Can anyone tell me how to replace Fan Belt Tensioner on A4 please.

[basil1492]

Hi, i've searched through the threads and there seems to be a few different ways of doing this. Some say to put the bumper in the service position (which i don't know how to do), some say you need to get at the bolt from behind the alternator which means removing, others disagree. I've noticed even with a search on Ebay that there are different types so i've posted some pics, the first one being the tensioner i bought from Ebay, the others showing what mine looks like now. First an explanation though.

This part went on me last May. I bought a new one, had a garage fit it and it's gone again now, in fact worse than last time in that it's bent forward to mark on the other wheel near it. After chatting to the people i bought it from i was told it's not under warranty as it is very possible that the garage over tightened the belt. I'm not sure if that's right but either way i've decided not to use a garage this time, just do it myself. I have read there's a chance that the alternator pulley may have seized so i'll check that when i start work on it.

Going by the pics below can anyone tell me step by step how to do this please. If it means putting the bumper in service position could you also please explain that. The part won't arrive for a few days anyway but when it does get here i'm hoping to already have everything off or at least to have a good idea of what i'm doing. If you need more pics or any other info to help me please just ask. I really am a newbie when it comes to fixing cars btw but i do have quite a few tools.

The yellow dots are just below where you can see the tensioner has come forward into that other wheel. Not a mechanic but even i know that's wrong lol.

[davehiby]

the simplist way i know is to take the bumper of and then a few screws /bolts hold the whole front panel on including radiator...when unscrewed this whole section pulls forward from the top giving you ease of access to the front of the engine making changing belts/tensioner simple it is a straightforward operation given especially if the bumper bolts are not to siezed always grease them on reassembly making life easier the next time........a Haynes manual gives you an excellent step by step guide of how its done

[basil1492]

Thanks Dave, i was hoping for more of a step by step type instruction. I've read a few but they seem to use different tensioners to mine looking at them and they all say the Haynes manual wasn't as good as some of the instructions on here. I'm really looking for someone who had an easy job of doing theirs with the same tensioner as mine, 1st image i posted.

[zollaf]

the tensioner is held on by a single bolt through the middle of it, so all you have to do is undo that bolt, remove the tensioner and fit the new one, simples. to do it, you will need to remove whatever needs removing to get to it, probably the bumper/rad and then the fan. incidentally, first thing i would do is get rid of the tensioner you have, made by qyap, sounds like another word that could infer its of low quality, and get a proper one, ina, skf etc, or you will be doing the job again. the alternator pulley is almost certainly responsible for the tensioner failing so fit a new one of those as well, unless testing it proves its ok. you WILL need the tool to change it though, no ifs or buts, you will need it. you can either remove the alternator or the bumper to do the pulley, so best get finding out how to get that bumper off. its easy really, where it joins to the arch liners, the wings and then some bolts that hold it to the chassis legs.

[basil1492]

Thanks, i'll test the pulley once i have the front off the car. I havent bought that qyap one yet, that was the old one i bought 11 months ago. Not sure if that was the problem or the alternator pulley having problems. I'll take a look for vids showing how to remove the bumper etc. When i said the part will take a few days to get here i was going to order it then but found another thread which mentioned not to buy the cheap ones, i used the image more to show people what type of tensioner i need as there seems to be 2 types

[zollaf]

cool, to test the pulley, use a stick shaped thing to stop the fan inside the alternator turning, then try to turn the pulley. be careful not to damage anything inside the alternator. the pulley should turn freely in one direction and not the other.

[basil1492]

Thanks Zollaf, will do but i'm going to check up on a few things before i try this, would hate to get it all taken apart then have to tow it to the garage because i cant do it or something. It shouldnt be that hard, all the bolts were obviously removed and replaced last year so they should all come off easy enough. Luckily i don't need the car till next friday as the mrs is off work so i can use hers.

[zollaf]

if you don't want to buy the tool for the pulley, you could remove the alternator and take it to a garage that does have the tool.

