Sharan power steering belt

[renamecor]

About 2 months ago I changed the power steering belt on my 97' Sharan because it was making a squealing sound on full lock. Also in wet weather the belt would slip, causing problems with steering (quite serious).

I took the forward most pulley off, leaving the rear one in place. I then installed the new belt and refitted the pulley. No positions were changed, pulleys went back in the same position. There was a noticeable difference in the legth of the old and the new belt. Old one having stretched over time.

In the last few days the full lock sqeal has slowly started to return (too my surprise). I need to try and work out why this has happened, has something moved, did something need adjusting when I fitted it ?

There was a bolt near the forward pulley that appeared to sit on some sort of adjusting rack/gear, is this the adjustment ? It did seem to be at its limit when I fitted the new belt so I did not touch it.

Can anyone shed any light on this, has someone had similar problems etc....

Cheers,
Carl.

[bilal aslam]

hi carl i had a same problem whith mine its not the belt thats at fault you need a new power steering tenshenor not only that but you have to replace the whole of the part where the altenator is fitted it is called altenator bracket from dealers bracket is for £200 and tenshenor is $50 plus labour .i hope this info is enough for u

[renamecor]

Ouch, why does that part need changing, what happens to it ?

[Fast Fattie]

Ouch, why does that part need changing, what happens to it ?


Hi there.
Did you need to go to these legths to solve the problem??
I have the same problem on my 97 Sharan....any tips would be a great help.

Thanks.

[bilal aslam]

hi there fast food the reason for the p s belt screeches when you full lock it to left or right is the altenator bracket this is fitted with a p s tensener and if you look close where the altenator bracket is you will see a long kind of bar which has a friction when you turn the steering but the tensener cant pull this bar easily when it starts to get jammed .there is a nother way if you take this long bar of ang give it plenty of grease that should do the job aswell i hope you know what i am on about thanks

[renamecor]

Good news for eveyone with the same problem I hope, I have managed to sort this problem out.

To clarify, the symptom is that a screeching noise comes from the power steering belt when the wheel is turned onto full lock. In the beginning it only happens on full lock, then it starts to happen when there is a little more than normal resistance on the wheels, i.e. when the car is stationary and you turn the wheel, then the best (actually WORST) is when the belt slips that much in wet weather and you go to turn the steering wheel but it is too hard and you have no power steering and the car that your better half is driving nearly goes down an embankment and onto the motorway - lovely :aargh4:.

What is supposed to happen with this belt is that when it stretches, you get under the car with a couple of spanners and adjust the mechanism so it takes up the slack in the belt and everything is hunky-dorey again - only a 5 minute job, easy-peasy.

THE PROBLEM, well on my Sharan anyway, I went a bought a new belt (£3 from german swedish. Loosen off the bolts front and back, these are what the pump pivots on the keep the tension. And then you will see that the bracket has a set of teeth built into the side of it and that one of the pivot nuts has a toothed wheel underneath, these are what do the adjusting for the tension of the belt. Problem is they are only made of soft material and the toothed nut on mine had hardly any teeth left and so could not put enough tension on. I fitted it and did the best I could, the screaching stayed away for about 2 days. Bought another belt from another place, same thing happened, I did notice that the belts being supplied always took the adjustment so close to the end that you couldn't get enough tension on them, they info stamped on them says they are 735mm long (I think).

WHAT I DID, I went and bought a slightly shorter belt from a local engineering place, think it was 705 mm, so 20mm shorter. Because my tensioner had been worn away by heavy handed previous owners, I had to get a long bar up between the power steering pump and the engine, forcing it forward and putting tension on the belt and tigthening it up at the same time. You may want to get a friend to help.

I tightened everything up with the new belt on and it works perfectly. No more problems.

So in conclusion, there is something wrong with the bracket or adjuster that means that replacement belts won't fit over time. I fitted a 20mm shorter belt and everything is sorted out now.

