supercharger belt tensioner failure

[dddrrift]

anyone had this tensioner fail? This may be useful to those that are handy with a spanner! Mine recently developed a rumble and I could visibly see the pulley wobbling when the engine was running.

Priced up a new tensioner which worked out around £130 online, however I decided to dismantle the one I had and see if I could replace the bearing.

Bought a new high speed 6303 skf bearing for £4.50

you remove the tensioner mounting bolts x2

lock the tensioner using a drill bit or small screwdriver

loosen the large centre bolt, its a male torx

remove the pulley and drill the 5 pressed rivots, the pulley will now split in half and you can remove the bearing, replace with the new one and assemble again. I used 5mm rivots to join the pulleys again.

Job jobbed and £125 saved!

The other belt tensioner uses the same bearing although is a plastic pulley, I havnt yet tried to replace it!

 

[Andrew W]

Nice work , if your capable its amazing
How you can save yourself a few quid
although it goes back in the fuel tank

 

[dddrrift]

your right there! I will post a few pictures when I get a chance! Its a Handy DIY!

 

[BigFactHunt]

arent you referring to the idler pulleys? the tensioner puller is just to the upper right of the idler pulleys and is a single pulley supercharger only, the idler pulleys I believe, as you point out have one metal pulley (supercharger) and a plastic (accessories)

 

[dddrrift]

no, im referring to the tensioner for the supercharger belt on an SL55 AMG, its a metal pulley.

Probably should have said what car I was working on!lol

 

[Mrhanky]

Yep its an easy DIY if you have the tools and your confident enough. Ive done three of these, I now have it down to a fine art.

I just wished I had more time to do these sorts of jobs as I enjoy them. Probably as its so polarised compared to what I normally do.

Spent most of last night looking and considering doing the split cooling mod.

 

[dddrrift]

wouldn't say much confidence is even required! if you can operate a ratchet and a few sockets anyone could do this! Saved me a few £££ and perhaps will save some other people some £££ too

the split cooling mod wouldn't be too hard either I don't think, give it a go!

 

[Mrhanky]

wouldn't say much confidence is even required! if you can operate a ratchet and a few sockets.

Exactly my point and of course drilling out the rivets and then pressing the bearing and then the re-revit