Auxiliary Belt - refitting - HELP

DaPol · 4th September 2017, 16:43

So, my lovely car decided that now was a good time for the alternator to die horribly - it's got 188k on it, so I guess it's allowed.

Stripped it down, removed both belts which were beginning to spall, so decided to replace them while I had the thing in bits.

No problem fitting the alternator, or the PS pump, but when I get to the auxiliary belt.....

Can I get the dratted thing to refit? Can I noddy!

PRoblem I'm having is that I simply can't get enough slack in it no matter what I do to the tensioner - it feels like the 24mm hex head is rotating in the tensioner, meaning that for every 6" of swing on the tensioner I try to get, I get the release of about 3" worth - I keep coming up over an inch short on the belt to be able to feed it over anything - tried every sequence for every pulley I can reach, and nada.....

What (if anything) am I doing wrong?

Failing that, anybody know of a Rover knowledgable mobile mechanic near Leigh (Lancashire) - the car's not mobile at the moment due to having no aux belt, and no OSF wheel, so I can't take it to Horners which would be my normal go-to.

Car is a 54 plate Contemporary CDTi

Thanks.

madeupname · 4th September 2017, 16:46

Are you absolutely, 100% certain you got the right size belt?

EastPete · 4th September 2017, 16:47

Are you using the 24mm spanner from under the wheel arch ?
I find this never gives you enough movement arc to free off the tensioner. I support the engine, and remove the OS upper engine mount (the one over the hydramount), then you can swing the spanner through a good arc working from above, to free the tensioner and make belt removal/refitting quite easy. I fit the belt to the front pulleys first, then the water pump and leave the crank pulley until last

Pete

DaPol · 4th September 2017, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by madeupname

Are you absolutely, 100% certain you got the right size belt?

It claims to be a 5PK2030 which as far as I know is correct (5 groove, 2030mm long) and is marked as such on the belt, and the belt's a Dayco (5021787531138 barcode), but I'm seriously beginning to suspect I may have got a "Right sound/right smell/wrong length from the factory" one.

DaPol · 4th September 2017, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastPete

Are you using the 24mm spanner from under the wheel arch ?
I find this never gives you enough movement arc to free off the tensioner. I support the engine, and remove the OS upper engine mount (the one over the hydramount), then you can swing the spanner through a good arc working from above, to free the tensioner and make belt removal/refitting quite easy. I fit the belt to the front pulleys first, then the water pump and leave the crank pulley until last

Pete

Probably worth a try - certainly beats where I was heading earlier.

Mike Noc · 4th September 2017, 16:52

If the head is rotating on the tensioner you will need to sort that to get enough slack in the belt.

Get a spanner on the back and loosen it (left hand thread) then drip a couple of drops of Loctite down the back of the nut using a small screwdriver and tighten it fully.

You should then be able to get full purchase on it.

DaPol · 4th September 2017, 18:00

Thanks all - taking the top engine mount off did in fact give me enough purchase to get the belt on - thank goodness for long reach aircraft spanners.

For reference, the Haynes manual shows that you need to remove the nut to the hydromount before releaseing the bracket - it shows you reaching a socket in from the top - no idea if all the cars have this, but mine has an inch of metal welded into the gap in the wishbone section of the bracket, meaning you need to have the wishbone swinging free before you can remove the hydromount nut.

xamtex · 4th September 2017, 18:13

i replaced mine along with the crank pulley last week,it was very tight but i fed it over most of the pulleys and pulled the tensioner back as far as i could then rotated the crank pulley and it all fell into place

Alanbp · 5th September 2017, 14:59

I replaced my crank pulley a couple of months ago as it started to break up spectacularly with an accompanying racket. I was actually worried I would get back home! I bought a Silverline combination spanner used with an additional lever to fit the tensioner nut and cable tied it once tight. I actually inserted the pulley into the belts then slotted the pulley back on the crankshaft before retightening the nut.

One thing though is that afterwards and since I am getting a grumbling sound from the belts area. Assuming its the tensioner bearings but hard to tell! Musn't like being disturbed. Car has done 152000miles.

