How difficult is it to replace the accessory belt?

[Mike Noc]

Originally Posted by john91919

Hi,

When everything in on especially the air con I get a no charge message.

I have been told it is the belt slipping or a pulley.

How difficult is the belt to change?

Cheers
John

You might as well change both belts (the aircon compressor has its own drivebelt and a manual tensioner) whilst you are there.

I use a standard 24mm spanner with the inner side of the ring ground down so it sits more on the rather thin tensioner nut and it works fine.

Mike

PS I see Harry beat me to it!

[T16]

Just FYI

The tool pictured above allows it to be done with one person only.

Doesnt slip off, and is long enough that you can use the other hand to move the belt etc.

[chrissyboy]

sounds to me your problem lays with the battery or the alternator instead of the aux belt

[Mike Noc]

Originally Posted by T16

Just FYI

The tool pictured above allows it to be done with one person only.

Doesnt slip off, and is long enough that you can use the other hand to move the belt etc.

No worries - have always worked on my car on my own whether its changing the belts or the clutch.

That is a nice bit of kit but I can't justify spending that sort of money when a couple of minutes with a grinder and a standard spanner gave me the same end result.

If anyone had one locally I'd be round to borrow it though.


Mike

[john91919]

I have to say this sounds beyond my limited mechanical skills.

I will give Eurorover a call and get a price.

The alternator was replaced when I bought the car so is virtually new and the battery was checked at the same time.

The worring part is the power steering dies when the charging light comes on, which makes steering virtually impossible.

I have a list of jobs I'm trying to get done (some for the up coming mot), but this is going to have to move up the list...

Cheers
John

[Mike Noc]

From the symptoms you're describing John could be the tensioner, or one of the pulleys running tight.

Only way to tell is to get the belt off and check all the pulleys and the tensioner spring pressure.

The water pump is also driven from this belt so don't drive any distance with the charging light on as you may get localised overheating.


Mike

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by john91919

I have to say this sounds beyond my limited mechanical skills.

I will give Eurorover a call and get a price.

The alternator was replaced when I bought the car so is virtually new and the battery was checked at the same time.

The worring part is the power steering dies when the charging light comes on, which makes steering virtually impossible.

I have a list of jobs I'm trying to get done (some for the up coming mot), but this is going to have to move up the list...

Cheers
John

That has to be the belt slipping, no other explanation, but the slip could be due to the belt, the tensioner, or the pulleys.

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by john91919

I have to say this sounds beyond my limited mechanical skills.

I will give Eurorover a call and get a price.

The alternator was replaced when I bought the car so is virtually new and the battery was checked at the same time.

The worring part is the power steering dies when the charging light comes on, which makes steering virtually impossible.

I have a list of jobs I'm trying to get done (some for the up coming mot), but this is going to have to move up the list...

Cheers
John

When you get it fixed don't forget to come back and tell us what the problem was.



Colvert.