Adjusting drive belts

[TheBeastie]

I am probably being a wuss but it all starts to look a bit complex. I am getting a squeal from my steering that I am pretty sure is drive belt needing tightened - it happened prior to the new chassis fit and the garage sorted it. Also when I went through a mega-puddle after Wednesday's rain the alternator light came on for a bit too.

I have looked in Haynes and looked at belts from underneath and have come away a bit daunted. Is this actually quite complex or is it relatively easy and just something to persevere with? If looks as if it would be a bit easier with the cowl out of the way but have never got further than realising there was more to getting it off than I first thought.

Any thoughts or comments would be really helpful. (I thought I was getting a bit better with spanners but clearly not so far as I thought!!)

Malcy

[Litch]

I assume we are talking pre-TDi here?

There are two different types of tensioner on the PAS pump, on one there is a separate pully and on the other the whole pump body pivots (like the alternator).

It may help to take the cowling off, if you think it will then just do it regardless of what the book says as after all, you are the one laying on your back trying to turn your hands through un-natural angles!

Stick with it as it isn't a difficult job and while you are doing it, make sure you inspect the belt(s) to see if they need replacing.

[western]

Litch ---- I assume we are talking pre-TDi here?

from Beastie's signature line

1991 Defender 90 Hardtop, 200Tdi

[Litch]

What, you expect me to read the signature as well?!?

[western]

What, you expect me to read the signature as well?!?

of course, the info in them maybe just answer a vital question

[Milemarker Type S]

If it is a 200Tdi 90- as per your signature!- then it is much easier to remove the fan cowling first- though you will need to get the fan off first- for this you will need a Viscous fan spanner (The fan will have a reversed thread on it so to undo it you have to turn the nut like you are doing it up!) The cowling is then only held on by the two small nuts at the top by the rad panel- should then be able to wiggle it off its bottom clips and wriggle it out (can be like something off the Krypton facotr as the hoses etc get in the way a bit!)

Once all this cr@p is out of the way you should be able to see a bit better... You can do it without but access is a pain in the @rse...

To tighten the water pump/ alternator bracket you will need to loosen the bolts that secure the alternator to the engine slightly to allow it to move- BE CAREFUL not to short out any of the terminals on the back of the alternator (Would be an idea to disconnect the battery) Should be one bolt at the front and one at the back (unless my brain has failed me- which is quite likely!) that it pivots on, and also one that attaches it to the adjusting bracket (metal bar with slot in it). Then use a pry bar or similar to lever the alternator away from the engine and thus tighten the belt- BE CAREFUL not to damage the alternator casing... Whilst maintaining the tension on the belt tighten the bolts up- job done. I am sure someone will correct me but when the tension is correct I seem to recall that you should be able to deflect the belt by about 1/2 inch when pushing with a finger at the mid point of the belt between the crank and water pump pulleys?

To tighten the power steering pump you need to loosen the 3 bolts that hold the plate that the pump is bolted to- should be three 13mm/ 1/2 inch ones at the front. This should allow the pump to pivot. Again use a pry bar- on the edge of the plate not the pump body- to tighten the belt and again tighten the bolts up- Job done. I have no idea how tight this one should be but I think I normally allow about 1/4 inch deflection at the mid point between crank and pump pully as the belt is quite a short one.

If the above is wrong then someone please feel free to correct me?

Shrek

[Les Henson]

The alternator tension can be adjusted without removing the cowling - it's on the passenger side of the engine and not too difficult to get at with the cowling on. Do the PAS belt tension from underneath - which again doesn't need the cowling taken off to do. Taking the top intercooler hose and air box off would help with more access.

Les.

[Tonk]

Again use a pry bar- on the edge of the plate not the pump body- to tighten the belt and again tighten the bolts up

theres a 1/2 inch square hole in the plate that will accept a wrench, much easier than a pry bar.

[Gromit]

theres a 1/2 inch square hole in the plate that will accept a wrench, much easier than a pry bar.

Really? I didn't notice and I changed my PS belt yesterday.

I find that the PS belt needs to be pretty tight, otherwise it squeals under load.

Even when tight it squeal sometimes, in which case I found replacing the belt fixed it, even thought there was no visible damage to the old one.

[G_Cam]

Really? I didn't notice and I changed my PS belt yesterday.

I find that the PS belt needs to be pretty tight, otherwise it squeals under load.

Even when tight it squeal sometimes, in which case I found replacing the belt fixed it, even thought there was no visible damage to the old one.

I have spent a while today trying to replace my fan belt - it had shredded

I cant get good access with the fan cowel on - I did remove the air filter housing - that helped a bit. Do I really need a special spanner to get the fan off?

I have 2 small problems:

1. the bottom (front) alternator bolt has a damaged head - so i cant get a socket on it to loosen it off

2. upon closer inspection the pulley wheel on the front of the crank has a wee nick out of it (very ragged) so this may have caused the failure.

Does anyone have any thoughts/tips?

I guess I need a replacement front pulley (any idea which one as there are 3 part numbers in the book?).

How the heck do I get the Pulley/crank bolt off?

[ThreeSheds]

..... Do I really need a special spanner to get the fan off?

I found that hours of efforts with various spanners wouldn't shift it, so I went and bought a special viscous fan spanner and... couldn't shift it.

Problem is it moves when you try to apply torque.

I then took out the six little bolts that hols the fan to the viscous unit and made a special tool (ooh Matron) out of a bit of angle iron cut and drilled to mount in two of the bolt holes. By this means I was able to hold the pulley and apply torque to the bolt... and it P1553D off! So easy that I think (using my special tool) I could have easily shifted it earlier with the adjustable...

.....

How the heck do I get the Pulley/crank bolt off?

Extract from one of my previous posts:

Remove crank-bolt

This was set to 280 ft-lbs at the factory 17 years ago and was expected to be a struggle... So it was first gear low box with the hand brake hard on and then:

First try was with the rattle-gun and impact socket.. Nothing

Next a breaker-bar on it with a copper mallet.. Nothing :angry:

Next a two foot extension on the breaker-bar - happily inched the rover along the drive... but move the bolt? Nah. :angry:

Having read about people who place the breaker bar on the OS chassis and then let rip with the starter so that the bar has a good swing before it hits the NS chassis, I sat and pondered this option for an hour or so... Didn't fancy having a breaker bar and socket flying off into the scenery, so finally discounted it.

Despairing now - back to the impact driver (apparently has a break-away torque of 500 ft-lbs IIRC) and this time I just ran it until the compressor cut in, gave it a rest and then when the compressor stopped again I repeated the cycle. After about eight or ten such cycles it came away! :D :D

Lesson? Give the rattler a chance to do it's job!

[Milemarker Type S]

To stop the water pump pulley spinning when I undo the viscous fan nut- with a viscous fan spanner remembering the reverse thread!- I put a short length of round steel bar into one of the holes in the side of the pulley- I think they are about 10mm dia or maybe a bit less- works a treat for me!

To remove the bottom pulley- you do not need to undo the big nut!!- The pulley is secured with four small bolts, around the nut, that hold it onto the damper on the end of the crank. The big nut holds the damper to the end of the crank- this doesn't need to come off to change the pulley- bloody good as they are a pain in the @rse to undo...

Not sure of the correct part number for the bottom pulley- it is not an ERR3093 (triple V pulley for 2.5 N/A or 200Tdi with Air con) if that helps narrow it down??!!

For the knackered bolt head... I use these

£20 from Screwfix direct - Quote No: 96028

Shrek

Oh and my Power steering pump mounting place has not got a square hole in it??!!