Alternator workshop + heavy steering?

[Dustcap]

Hi, I'm new here. Recently bought a 2001 v6 4motion variant and very pleased with it i am.

On the way to work this morning it bleeped at may and warned me 'alternator workshop' on the dash, along with battery light coming on and steering going heavy (limp-mode maybe??). The fuel level was seriously low if that means anything.

Recent history: had a new starter motor a few weks ago; When i accelerate, there is a high pitched squeel (could be metallic but sounds more like high pressure air escaping - turbo hose maybe?) along with a 1-2 secong lag in acceleration; the 'service now' warning keeps coming up because i havent got round to resetting it yet.

If it is the alternator, is it a diy job?

Thanks
Rob

[Dustcap]

Its an AKN engine by the way...

[martin1810]

Remove alternator belt and check free wheel pulley. This should drive in one direction and spin free in the other. Check power steering pump pulley is not siezed, How much fluid is in the pump.

[bg158a]

Mine was doing the same thing and it was the alternater clutch pulley.

With the engine running can you see the alternator belt jumping around. If so the pulley on the end of the alternator needs changing. It is quite a common problem, as Martin 1810 says it should be free to rotate one way and grip the other they tend to seize solid.

I took my alternator to a alternator reconditioner with the new pulley and the swapped them for free in a minute, otherwise you need a special splined tool.

[Col]

Hello Brother !

Not the luckiest car so far !

[kenney]

(along with battery light coming on and steering going heavy) I think the first thing you need to check is the belt,see if it is one piece

[Dustcap]

Well, had a looksee last night and the long belt had failed completely and the shorter belt was loose with a bit of fraying but not snapped like the long one (i cut it off anyway as a precaution). I managed to get my hand down to the alternator and the clutch pulley rotates equally freely in both directions.

Going to check the power steering pulley this morning if i can get a hand on it without stripping down the front end.

Incidently the squeel noise upon acceleration has stopped (it was coming from low down right hand side of engine where the alternator is) so it might suggest the noise was coming from the alternator and that is the problem?? advice needed here please.

[bg158a]

When you say the alternator pulley moves freely in both directions I suspect it is the alternator rotating. You need to remove the cap off the end of the alternator pulley and hold the internal splined part and see if you can rotate the outside of the pulley. With a new pulley if you change the direction of rotation quickly it should also slip in one direction.

I suspect it has seized and the belt slipping has caused it to wear and fail.

Don't know why the other belt had worn so badly though unless it was damaged by the alternator belt when it snapped.

Cheers Ben.

[Dustcap]

...thanks Ben, will have a look again although i don't recall seeing a cap - just the silver pulley on the end of the alternator. It doesnt look like the belt failed due to wear but sheared rather abrubtly going by the frayed ends at the point it snapped.

[Dustcap]

Maybe i'm missing something as its all a bit tight in there but i can't see a cap on the end of the alternator - i put my fingers in the end of the pulley and felt just the nut.

The power steering pulley also turns freely in either direction.

I dont get why the shorter belt was so loose, do the two belts share a pulley or a tensioner idler thingy? Maybe the two belts were loose for some reason hence the squeeling noise. Maybe the alternator is actually ok and its a simpler problem that caused the belt to de-rail and snap?

If it sounds like i'm talking nonsense its because i am;)

[kenney]

The large poly v belt drives both the alternator and the power steering pump,the short belt is for the AC compressor.You will need to put the front in the service position to replace the belt.Not all alternators have the cap in front,nor do all alternators have the free wheel,i think they started using it in 2000-2001 on the AKN engine

[Dustcap]

Thanks for the help but i'm none the wiser:confused:

One last question, as i have the alternator with no cap, is there a simple test i can do without putting a new belt on?

I think due to the short time of passat ownership and lack of experience i'm gonna have to take it to the menders and keep my fingers crossed and eyes shut that i wont need to remortgage.

Thanks again and i'll let you know how it goes...

[kenney]

If you block the rotor on the alternator,by putting a non conductive item between the cooling ribs on the alternator housing,you need to be carefull,not to damage,anything,and see if the free wheel,can only be turned in the one direction.Since you heard a screeching,suggests something,was on the verge of siezing up,or the belt was too loose,which means there is something wrong with the belt tensioner.Think yourself lucky,sometimes,parts of the belt enter the timing belt,and then you would have to have remortgaged

[Dustcap]

Turned out to be an idler roller had seized. I did try the test Kenny, by blocking the rotor before I took it to the garage and the pulley turned easily in both directions. Incidently, when turning the pulley without blocking, the copper rotor inside does not move - is that normal? is the clutch centrifugal?

