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Alternator belt, bad things happening!



  M235i / 172
Right, ive jst brought a 2nd hand ph2 172 ff (i think its the FF one) Anyway, ive gota do the front brakes as theyre worn, but what i may need some advice on is tensioner for the alternator belt...

Now i havnt picked the car up yet so my memories of what it looks like are vague... its a small spring tensioner and whats happening is.... When the steering is on full lock and you rev the engine a little that spring tensioner seems to jump into the belt! And the bottom of the spring rubs on the belt causing one hell of a squeel.
Like i said only happens on full lock.

Any ideas guys?

Sorry for the essay.:quiet:
 
  BMW M135i
If its a Ph2 with the big spring tensioner and a/c then its a FF. Very wierd fault, would guess its got something to do with the power steering though if it only happens on full lock haven't heard anything like that before.
 
  172
Seen the same fault but not on a 182. That turned out to be the alternator bearing seizing up and causing the belt to jump. Id check the power steering fluid level, if thats ok then fit new aux belt, tensioner and idler. Check for play in all the pulleys and that they turn freely while the aux belt is off.
 
  M235i / 172
Thanks for the replies,

Forgot to add, the previous owner had a new powersteering pump fitted not to long ago, because the old one packed up. And the belt was done at the same time.

About the alternator bearing ceasing... when i get the car i'll have to check that, and make 100% sure its not the belt jumping into the tensioner.

Davidmellors, its a 172 mate.

Anyone elce come across this?
 
  BMW M135i
Same aux setup across them all though barring the 172 cup so the fault could hit any of them.
 
  M235i / 172
I think, when i get it, and can have a good look properly i'll order a tensioner anyway, and removed alternator and check the bearings etc.. going to do the front discs and pads as well, any1 know roughly how much parts will be?
 
  clio 172
i got a problem with mine, very sililar when i put load on the belt, such as turned the steering to full lock, i get such a screech, i have done this while watching the belt and can see the belt is slipping.

Also when i start the car i can here a slight screech as the engine starts.

I have had a new belt fitted, (genuine renault), and it stop for a day or so, but it has started to do it again. Not sure if the tensioner has become slightly weak, or if something is beginning to seize slightly.

Any ideas on this?
 
  M235i / 172
i got a problem with mine, very sililar when i put load on the belt, such as turned the steering to full lock, i get such a screech, i have done this while watching the belt and can see the belt is slipping.

Also when i start the car i can here a slight screech as the engine starts.

I have had a new belt fitted, (genuine renault), and it stop for a day or so, but it has started to do it again. Not sure if the tensioner has become slightly weak, or if something is beginning to seize slightly.

Any ideas on this?

i think you can rule out the tensioner becoming weak, that spring is so hard its unbelievable im havin the biggest bit*h getting mine back on, ive made a few tools to help me with it, ill post pics when ive got time... thats if i ever get it back on ffs!!!

About something being siezed slightly, well thats possible but id check that your 172 went back on for the recall with the return/relief pipe on the powersteering, as on full lock the pump wants to return the fluid, and the 172's pipe was not big enough to cope with the flow, it tries to stall the pump = belt slipping.

Bing.
 
  clio 172
Bing have you fitted a kit?

How did you manage to get the belt off?
Is it wheel off, inner arch off? Surely if it is tight going off it was tight going on?

Where did you buy the parts from, im going to get my bits from derby?


Anyone got any ideas on how to find out if my car would have been reccalled in for the PAS pipe.
or how can you tell by looking at the car to see if it is correct or not?
 
  M235i / 172
Bing have you fitted a kit?

How did you manage to get the belt off?
Is it wheel off, inner arch off? Surely if it is tight going off it was tight going on?

Where did you buy the parts from, im going to get my bits from derby?


Anyone got any ideas on how to find out if my car would have been reccalled in for the PAS pipe.
or how can you tell by looking at the car to see if it is correct or not?


No didnt fit a kit, just had to take the tensioner off, put the belt back on correctly, and re-fit, its all done now. but what an arse, i had to make my own tool at work to do it as well. all i took off was the slam panel and grill made. I cant see how the inner arch would help tbh as the engine is right up to the metal arch inside the car.


yeh its stupidly tight on space mate, such an a*se!
Derby reno would be fine, and about the recall i read it in a thread on here about faults and problems, i think it may be a sticky somewhere.

I dont know if mines been done so i need 2 call reno and check, if you give them your reg number they should be able to tell you if its been in for a recell. Hope that helps. and ill post up pics of the took i made when ive got time. Are you doing the work yourself?
 
  clio 172
yeh i will be doing the work myself,

i have had the bumper off this morning to take my lights out, (sorting a problem with them at the time)

this gives a bit of access to the aux belt near the air con pump and i felt the tension of the belt there and seems to be on the slack side. There is also a small pulley down there and this turns easily, i would have thought if the belt was tensioned correctly this would be hard to turn, as the belt runs around the top of it.

I am thinking of fitting a new tensioner to see if this helps.
will just feel for anything tight at the same time.

Did you make the tool for compressing the spring while getting the belt on?

will be interesting to see your pictures.
 
  M235i / 172
It wont be the tensioner gone slack believe me, that spring is so hard. But if your buying a kit you get a tensioner with the pulleys and belt.

The small pulley under the aircon pump isnt actually as hard as youd think to turn, at that point there isnt that much tension on the belt, as its come off a larger pullet and the smaller one is just there as an idler.

Ill take pics later and post/pm to you didnt make a tool for the spring though, didnt need to, best way i found was to take the bolt out the top of the alternator and let it drop, this makes it easier to get the tensioner back on, once its on and bolted up you can then bar the alternator back into place. Either bar it off the air con pump, or the from crash bar. its pretty easy tbh. hope that helps mate.
 
  M235i / 172
Ok pics as requested....

P1010024.gif


Thats the first tool i made, from some 3/8 key steel, this would have probly done it from the top if i had slacked the alternator at this point like mentioned in the previous post.

P1010029.gif


Thats the 2nd one and i used this from underneath the car to pull tension on,

made from 10mm key steel, i put a slight kick in the bar to clear other pulleys, and took a bit of meat off the back to clear the body.

P1010027.gif


I got an old sump plug key and turned it down and filed the square to fit nicely, then tig'd it onto the bar, non of that bird sh1t welding you see on some home made jobs :rasp:

And now as you can see, the mofo is back on.

P1010043.gif


Hope that helps, give me some feed back, ive tried to be as descriptive as i can.
 


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