1999 CLK 220 (W202) fan belt!

[M0WBY]

Hi

I am having problems changing the fan belt (serpentine belt) on my 1999 CLK220... one would think it was easy but I fell at the first hurdle! I cannot work out how to release the tensioner and get the old one off! I refuse to go to a Merc garage and pay through the nose to do what should be a simple job! But it has me beat...

I have read that the tensioner is self adjusting? But I can't work out how to hold it back as it seems seized solid either that or I am not doing it right!

I have read elsewhere that it should have a recessed 1/2" plug that a rachet will fit into... the only one of those is directly behind it and there is no way to access it even if it was the adjustment!

Somewhere else I read that it is accessed from underneath the car or a small bolt just below it!!!

It has a male torx screw on the end but I tried a torx socket and a small breaker bar but it was not going to budge and a bigger bar would only result in breaking the head off as it looks way too small.

There is a plastic cover around the torx screw on the tensioner.

I have thought about removing the tensioner but it is not obvious how one goes about doing that.

What I really could do with is a workshop manual! But before I go out and pay for one has anyone posted a pictoral guide for the home mechanic? Of posted scans of the Merc service guide etc...

Cheers

John

 

[james hogben]

I have just spent god knows how long with my V-belt after the guide pulley broke and snapped the belt!

I found this useful. I'm not sure if it's the same tensioner, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I took this from a thread on another site for a later model SL (which I hope is ok? Moderators/admin?), and it was identical to mine.

A 17mm socket moved it with limited fuss. It's on a spring/tensioner so there is some resistance. A bit of anticlockwise pressure, it moves and the belt slips over it.

My only advice is not to try it on a dark driveway (like I did)...

 

[CKLclive]

Easy way would be to take it to an MB indie give them 15 mins to change it
should cost you no more than a tenner

 

[M0WBY]

I have just spent god knows how long with my V-belt after the guide pulley broke and snapped the belt!

I found this useful. I'm not sure if it's the same tensioner, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I took this from a thread on another site for a later model SL (which I hope is ok? Moderators/admin?), and it was identical to mine.

A 17mm socket moved it with limited fuss. It's on a spring/tensioner so there is some resistance. A bit of anticlockwise pressure, it moves and the belt slips over it.

My only advice is not to try it on a dark driveway (like I did)...

Nope it looks nothing like that but then I an looking at it from the top and I suspect that it should be similar? I felt underneath with my hand did not find a nut.

It has a male torx nut on the front and a plastic cover behind that in the center of the tensioner wheel. At the bottom it has a metal plate held on with two torx screws the 3rd of which is at the top behind the tensioner wheel and not accessible. I shall have to get the splash guard off the bottom and see if I can spot anything.

I changed the front shocks myself. I changed the disks and pads myself. But I can't suss out the fan belt I feel like an epic failure!

Ho hummm...

 

[M0WBY]

Hi

I have sussed why I could not get the fan belt off! The tensioner has seized solid which explains a lot. Probably accounts for my problems with the aux belt!
The pulley runs anti-clockwise. Putting a torx socket on the end of the tensioner and turning anti clockwise should release the tension on the aux belt. You should be able to do this with a ratchet! Putting a breaker bar on it still would not shift it and in the end the torx bolt sheared off!

Cheers anyway for the help!