Changing Aux Belt, Tensioner and Pulley. Easy??

caister · Mar 18, 2008

Car has another 7,000 miles till it needs the aux belt changing again and 4,500 till its next service. However one of the pulleys or the tensioner has started to sound a little unhealthy. I'm aware of the damage they can cause if one of them fails so i want to get it sorted ASAP.

Now my options are:

1) Rentech is fairly local to me but i work away during the week and need my car. I have never used them as i haven't had the car long enough but I would take the car to them without hesitation although i would have thought with it being easter weekend that this is a busy time to get it booked in??

I would be looking for the full service to be done early with a AUX belt and relavent pulleys etc changed.

2) I get the parts and do it myself this weekend the most I have changed is a cambelt and head gasket on a 1.4 106. So how hard is the AUX belt, tensioners and pulley to change?? Do i need any special tools?

I would preferably like to save myself some money and do it myself especially seeing as I'm unlikely to get the car booked in at such short notice.

What does everyone think??

mattjk · Mar 18, 2008

Youl be fine doing it yourself. I imagine lots of things things need to be removed though. Although I assume most of it can be done through the wheelarch

caister · Mar 18, 2008

yeah it looks a bit of a squeeze in there!! I know the bumper has to come off. What special tools are needed?

SkidMarx · Mar 18, 2008

the fanbelt tensioner is a right b**ch to get on

mattjk · Mar 18, 2008

caister said:
yeah it looks a bit of a squeeze in there!! I know the bumper has to come off. What special tools are needed?

Didn't think you needed them for the fanbelt. Cam yes. I will have a little lookie for you now

stu-172 · Mar 18, 2008

No special tools needed but it is a curse! Very little room to move in there!

Fred@BTM · Mar 18, 2008

there is a special tool for taking the tension off the belt, but its not that special tbh!

SkidMarx · Mar 18, 2008

yea but the renault special tool doesnt fit..its just a 3/8 square hole ya need

Fred@BTM · Mar 18, 2008

it does it you modify the tool a wee bit

SkidMarx · Mar 18, 2008

wot dya mean?? grind the square down to 3/8 size?? or bend the tool??

ben_p · Mar 18, 2008

BenR had his renault one, what a crock of shite that was.. didnt even fit!

i used a 3/8 wrench with a mini jack pole on the end! high 5!

Mark One · Mar 18, 2008

http://www.lasertools.co.uk/item.aspx?item=1155&cat=309

could be a help

SkidMarx · Mar 18, 2008

that looks just like the renault tool.. the square end is too big. thanks anyway point 8

BenR · Mar 18, 2008

the renault one your meant to use a facom 1/2 to 3/8 ratchet head adaptor.....

Screw it, 1/4 ratchet with a 3/8 adaptor on and a long pipe.

DrR · Mar 18, 2008

I believe Rentech are now open on Sundays if you pre book?

caister · Mar 18, 2008

Even Easter Sunday though?

caister · Mar 18, 2008

Ive decided i'm going to do it myself. Can it be done without the bumper off or does it make it allot easier?

Tom H · Mar 18, 2008

I did mine myself that tensioner was a b**ch we just made up a tool to do the job worked a treat

Takes 5 mine to whip front bumper off and it will save you 30 mins in messin about so well worth it :rasp:

caister · Mar 18, 2008

Tom H said:
I did mine myself that tensioner was a b**ch we just made up a tool to do the job worked a treat

Takes 5 mine to whip front bumper off and it will save you 30 mins in messin about so well worth it :rasp:

I'll take it off then!! Thanks for the help

mark989 · Mar 18, 2008

how much it normally cost to get the aux belt done at a garage including the kit itself?

Jay Payne · Mar 18, 2008

i did one at christmas without taking the bumper or headlinght out on a 182 in 1 and half hours but they are a b**ch to do. be prepared to loose skin

caister · Mar 19, 2008

I'm still missing skin from tackling the throttle and clutch cable the other week!! All part of the fun of owning a french hot hatch!!

caister · Mar 23, 2008

Just a quick one about this as im tackling it tomorrow.

Do I have to remove the Engine mounting as Renault suggest?

Also can it be changed without going through the wheel arch?

Thanks

Jay Payne · Mar 23, 2008

yes and no

Yes engine mount off and no you will have to remove the wheel and some of the trims to gain access. also if you are changing the pulleys/idlers etc you will have to raise and lower the engine alot to get access to the bolts and stuff.

I always remove the pas pump pulley too, makes it a tad easier

Jay Payne · Mar 23, 2008

Some people take the bumper off and headlamp out. I haven't ever done this as it is posible but its a simple job to remove these items so could make it a little easier

caister · Mar 23, 2008

Do I just support the engine with a jack and a block of wood to remove the mount?

Hutchie · Mar 23, 2008

its a dead easy job, if the engine is not in the car

but on a serious note just take inner arch trim off slightly, if you need to you can undo top engine mount and jack it up or down

Jay Payne · Mar 23, 2008

caister said:
Do I just support the engine with a jack and a block of wood to remove the mount?

yea get the car on an axle stand first so u have some room under it, the take off the under tray and suport the engine on the jack. My jack has a rubber pad on it but you can use wood if not

hutchie said:
its a dead easy job, if the engine is not in the car but on a serious note just take inner arch trim off slightly, if you need to you can undo top engine mount and jack it up or down

Are u talking about a cup or one with air con?

Wiking · Mar 23, 2008

If you can, make some pictures of the work for me please

caister · Mar 23, 2008

Wiking said:
If you can, make some pictures of the work for me please

Yeah I'll try I might even do a short guide if I get time. Just trying to gather as much info as possible before tomorrow morning!!!

Tom H · Mar 24, 2008

No need to remove the headlight at all if u do it just leaves the frame anyways so no point

SBV116 · Mar 24, 2008

Update??

caister · Mar 24, 2008

All done took about 4 hours but it was my first time. Total b***h of a job!!

I removed the driver side wheel to improve access and also removed the engine mount so that I could raise and lower the engine.

I took off the bumper and light and although it didn't give too much extra space to work with it impoved visability 100% well worth it for the 10 minutes it takes to remove.

New belt was extremily tight to get on I had to aquire a spare pair of hands so that one of us could detension the tensioner pulley and another could slip the new belt on. I found the easiest pulley to get the last bit of the belt over was the crank shaft pulley as it was easy to access and did not have an outer lip like many of the other do.

Ive got some pictures etc and may do a guide if anyone is interested although it may have to wait a few days as ive got a busy week at work.

Wiking · Mar 24, 2008

Yes, make a mini guide for this with pictures.

caister · Mar 25, 2008

I'll try do one over the next couple of days not sure it'll be any good though!!

jowa b · Mar 27, 2008

caister said:
I'll try do one over the next couple of days not sure it'll be any good though!!

People that put effort in like this i great for people like me im 19 with a 172 and not experienced enough to tackle a job like this without some sort of guide behind me. (haynes manual fan as you can tell problem is they never made one for the 172 as it wasnt economically plausable because there wasnt enought 172/182's made as im shore your all aware)

cheers for being so useful mate and thanks to everyone else that puts there knowledge into this site.

vomboy 172 · Jun 14, 2008

did the guide ever get done for this?

doing the same job soon, would be a big help to see a guide

Changing Aux Belt, Tensioner and Pulley. Easy??

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