[basil1492]

Will do, hoping it's not gone though, fingers crossed

[zollaf]

it will be, thats why the tensioner hasn't lasted. it would have been jumping about no end and eventually broke. a new pulley will make the car feel so much smoother and quieter. i do a fair few of them myself.

[basil1492]

well my engine has sounded loud lately, thought it was just due an oil change or something. Since i have to take the front off the car anyway i'll probably do a clean sweep and do a service as well. Biggest pain is it only went through the MOT last month and tax up now in a few days. For a £600 car these small jobs are mounting up :)

[zollaf]

cheap cars are cheap for a reason, but remember that you have a very expensive car to buy new with the associated high running costs. once sorted though it should be nice and reliable.

[basil1492]

Thanks again Zollaf, just found out something interesting though. I contacted the people i bought the last one from and they said it isn't covered by warranty as the mechanic could have over tightened it. Checked with mechanic and they're auto tensioned so it does look like the part is just cheap rubbish, think i'll stay away from qyap in future. Thing is i've looked for the skf ones and they look totally different, like they're for a different car. Still searching though. The mechanic also said i could check the alternator pulley without taking the front of the car off, said it was easy to get at. Maybe on some cars but my hand won't even fit down between the radiator and the timing case let alone get enough grip to actually turn it.

[green A8]

cheap cars are cheap for a reason, but remember that you have a very expensive car to buy new with the associated high running costs. once sorted though it should be nice and reliable.

If only I had a pound for every time I've said that 'Zollaf':D Just renewing the timing belt and tensioners and getting the autobox fluid and filter changed plus genuine discs and pads all round cost me near the market value of my 1996 A8. Cheap to buy does not mean zero or even near zero to maintain I'm afraid. If only it did:D

One of the family B6's with around 225K on the clock is due to come over this weekend or next, as it's developed a 'tappety' noise coming from the front of the engine. I'll wager it's the damn alternator freewheel gone south! I've got the Sealey tool to do the job, but as luck would have it I have a spare Alternator and one of both types of tensioner on the shelf, so for speed I'll change them both over as complete units. Whilst I'm at it I'll add new belts. Job should be a goodun. (I hope)

[basil1492]

Sorry to re-open this but i think i've totally messed up. Just managed to get started on this on Friday. I decided to try it inside the car, took out the alternator when i realised that the pulley was seized (thanks for those that suggested that) plus it gave more room around the back. I then tried to undo the bolt from the back using the correct allen key bit fitted onto a socket wrench. It was tough as hell and eventually the inside just rounded. I realised how bad that was straight away. Turns out where the tensioner bent it must have bent the bolt too so there was no way it was coming out that way.

Anyway, decided that there was no way to weld a nut on or use an easy out so it had to be done from the front. Decided to take the front off altogether, use a grinder the cut the tensioner so i could get at the bolt and pull it through the front. Had a look at the 2 big bolts holding the bumper on, totally rounded and rusted solid. I tried the right piece to undo it even though i knew it wouldn't work, it didn't. As far as i can tell im out of options now. Any advice is very welcome because im totally at a loss now. A friend did mention that once the front is off i can undo the entire aluminium bulkhead holding the tensioner, waterpump etc then work on it outside the car but since i cant even get the front off im guessing it's totally gone now. Btw, this was supposedly done (car front pulled forward) when the car was done last year (same problem) but there is no way those bolts have been taken off recently.

[basil1492]

Hi, almost done but looking for one last bit of help. Managed to get the new tensioner on, changed the alternator pulley and got the fan back on all without service position. Lastly now i need to get the belt back on. It's all over the right rollers etc but i need to release the tensioner so i can slip the belt over the alternator pulley but it's really hard to get to. I have managed to get a spanner over it but all it seems to be doing when i try turning it clockwise is to round the nut. I'm using a 15mm spanner and i've attached images so you know what type of tensioner it is. It's in position 6 in the last image and looks like its supposed to be turned clockwise but i'm starting to wonder. I'm obviously just checking as it will be too late once i've completely rounded it. Thanks for any help with this

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