Slacking the alt belt tensioning

[G_F]

Doing my mates Aux belt and water pump. Come to take the tension off on the belt on the tensioner pulley, but there is no place on the nut to insert a allen key/bit? So how the feck do i relieve the tension the re-tension the belt?

Car = mk1 1.8 RSI

 

[bmh.01]

If its the same as mine then its auto tensioned by a spring, you can get a spanner on the tensioner bolt and hold it against the spring to take tension off the belt to get it off.

 

[alexbleubolt]

sounds weird

 

[G_F]

If its the same as mine then its auto tensioned by a spring, you can get a spanner on the tensioner bolt and hold it against the spring to take tension off the belt to get it off.

Got the bonnet and headlight off now to get a better view, but i still can not see how the belt would be tensioned, cant see any spring ot other.

I thought on all mk1s you just helt the allen key in place while turning the nut with a spanner? funking ghey car

 

[bmh.01]

I've got no idea then, no haynes manual to hand?

 

[davebem]

Whats the engine code for the 1.8 8v, I may be able to find out?

 

[bmh.01]

F3P

 

[TomTom]

Aren't RSIs done with a bolt pushing the alternator to tension the belt?

Never done one mind so not 100% atall.

 

[G_F]

Well ive got some crappy pics and ill try and explain how i know it, someone correct me if i am wrong.

On the below pic, from top to bottom, Alt pulley, Tension pully (on the left of the pic) and power steering pully



and then the bottom two, water pump and crankshaft pully.



Now as you can see in this close up of the tensioner pully bolt....



There is noware to put an allen key to unlock, but on this pic..



The Alt pully, it does have an allen key slot, but the nut is recessed and probably 32mm or so at a guess, would this be the one?

Whats doing my nut, ive done an RSI before and iam 99% sure i used an allen key on the tensioner pully + if its not used for the tension, what the point init being there?

 

[TomTom]

Doubt its the actual nut on the alternator, they are usually there just to change the alternater pulley. From never doing a belt on an RSI, I'd say it looks like the alternater adjusts on that bracket to the right of the pic, prybar under it jobby to tension it?

Have you tried a 13mm spanner on the jockey wheel going clockwise, to see if it is spring loaded.

 

[G_F]

Yeah, it was basicly what you said Tom, ChrisH on Retro told me the error of my ways. FIrst time i have come accross one and i have done a few belt changes, even on the same model. This is the bar with the tension undone..



There is two nuts on the bar, you have to undo them, pull the bar out, then put the nut under (back to front) then tighten the nut to release the tension on the belt, stupid.

Here is the nice shiny water pump vs old



It took me an hour and 24mins to undo them nine bolts, hands are cut to f..k now, doing the timing belt was a doddle in comparison. Only charged him 50 notes aswell