WET BELT TENTIONER

[kev m]

I just had the van serviced oil + all filters and gearbox oil( 2005 connect 1.8 tddi 75bhp ) the mechanic told me he can hear a bit of a growl coming from the belts area, he said it sounds like the wet belt tensioner ?
i was told it could be a wet belt as in belt or a chain ?
the van had a cam belt 10,000 miles ago so presuming the last owner had a full cam belt kit fitted that should be ok?
saying that i cant presume anything considering the condition of the air filter the fuel filter (not been changed for some time)
is there any of the above that are known for going ?
if it turns out to be a wet belt/chain tensioner ?
is it ok to just replace the tensioner without fitting a full cassette kit that's what fords said they where called and the extortionate price of them
any advice would be great ?
cheers kev

[Altransit]

2005 will have a lower chain, and an upper dry belt, so no wet belt to worry about.

[metalworker0]

Your van is 2005 ..the wetbelts were not fitted until 2007. so it's fitted with a chain unless its had a new engine at some time. the chains last well for over 200,000 miles before they need attention.

He could be talking about the cambelt tensioner .. you had the belt replaced 10,000 miles ago ..but some people fit the belt and neglect to change the tensioner! ...As a general rule, the water pump should be replaced when the cambelt is done along with the tensioner. you said it had a kit ..so maybe it has been.
The bearings can rumble on the water pump .. but long before they start rumble they will weep water out of a little hole under the bearing - the hole is called a "tell tale" weep hole, as that's exactly what it does it gives you warning that the seals and bearings are on the way out on the pump. not present on every pump. and you probably will not see it directly on a connect ..but watch out for drips in its general location.

There is also a tensioner on the auxiliary belt - that people neglect altogether...this may need replacing.
all these can make noises and should not be ignored.

if it was fitted with a wetbelt, i think the belt would snap well before the tensioner made any noise. unless he's hearing the actual break up and the failing belt in real time!


all the best.mark

[kev m]

thanks for the reply's!
it states in the service book that it had a cam belt 10,000 miles ago but no mention of the water pump personally always get the water pump done at the same time as the cam belt. i have only had the van a couple of months so i couldn't say for shore what it has had.it has just been given a full service including the gearbox. i will be doing a lot of miles up and down the country over the summer months and need everything as it should be before i start doing long trips in it. forgive my ignorance but i was under the impression if it was a chain or a belt either one would be a wet belt submerged in oil?
and the what i know as the cam/ timing belt is above the said wet belt?
cheers kev1

[kev m]

a lot of the information i am finding is for a tdci engine and not the tddi engine, my log book states my van has the (tddi) engine dose this make a difference?
cheers kev!

[Altransit]

Not as far as the belt is concerned as it's basically the same bare engine.

The lower chain does run in oil, which is, you might say, the natural environment for a chain, and so is much more hardy than the wet belt.

[metalworker0]

a lot of the information i am finding is for a tdci engine and not the tddi engine, my log book states my van has the (tddi) engine dose this make a difference?
cheers kev!

Maybe it has had an engine swap then ..and maybe its still possible it has a wet belt..

bit involved -

how to tell. 6.32 mins in: https://youtu.be/goxwu9EzjiY?t=392

all the best.mark

[travelling man]

OK, mine is a later 12 plate, but....

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=211390

[kev m]

i have just looked at the chain set up on the bay and there are 2x toothed cogs on the cassette they call it could one of them be grumbling?
or is it more likely to be the cam belt tensioner above it ?
in the service book it just says cam belt fitted 10000 miles ago but no mention of tensioner or waster pump, i have a feeling the guy i got the van off wasn't one for throwing money at his cars if you know what i mean the fuel and air filter + oil i have just done on the van where a right state i.e not been changed in some time for instance i have never owned a diesel car with a rusty fuel filter they are never left on my cars without being changed to get rusty.
cheers kev

[kev m]

thanks for the video link interesting but very frightening when he motioned the price of the job
lets hope i have a chain!
cheers kev

[metalworker0]

what's the mileage.

all the best.mark

[kev m]

91,000
cheers kev

[metalworker0]

if it has a chain ..no dont worry ........from what I've read up on these engines, there will not be any rattles coming from it for another 100,000...and then that's what it will be, chain rattling and not rumble sound ..the rumbles may be the other things ive already mentioned.

plus more ...alternator ..power steering pump
- air conditioning pump ...these have a habit of rattling and rumbling - clutch on the front of them ..but not detrimental to your engine.

another thing that can rattle and rumble is a duel mass flywheel if it has one

Connects TDDI from 2000-8/2003 with fitted with DMF
Connects TDCI from 2003 - 2013 are all fitted with SMF

so hasn't got one of them - one less thing to worry about

all the best.mark

[kev m]

right ok thanks very much for the advice i will get it looked into when i can get it booked in to my local indi garage he is that busy at the minute
cheers kev!

[NC53]

Given what you’ve said about the previous owner’s attention to service items I would throw a new cam belt and tensioner on it for peace of mind.

As has already been said, if this is the original engine it will have a chain in oil rather than a rubber belt in oil and that chain system is much more robust.

Next port of call for me would be the aux tensioner and idler as they are prone to becoming noisy and then they fail which will likely eat the aux belt.