[bruno1926]

Just a update I'm told that the alternator belt tensioner is a comman failure on the 2.9 diesel so I have just picked on up at £41.75 and a brand new alt belt £13.00 so I have just got to get brave and fit it as its gone from sounding like hamsters on a big wheel to sounding like a foreign film with loads of crickets in the background.
I have now confirmed as it is defo the alternator belt as the belt is running right on the edge of one of the pulleys plus if I give it hard full lock the sqweek goes and the battery light comes on the dashboard as the belt slips.
Has anyone ever changed a alt belt tensioner and if so how hard is it to do.

Regards Carl.

A quick look at the manual and it doesn't show or tell a lot but it looks as though there are 2 maybe 3 bolts that go into the back of the block underneath thealternator. There is not a lot of room around the back of the engine from the top so it may be easier having a look from underneath to see if its better to do it from there. If possible I would try and avoid taking the alternator off as they are a real tight fit into the top bracket which is fastened to the cylinder head. Good luck

 

[bruno1926]

The belt is slackened by turning the centre bolt on the lowest tensioner pulley anti-clockwise if I remember correctly, that's after removing the air con motor belt! You will find it a bit easier removing the o/s engine mounting, this way you can lower or raise the engine for ease of access.

On my Mk1 you have to pull the bolt on the pulley clockwise this pulls the tensioner downwards allowing the belt to be pulled off, there is plenty of room to see when the O/S wheel is removed and the plastic splash guard from the inner wing, but the problem is being able to see the 2/3 bolts holding the tensioner on to the block but may be able to see better the bolts from underneath . Its going to be hard to do and possibly easier to do by removing thealternator but the top mounting on the alternator is or can be a real bugger to get back into the alloy bracket