W211 320cdi serpentine belt

[MJH]

While topping up the washer bottle tonight I spotted the serp belt has lost about 5mm off each edge so it's now about half the width it should be. Obviously I'll need to change the belt first thing in the morning before I go anywhere, so are they freely available or is it a dealer only part on a Saturday morning ? I assume it's a simple case of backing the tensioner off and slipping the new one back on, or are there any tricks to it ?

Cheers

Mike

 

[Druk]

Simple job. Do a drawing of the route before taking the old one off. Tensioner is spring loaded so you need a 17mm (IIRC) spanner from underneath and a strong arm. It takes a fair bit of force.

 

[BlackC55]

One tip.

Take the belt of first then go to the dealer and compare it with the one they give you. They tend to get them wrong.....

 

[MJH]

You mean take what's left of it

Thanks chaps I don't think it'll cause me too many issues, although could be a hectic day, the dealers' open at 8am so I'll be waiting outside the door hoping they have the right one in stock. I've got a funeral at midday and a wedding reception in the evening. The funeral is the biggest worry because I'm a bearer so got to be there on time .....and without oil under my nails !!

 

[BlackC55]

Also there must be a reason it has become so worn.

Has your car got high mileage?

When was it last serviced?

Are all the pulleys ok?

 

[MJH]

Also there must be a reason it has become so worn.

Exactly, I'll no doubt find out in the morning when I have a proper look in the daylight, I'm hoping it's nothing more than old age but I doubt it.

The car is currently on 122K so not massive miles, it's got a fully stamped up history so you would think it's been changed at some stage. It could easily be a worn tensioner pully or such like but will know more tomorrow, fingers crossed nothing too sinister !

 

[MJH]

Job done, belt cost me £35, I was expecting it to be less than cheap being MB but £35 for rubber belt is about double what I'd expected it to be. Ho hum, got to be had

Anyway, tensioner backed off easy enough with a T60 torx a 1/4" drive and a short length of bar for extra leverage. No way a 1/2" drive was going to fit in the gap.... skinless forearm time Checked out all the pulleys, no obvious problems, bearings quiet, no play etc the only thing of note was the surface of the main tensioner pulley is a bit rough so will change that when I have more time on my side. Priced it up today and it's £49 + VAT so again not the cheapest of items as you can't get the pulley on it's own you have to buy the whole assembly but for peace of mind I'll order one in for next weekend.

Back on the road for now and old half belt is in the boot with tools, just incase !

Off to get ready for the funeral now

Toodle pip !

 

[Druk]

Anyway, tensioner backed off easy enough with a T60 torx a 1/4" drive and a short length of bar for extra leverage. No way a 1/2" drive was going to fit in the gap.... skinless forearm time

Confused I am. Can't be different systems on the same model surely? I'm sure I had a spanner on a spring loaded tensioner from underneath.

Edit...maybe it's the V6?

 

[MJH]

It's a straight 6, late 2004 model. Definately a torx there is a socket hole in the tensioner body it slips into and you then turn it anti clockwise against the spring tension to slacken the belt.