Serpentine belt

[tmaoahthfte]

Hi all, some advice needed pleased regarding my E220. The serpentine belt commited suicide this morning after start up and wrapped itself around everything. I've got a replacement belt and I'm just wondering if it's an easy job to fit, it was pitch dark this morning and I couldn't see how the belt tension is adjusted. I'm sure I've read somewhere on here that there might be a special tool required to loosen the adjuster. It's an 02 CDI by the way. Any help much appreciated.

 

[BlackC55]

Straight forward. Just get the routing correct

 

[grober]

Here's a pic. You may need a torx bit to adjust/ slacken the tensioner to put the belt on?? ECP will supply a Contitech (OEM to Merc) poly V belt slightly cheaper than Mercedes.

 

[tmaoahthfte]

Thanks for the picture Graeme, very useful

 

[BlackC55]

A 16 or 17MM swan neck ring spanner is used to untension the belt tensioner.

Or a large male torx socket.

 

[tmaoahthfte]

Ah yes, I see how the tensioner works now, a five minute job when you know how I'm sure all that snow that got into the engine bay while I was changing it will have melted by the morning. Thanks for all the info folks.

 

[tmaoahthfte]

Just wondering now if the tickover speed is right, while at idle the tensioner seems to be vibrating slightly and the belt doing the same. If I increase the idle a bit it smooths out. It's showing about 600 rpm on the tacho, anyone know if that's right?

 

[Dieselman]

600rpm idle is about right. Diesels always cause more chatter at idle because the mixture is so lean.

It would be worth checking the alternator one way drive pulley is ok as that can cause belt judder if siezed.
It should lock under drive and free roll in reverse.

 

[tmaoahthfte]

That could be the problem, I could turn the alternator pulley both ways before fitting the new belt. Thanks for that DM. Is this going to cost an arm and a leg to fix? Or more to the point, is it a diy proposition?

 

[Dieselman]

You need a special socket to hold the pulley and undo the bolt but otherwise it's standard.