OM602 poly belt tensioner change

[219]

The job for this weekend is to change out that rattling tensioner on the front of the engine . Unfortunately , this is not covered in my W124 Haynes manual .

First off , the method of releasing tension from the poly belt is not immediately obvious - am I missing something glaringly obvious ?

Second , things look a bit tight down there , can this job be done with the radiator in situ ? With air-con involved , I'd hesitate to start disturbing the condenser ( although it does need a re-gas as well ) .

I have the new tensioner , damper , and associated bits - just wondered if anyone here has done this before ?

I may well take some photos as I go for the benefit of others .

 

[Dieselman]

Are you sure it needs the tensioner or just the damper, as the bushes can rattle after a while.

To release the tension undo the bolt in the plastic spring retainer and flip the retainer over using a socket extension in the hole.

 

[219]

Thanks for that - I'm not sure that it isn't just the damper , TBH the sound does appear to be coming from where the damper joins the rocker , but when I got the car , it came with new damper , rocker , rocker shaft with a large flat washer and end cap , a pulley and a couple of bolts - so I figured I might as well replace the lot .

 

[219]

As a footnote to this , the job was straightforward .

Plenty of access by unclipping the radiator cowl and pushing it towards the engine .

After releasing the spring tension as outlined by DM , and unbolting the top end of the damper , it was just a matter of unbolting the tensioner from the front of the engine block - it needs a 17mm hex key , fortunately I had a sump plug removal tool that size .

All in all about half an hour to do the job and rattle now gone . It was , I think , just the upper bush on the damper , but I just fitted all the new parts that came with the car anyway .