4th September 2017, 16:43	#1
DaPol Loves to post 75 CDTi Saloon Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bolton Posts: 302 Thanks: 47 Thanked 77 Times in 49 Posts	Auxiliary Belt - refitting - HELP So, my lovely car decided that now was a good time for the alternator to die horribly - it's got 188k on it, so I guess it's allowed. Stripped it down, removed both belts which were beginning to spall, so decided to replace them while I had the thing in bits. No problem fitting the alternator, or the PS pump, but when I get to the auxiliary belt..... Can I get the dratted thing to refit? Can I noddy! PRoblem I'm having is that I simply can't get enough slack in it no matter what I do to the tensioner - it feels like the 24mm hex head is rotating in the tensioner, meaning that for every 6" of swing on the tensioner I try to get, I get the release of about 3" worth - I keep coming up over an inch short on the belt to be able to feed it over anything - tried every sequence for every pulley I can reach, and nada..... What (if anything) am I doing wrong? Failing that, anybody know of a Rover knowledgable mobile mechanic near Leigh (Lancashire) - the car's not mobile at the moment due to having no aux belt, and no OSF wheel, so I can't take it to Horners which would be my normal go-to. Car is a 54 plate Contemporary CDTi Thanks.

4th September 2017, 16:46	#2
madeupname Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Connie Mk2 1.8 (Mo) Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Sheffield Posts: 1,531 Thanks: 875 Thanked 335 Times in 289 Posts	Are you absolutely, 100% certain you got the right size belt? __________________ Mo was born Tuesday, 22nd June 2004 @ 08:32:41 This vehicle was the 99,307th 75 to run off the production line, out of 112,381 This vehicle was the 5,377th 75 1.8 Connoisseur to be made out of 6,033 This vehicle was the 783rd 75 in Firefrost Red (code: CEV) to be made out of 2,089 Firefrost Red 75s

4th September 2017, 16:47	#3
EastPete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 CDTi Classic saloon, MGB GT, Skoda Yeti Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ramsey, Cambs Posts: 1,874 Thanks: 626 Thanked 635 Times in 430 Posts	Are you using the 24mm spanner from under the wheel arch ? I find this never gives you enough movement arc to free off the tensioner. I support the engine, and remove the OS upper engine mount (the one over the hydramount), then you can swing the spanner through a good arc working from above, to free the tensioner and make belt removal/refitting quite easy. I fit the belt to the front pulleys first, then the water pump and leave the crank pulley until last Pete

4th September 2017, 16:52	#6
Mike Noc This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,557 Thanks: 3,470 Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts	If the head is rotating on the tensioner you will need to sort that to get enough slack in the belt. Get a spanner on the back and loosen it (left hand thread) then drip a couple of drops of Loctite down the back of the nut using a small screwdriver and tighten it fully. You should then be able to get full purchase on it.

4th September 2017, 18:00	#7
DaPol Loves to post 75 CDTi Saloon Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bolton Posts: 302 Thanks: 47 Thanked 77 Times in 49 Posts	Thanks all - taking the top engine mount off did in fact give me enough purchase to get the belt on - thank goodness for long reach aircraft spanners. For reference, the Haynes manual shows that you need to remove the nut to the hydromount before releaseing the bracket - it shows you reaching a socket in from the top - no idea if all the cars have this, but mine has an inch of metal welded into the gap in the wishbone section of the bracket, meaning you need to have the wishbone swinging free before you can remove the hydromount nut.

4th September 2017, 18:13	#8
xamtex Regular poster rover 75cdti/MGZT260 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: nuneaton Posts: 40 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	i replaced mine along with the crank pulley last week,it was very tight but i fed it over most of the pulleys and pulled the tensioner back as far as i could then rotated the crank pulley and it all fell into place

5th September 2017, 14:59	#9
Alanbp Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Auto Diesel Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 54 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	I replaced my crank pulley a couple of months ago as it started to break up spectacularly with an accompanying racket. I was actually worried I would get back home! I bought a Silverline combination spanner used with an additional lever to fit the tensioner nut and cable tied it once tight. I actually inserted the pulley into the belts then slotted the pulley back on the crankshaft before retightening the nut. One thing though is that afterwards and since I am getting a grumbling sound from the belts area. Assuming its the tensioner bearings but hard to tell! Musn't like being disturbed. Car has done 152000miles.