Hybrid_From_Hell Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hmmm The 1st big test of the 5.2 saw it some 8 hrs later dragged home on the end of a tow rope The Serpentine Tensioner had decided to squeal its head off, engine stopped and check to see what was what identified it as seized solid - one of the very very few parts checked and reused ! <sigh> it died with foxtrot oscar warning, squeal and that was it - hanging ! 200 yrds saw the ball bearings starting to see daylight and waving at us all ! Prob is no belt = NO PAS (sort of live with that) no alternator = sort of ok have 2 x batteries oil pump is crank drivem BUT water pump = Ooops ! So dragged home by mate ...... Removed it today, and the bearings fell apart, and it had collapsed enough to chew the housing... The question is is this a common thing ?.....I think a spare will be acrried + belt ! So, V8 tensioners - are they prone to dying ? Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Certainly the 300Tdi is. When mine went the pulley cracked right across. Yes I carry one all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 It's a bit of a spectacular failure, but yeah, they do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
task Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Oddly enough I was tasked with the job of changing my uncles serpentine belt on his TDI VW thing, the tensioner hadn't seized but had started to come apart and had eventually pushed the belt off true. It ended up running on the edge of the pulleys and rubbing on the side of the block. Had to bodge it with a washer to get him back home (London) as there wasn't a motor factors open close by. I do have a nice stock of V8 ones though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangeyRover Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Mine did that on a road vehicle and threw the serp belt. Mine was the idler pulley. I changed it with a ford metal one from a falcon. My theory is the plastic ones give no warning because they flex till complete failure. The bearing expansion through heat splitting the wheel. Like you, I'm concerned about it when remote. I carry a falcon idler cos I reckon it will work on the tensioner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Yes mine did that on the driveway, that was lucky. I have replaced the bearing and carry a spare. when it failed on a saturday night, I wanted to use the machine the next day, I immobilised my 406 hdi, that one fitted as well. Maybe we can find some unbreakable tensioner from a major manufacturer, like mercedes or something. My get out of jail card for this kind of thing (or any accesory train failure) is a shorter belt: if it something fails, you can have a go at disabling one function and try to tension the alternator or tensioner with a strap or something. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 My get out of jail card for this kind of thing (or any accesory train failure) is a shorter belt: if it something fails, you can have a go at disabling one function and try to tension the alternator or tensioner with a strap or something. So you've upgraded from shoelaces eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 So you've upgraded from shoelaces eh? learnt and upgraded. I just bought a spare alternator to replace the Britpart one I bought in holland (at great expense, do they rip you off on the mainland for britpart garbage, I must add), the replacement alternator has a pulley too! But if all else failed, the shoelace still works! Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I haven't seen a failure like that one Nige. Normally the early warning canary does its job well in advance of catastrophic failure. I have the cast type pulley, not the plastic one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Is that not a cast item you have there? And it looks to me like it goes inside not outside the belt? Sorry never payed much attention to the serp on my 3.9, it just worked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I found an emergency fan belt works well enough on the water pump to get you home. Even on a serp engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hmmmmm new one arrived both old and new are dayco units old is steel wheel new is plastic wheel hmmmm wonder why ? Is this to make it cheaper, lighter mass run cooler, or shows the steel one as old. ... same make very different units now carry spare snd belt too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Certainly looks cheaper...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I wouldnt worry, more and more things are being made out of plastic these days on cars mainly because its cheaper and lighter. Many manufacturers are implementing things like plasctic gearbox cross members these days for these reasons, currently these are comparable on cost to metal ones but still provide the all important weight saving. I wouldnt worry as its a good make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Is that not a cast item you have there? And it looks to me like it goes inside not outside the belt? Sorry never payed much attention to the serp on my 3.9, it just worked The inside or outside thing depends on what ancillaries are fitted. If it had air con fitted, the tensioner is flat faced and runs outside the belt. Without A/C you have a pulley with ribs and the edge lips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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