The garage has had the car six days now (bear in mind i am in france and nowt happens quick here and they had to order the two new belts and pulley) and i'm getting a bit concerned as to how much its going to cost etc as the owner has been talking up what a mission it is to put it in the service position and so on. Roughly how long should this job take if the parts are to hand?

Thanks

[kenney]

Quote( the pulley turned easily in both directions. Incidently, when turning the pulley without blocking, the copper rotor inside does not move - is that normal?)No that is not normal,i think maybe you have got the parts mixed up, and not blocked the right part.To put the vehicle in the service position and replace the belt,is 1-2 hours work.

[jack71]

i had the same problem last week,took it to my mech,he changed belts etc for me,got timing belt and water pump and tensioner all done at same time and a once over for mot,£300 all in.....and flew through mot next day!!!!:biglaugh:

[Dustcap]

i had the same problem last week,took it to my mech,he changed belts etc for me,got timing belt and water pump and tensioner all done at same time and a once over for mot,£300 all in.....and flew through mot next day!!!!:biglaugh:

Nice one!;)

I picked the car up from the garage (independent, not VW) the other evening. What had basically happened was a idler roller bolt had sheared (see pic) and nothing had seized or broken like origionally suspected.

I thought result, nothing major and costly, just two new belts, the screw and possibly a new roller plus maybe four hours laber tops all totalling to somewhere around the 3 - 400 quid mark.

Wrong. I was presented with a bill of 900 quid!! Without asking me, the garage took it upon themselves to replace loads of associated parts which had nothing wrong with them (see pic) which involved draining of power steering pump etc. Upon questioning it he repied it was prudent to do all this additional work and if an associated part had failed that wasnt changed i would be on his case about it. I agree with his logic to a certain extent but, it would have been nice to be given the option (i would have said no as money is tight). He also claims that the sheared bolt in question is not available alone from VW and comes with the large bracket (see pic) at a cost of 100 quid. Can anyone verify this please and do you have a part number for the bolt so i can phone VW myself. Incidently, on the invoice there are two bolts listed, both at about 50p each - what might these be for and might one of them be to replace the sheared bolt in question? He billed me 6.5 hours to do the job?

I feel that i have been severely shafted which is a shame since he gave a good price and service to change the starter motor for me recently.

Thoughts appreciated

[Dustcap]

Btw, it still squeels for a split second on hard acceleration through the gears.

I also questioned the garage why they didnt change the alternator clutch pulley at the same time if they were being prudent; response - you didnt ask us to Mr.P!

[bg158a]

I would be on the phone to the Citezen's advice bureauu to get their advice.

If you left your contact details it is unreasnoble for them to not contact you before replacing parts just on the off chance that they may fail in the future. Turning a realtively simple cheap job into a much larger job.

I had a similar situation and with the advice from the CAB I managed to get all of the Labour refunded about £300 of an £800 bill.

[Col]

I would be on the phone to the Citezen's advice bureauu to get their advice.

If you left your contact details it is unreasnoble for them to not contact you before replacing parts just on the off chance that they may fail in the future. Turning a realtively simple cheap job into a much larger job.

I had a similar situation and with the advice from the CAB I managed to get all of the Labour refunded about £300 of an £800 bill.

Nice idea but he (Dustcap = My Brother btw) is in France.

Don't think they know the meaning of citizens advice over there.

[kenney]

An estimate can be exceeded by 10%,without notifying the customer, if the repairs are connected in any way to the job ,The customer can refuse to pay the amount over the 10%,if he has not been informed.

[Dustcap]

Shouldnt you be working? Tsk-Tsk

Just been onto the citizens advice equivalent and it appears that should i not be able to sort it amicably with the garage, i can hire a expert to establish the facts and reach a solution that way.

I have also just been on to the garage having also just verified with VW that the screw is in fact sold seperately. After much heated conversation he has offered me 10% on the parts and an hour off the labor! I told him that wasnt satisfactory and he will be receiving a letter from me with a proposal.

Not only have i paid by my reckoning around 600 quid too much, i have also had to keep the hire car an additional 3 days while waiting for these unnecessary parts to arrive!:mad:

I would appreciate it if one of you good people could give me a rough idea of how much i should have paid to supply and fit the two belts, the roller and the screw that holds it on using VW genuine parts, so i can propose a fair solution before getting the boys in;). The screw costs €1.60 at VW.

[kenney]

2 hours labour