Hope this has helped. :biglaugh:

[Fast Fattie]

Top man. :beerchug:

Great detailed reply.
Only one question....you said the first belt you brought was 735mm and later said the shorter one you brought was a 705mm so 20mm shorter.
I hate to be picky, especially when you have done us all a big favour with this solution. But 705mm is '30mm' shorter than the 735mm you first brought.

Can you please confirm the last one you got was 705mm ?? or was it 715???

It may only be a matter of 10mm, but if I have the right length in mind, when I go to find one, I will only have the need to get under the car once.

I hope you don't mind this enquiry.

Thanks mate, good job, well done.

:biglaugh:

[renamecor]

You are correct, 715mm length. But to be honest there is a lot of room for fitting numerous different sized ones.

Carl.

[cbrpaul]

good work m8 !!!

I notice on my sharan, that when i turn the wheels full lock at low speed ie getting onto my drive i get like a sqeaking almost griniding noise also ,


Ive put my hand down on the thinner V belt and i cant turn it by hand !!!


Im thinking it needs tensioning too ?

and does this belt , only drive the power steering pump ?

Advice welcomed !!

:beerchug:

[renamecor]

Yes this belt only drives the power steering pump. Sounds like your belt is slipping too, you will have to check how much adjustment you have left and what condition the adjuster is in.

Get down by the drivers front wheel, might help to jack the car up a few inches to make things easier. The power steering pump sits at the front of the engine and there will be a bracket with little teeth on the side, this is only about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, the teeth point downwards. Below it you will see a bolt head, this bolt head is holding a toothed wheel in place. The the teeth on the toothed wheel should be in mesh with the teeth on the bracket. Dependant on the position of these adjusting parts in relation to each other will depend on whether you have any adjustment left. Bascically the further to the right the lower toothed wheel is, then the less adjustment you have.

If you feel that there is room for some adjustment, then get your spanners out as its a 5 minute job. Now I think you need a 13mm spanner or socket and a 17mm open ended spanner. Loosen off the bolt that is holding the toothed wheel, and also the bolt around the back, only loosen them, do not take them out. Now take the open ended spanner and fit it onto the toothed wheel. Turn the toothed wheel so that the power steering pump pivots away from the engine and the toothed wheel moves to the right. This will increase tension on the belt. Once you have tensioned it, tighten everything back up and give it a test. If you have run out of adjustment or it still slips, then you probably have one of the problems mentioned in my other post.

[cbrpaul]

nice 1 thx m8 !!!

I will try it when i get home after work !!



Ive also read that this noise can be caused by the alternator pully seizing as its a clutch type system !!! is this correct ?

but i cant see how turning the wheels on full lock would cause this screeeching almost grinding noise , ????

[Pauloz]

I would always recommend using manufacturers guidelines when changing belts, and for that matter always change the tensioners and rollers - theyre not designed to last for 2 belts, and if one siezes, it could take the belt off, and that can take the timing belt out too.

The exact tension of all of the bolts is extremely critical - and impossible without a torque wrench, and appropriate fitting instructions.....

[Pauloz]

Ive also read that this noise can be caused by the alternator pully seizing as its a clutch type system !!! is this correct ?
Yes it can, and will also wear the tensioner out as it increases belt flap when not working.



but i cant see how turning the wheels on full lock would cause this screeeching almost grinding noise , ????
Because it puts more strain on the power steering pump, which is driven off the aux belt ;)

[11redrex]

Anyone know the width and pitch of this belt ? I just found a website that sells them to order. www.bearingboys.co.uk

I am having the same problem with my 1995 VR6, so tomorrow it's getting sorted, one way or the other !
Are you sure the belt only runs the PS ? At first glance it seems to run the alternator too.
I did this job on my friends Focus (after being quoted nearly £400 by the ford garage) when we brok down in E.Sussex last year. One of the pulley wheels had sheered off, the PS and electrics all went. We made it some of the way home, but he had to buy a new pulley housing/tensioner from the first ford place we found. I mention it because it sounds like a similar set up to the VW system.
So be warned folks, sort it now before you get suck in Croydon ! Might have been Purleigh actually. Anyway, if you do get stuck there Lidls do a very good tool kit for £9.99.
£400 ? I'd rather eat my own foot.