) If it is broken how do you replace it?

We removed belt by taking pulley off but doesn't seem to work backwards with new/unstretched belt. I have attempted to remove spring (at a guess?) assembly the arm goes into on the other side of the engine mount but this won't budge either (beyond sliding up and down). Apart from this I don't know what else to say.

I hope someone can help and I will now go look and see if there are any questions I can help with! Thanks in advance.

Tezzel

[Tezzel]

Well i managed to fix it after much struggling yesterday. Should anyone else want to know how to move it I;

1) Soaked it in Plusgas
2) Hooked spring compressor over pully nut and bottom of mount
3) Placed something solid between spring compressor and block to stop it sliding off nut.
4) Wound tensioner down until i could get belt on.

Hopefully that will save anyone else having problems i did!

Tezzel

[SillyBilly]

So, that thing is the tensioner... Ha Ha Ha.

Finally got it to move (thanks to your inspiration) using a home-made lever thing (haven't got a spring compressor), and can now lower it as far as the block. However, the belt still seems too short by just a few millimetres.

The only thing I can think of now is that perhaps I have the wrong belt... I don't suppose you still have your part number? (long shot I know, as probably worn away under all that tension!) I am wondering whether the ribs are perhaps different, as mine seems to be the same length as the old one, but perhaps isn't quite such a good fit in the grooves on either pulley, which would mean that I could be losing about 4mm that way - ie just enough to slip it over the tensioner! It has 6 ridges and 5 grooves, approx 2mm deep. Does that seem about right, or does yours have deeper/more/fewer ridges? Made by Gate - 6PK893 micro v belt, and about to undergo surgery by secateurs if it won't go on. This is driving me mad! Please help.

Nice post by the way, good to know that I'm not the only one who's struggled with this job!

[Tezzel]

Hi
Just had a look in receipt book, it's euro car parts, No202110055 or 202770265 you are after (can't remeber which is which) mine is non A/C model, don't know if yours is. If you still having problems i'll have a look under bonnet tomorrow. I would soak tensioner in plus gas as mine was very stiff (keep it off belts though) then just flex it until you can get it that bit lower.

I actually took it off and moved it with F'ing big pole just to see if it was sprung when i did this!:aargh4:

Good luck,

Tezzel

[SillyBilly]

<P>At last - I've finally done it. The belt is on, and the car is running again. Phew!</P>
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<P>Thanks for your help. There seem to be a lot of threads about the tensioner breaking, so I hope&nbsp;mine is ok. I don't want to have to do that job again for a while!!! </P>
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