Hi,

Last week my drive belt tensioner fell apart on my polo so i ordered another tensioner and drive belt
but i am having trouble fitting the new one. I can't figure out how you get the drive belt tensioner into
the slot as the wheel on the tensioner does not fit past the chassis of the car. I checked the Haynes

manual but can't find anything about fitting it. If anyone could give me any advice on how to fit it

that would be great.

also can anyone tell me what purpose the part of the tensioner i have circled serves? I take it the
belt doesn't actually go underneath it?

Thanks
kai

Not suggesting you try and take the tensioner apart but would it fit past if you could take the pulley off. Hopefully you could then put the pulley back on.

Can't get my orientation in the picture. Is the big pulley on the right of the picture the alternator? Would the tensioner go past if you removed the alternator, power steering pump or something else? What are the other pulleys?

The bit you've circled in red - I don't know what purpose it serves. I've got a 6n2/Mk3f and my tensioner has that "lug" (circled in red) too. I haven't got my car with me today but I'm almost 100% certain that the belt doesn't go under it. I'll check tomorrow, when I've got the car, but off memory the belt goes round the opposite side to the lug with the flat side of the belt against the pulley - that's on my car anyway.

Maybe you could get hold of a Haynes manual or some other instructional manual for your car.

Hope that helps,

Simon

Edited 22 January, 201412 yr by cosaw

There isn't a lot of room between the chassis and the pulley or tensioner.

If your engine mountings have 'sagged a bit', it might be easier to remove the crankshaft pulley to give you better access when fitting the tensioner BUT if you do take off the crank pulley, make sure that you use a male hexagon socket, rather than attempt to do it with an Allen key - Tap the socket into the cap headed bolt with a small hammer -The danger is that you will round off the cap head bolt corners if you don't take these two precautions, then end up drilling off the cap heads. DO NOT undo the centre crankshaft bolt.

If you still have difficulty accessing it, you may have to support the engine, remove the right hand (top) engine mounting and lower the engine 'till you can access it.

Another point to watch - a LONG spanner is needed to go on the tensioner centre bolt in order to take the tension off of the spring (turn it clockwise) whilst you get the belt in place - If you only have a short spanner, you will need muscles like Pop-eye!

Regards.

I have got a similar problem, albeit on a 9n, posted here: http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=327943

I'd love to know how you removed the old tensioner. As far as I can tell it mounts with a bolt through the reverse side. The problem I have is how the heck to access the mounting bolt? I think maybe the alternator needs to come off just to get access.

I can only guess about the part you circled in red. It could be for use with a custom tool on the engine assembly line. The belt cannot go under it. If it serves a function during running then a mechanical engineer would have a proper name for it which you could drop in to Google and all would be told.

Am I right about the mounting bolt and how did you get to it?

Below is the tensioner that CP4L sold me for a 9n. It looks quite different to the existing one, which looks more like yours (see my other post).

Hi,

Last week my drive belt tensioner fell apart on my polo so i ordered another tensioner and drive belt

but i am having trouble fitting the new one. I can't figure out how you get the drive belt tensioner into

the slot as the wheel on the tensioner does not fit past the chassis of the car. I checked the Haynes

manual but can't find anything about fitting it. If anyone could give me any advice on how to fit it

that would be great.

also can anyone tell me what purpose the part of the tensioner i have circled serves? I take it the

belt doesn't actually go underneath it?

Thanks

kai

I finally found the hidden bolt and managed to remove the old pulley. Then I had the same problem as above, insufficient clearance to fit the new pulley. Having a mate lever the engine block to one side with a 4-foot length of 3"x2" does the trick nicely though. :) Pics in the other thread. http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=327943

Edited 25 January, 201412 yr by jumbojim