Aux belt problems

[melchy]

My Clio 182 has thrown its Aux belt twice in the last week or so.

I took it to a Renault garage who had a look at it, scratched their heads a bit told me they couldn't see anything wrong, refitted the belt and sent me on my way again. The belt fell off again a few miles before I got home.

Limped the car to a local garage who said that they would be able to have a look. They determined that there was a bolt missing from the alternator which meant it has some movement and that was why the belt was coming off. They ordered the bolts and tightened everything up, unfortunately yesterday I got a phonecall from them saying that they couldn't fit the aux belt when this third bolt (the missing one) was attached and they "suggested" that the last garage that changed the aux belt (about 16 months ago) may have left the bolt out or not tightened it correctly due to having the same problem. So I guess my question is, has anyone heard of an alternator bolt being removed to ease fitting of the aux belt. My gut feeling is that the bolt has just worked loose.

Since the garage the car is at can't deal with the issue im going to have to ship it to Renault which is a few miles away and hope that they can deal with the problem.

 

[melchy]

Can someone confirm whether the alternator on a 182 is held on by 2 or 3 bolts ?
Is there 3 bolt holes ? It could be the garage (non Renault) has tried to add a bolt that doesn't need to be there.

I found this in another post

"The alternator only has a 13mm and 16mm bolt that need to be removed to free it."

 

[melchy]

Just phoned the garage and they confirmed that its only two bolts and the bottom one is missing and when the bottom one is fitted they can't fit the aux belt.

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

i can't remember off the top of my head, but my friends old 172 used to throw its belt because the pulley on the tensioner had been damaged and it kept slipping off.

Have you looked at the renault technical manual for the F4R? it should show you in there how its fitted etc

EDIT: just seen above, that'll do it then!!

 

[ABOO]

Whereabouts are you mate??? F**k Renault, get it to a specialist near you!!!!

 

[melchy]

Fife, Scotland unfortunately so no Renault specialists around

 

[Jonny1*2]

defo get it sorted mate. Don't want that to get tangled in your cambelt :S

 

[oliver9523]

Fife, Scotland unfortunately so no Renault specialists around

http://www.rentecautocare.co.uk/

Just over the bridge in Edinburgh, these guys knew their stuff, they fixed my limp home issue pretty quickly after I spent months trying all sorts to figure it out!

 

[melchy]

Thanks for that, didn't realise there were any Renault specialists nearby. Depending upon how things go over the next day or so i'll maybe get in touch with them.

 

[melchy]

http://www.rentecautocare.co.uk/

Just over the bridge in Edinburgh, these guys knew their stuff, they fixed my limp home issue pretty quickly after I spent months trying all sorts to figure it out!

Just sent them a quick email asking for an estimated price to replace the aux belt, RH front driveshaft and to have the car transported to them. Will see what they come back with.

 

[.GAZ.]

Just sent them a quick email asking for an estimated price to replace the aux belt, RH front driveshaft and to have the car transported to them. Will see what they come back with.

AA?

 

[melchy]

AA?

Possibly, but they tend to like taking cars to the nearest garage rather than your preferred garage so they would probably try to take it to Renault in Dundee or at a push Ness Motors in Perth.

 

[Sean6545]

only two bolts holding the alternator on. One long 16mm pivot bolt and a 13mm bolt and nut amongst the bracketry at the top.

 

[melchy]

Still as broken, and now on its way to a 4th garage as the previous 2 both couldn't fit the belt with the second alternator bolt tightened up. There has to be something out of alignment, twisted or broken.
Anyone any ideas why the aux belt isn't fitting, no-one seems to be able to find any fault other than the missing alternator bolt. I assume they have checked the pulleys and tensioner.

Im just about to give up on the car and buy something else, probably Japanese or German.