replace serpentine belt

[inetd]

replace serpentine belt 98 S500

98 S500
I've found the take-up pulley, it has what looks like a bolt threaded into another bolt. Which one do I torque to remove belt?

Also, while the belt is off should I grease bearings on the other followers? What type of grease? Should I remove them?

Thank you!

 

[inetd]

Well, I went ahead and did it myself anyway. Local MB dealer quoted me 3 hours labor, plus they didn't know when they would be able to "get to it". Whole thing took me about 15 mins - this is really easy.

1) Use 15mm socket and pull back auto tensioner.
2) Remove old belt. Show neigbors what lousy condition it's in for good laugh.
3) Go to MB for this part - too important to mess with aftermarket stuff on this one.
4) Spend 10 mins figuring out the routing of new belt, use diagram in owners manual. Pull back tensioner, secure belt.
5) Drive around block w/cellphone ready just in case.
6) I still don't know if I should have greased those bearings, or how.

There. Done. Just saved about $400.

MB dealer now mad at me for not using their services. Said they wouldn't sell parts to me for my car unless I had it serviced there.

Discusted I don't do as he specified, MB service writer told me the S500 was the worst car he's ever dealt with. I told him to kiss my ass - I have one and he doesn't. Tossed me out of store in jeolous rage. He jumped in his Porche to go home and it broke down in the parking lot. I got out of his way as he headed back toward the buliding in the pouring rain...

 

[Paul Grainger]

Has anyone else changed their serpentine belt?

My car has done 50k miles, original belt. I am driving to Spain next month, and I have considered changing the belt before I go. I have had a quick look, and cannot readily see a tensioner or other means of slackening the belt for removal on my 320 V6.

I don't fancy paying stealer prices. I am still sore after paying £90 to have my replacement instrument cluster (thanks philsy2k) coded to my car. What a rip off. It only took 10 minutes, the rest of the 1 hour charged to me the MB tech spent chatting up the service receptionist.

PS - I can't entirely blame the tech for chatting up the service receptionist. She is quite gorgeous and it is my opinion that she is the only reason that the stealer gets any custom from heterosexual males over the age of 30.

Paul G

 

[jimmy]

It should be an easy job to replace the multi-ribbed drive belt. Just make sure you draw a picture of the belt on the car before you remove it. You will not remember exactly how it goes otherwise and a 5 minute job will take an hour.

The tensioner looks like a a small pulley, usually about 2.5 - 3 inch diameter and is spring loaded, slightly different on diesels as it actually has a coil spring that you can see.

Don't be led to believe that you have to get a genuine MB belt. We sell Contitech belts, MB use Contitech belts as OE equipment and they are cheaper from a motor factor rather than a dealer.

No need to replace it unless it is showing signs of wear, cracking or has become noisy.

 

[Dieselman]

A note for routing of serpentine belts is that they always touch the waterpump twice on an MB engine.