clicking from belt tensioner

[rvracing]

hi all, i have a 2.4 duratorq transit, and some time ago i fitted a new drive belt and the tensioner , around 7000 miles ago, for a while now its started to make a clicking noise when on tick over, also the belt tends to wander on one of the lower pulleys, i think iv spotted the belt jumping very slightly, its sounds like a dry bearing from the tensioner wheel, any ideas,???....rob

[blue estate]

Get a leaver bar or screw driver and check the crank pulley also look at the rubber bit of it for cracking and do it soon

[rvracing]

ok,, you eloborate , , dont like the sound of this

[blue estate]

The crank pulley is made of 3 parts , A metal outer and inner with rubber Inbetween them and after time the rubber splits and the pulley parts company with it's self and the belt drops off

[rvracing]

ooh big job ??

[jumbo 57]

No, 10 minute job, just a very tight nut to undo..

[knobby1]

ooh big job ??

Nah...Just three bolts, 15mm head IIRC... they are in there tight too so have plenty of cornflakes in the morning. Put a small amount of thread-locker on the bolts when you re-install them just to make sure they don't try to get out again. Be sure to tighten to correct torque as per workshop manual for your beast.

Had my crank pulley let go last week...luckily it fell to pieces in my own driveway rather than half way up the motorway

20150519_081700.jpg

Lord Knobrot

[rvracing]

wow thats a great help, i take it the belt has to relaxed from the tensioner??? and re tensioned, ? would the van in gear with handbrake on would suffice to lock the crank , im very greatful for the help, off to oulton park at end of month, cant break down with van full of bike stuff , thanks

[knobby1]

wow thats a great help, i take it the belt has to relaxed from the tensioner??? and re tensioned, ? would the van in gear with handbrake on would suffice to lock the crank , im very greatful for the help, off to oulton park at end of month, cant break down with van full of bike stuff , thanks

Yeah...belt has to come off....is easy though with a fairly long 1/2" knuckle bar. I'm assuming you have a RWD Mk7...?? Not sure if the Mk6 2.4 is the same though.

The pulley bolts are usually very tight from the factory, so.....to get the bolts out I just used the same 1/2" knuckle bar with 15mm socket, the fan gets in the way a bit on the RWD jobbies but if you faf about a bit you can get your bar & socket sorta in between the fan blades.....I then rested the knuckle bar on something solid, like a nice big lump of timber...hit the starter for a short time, just a click on the starter will do.... and viola..! Once the bolts are loose, the pulley will literally fall off, it's not pressed onto the crank, so at least that part is easy.
Again, a drop of thread locker when installing the bolts will help. Tightening the bolts is a bit difficult as the crank wants to turn, all I did was poke a screwdriver through the bell housing drain hole and held the flywheel as best I could...job done... and they're still there

Lord Knobrot