help - aux belt tension

[Jonny81191]

Mine just keeps slipping across a tooth on the PAS pump. Can't really work out why, but i'll take it off and check everything.

[Toms306]

Thats odd, I turned the engine over by hand to get my belt to pull onto the PAS pulley lol, it should pull into line.

Check where the belt sits on the autotensioner, it should be in the middle, if its sitting at the side then it will be pulling out of line so if it loose too I guess it could jump across the PAS pulley. I moved mine back to the middle 4 times before giving up and getting a new tensioner lol.

[rd070707]

right thought it was sorted but still not quite right.... started the car from cold tonight after sitting a day, when i started it the idle jumped up and down for about 5 seconds then settled, but with the belt vibrating a bit. it is better than what it was before i fitted the new auto tensioner but still not perfect :/

in my mind possibilities are:
-its the eccentric tensioner thats shot
-the belt isnt the right length
-the new crank pulley creates more slack somehow
-OR i have fitted something wrong lol

[Jonny81191]

I fixed mine last night. Just tensioned it up more with the eccentric tensioner. Runs straight on the pulleys now, still squeaks a bit on first start when cold. Maybe a touch tighter..

[rd070707]

Yeah mate its frustrating, I'm more worried about the jumpy idle when mine was cold dunno what that was and it sort of hunts up and down a wee bit at idle to..

do you know roughy what position your eccentric tensioner ended up in? Ie like was the square on the bottom or top?

[Jonny81191]

erm, no i can't remember TBH. But I adjusted it so it was only just possible to then get the belt on with the sprung tensioner held fully back.

[Toms306]

I can't see how your aux belt would cause a dodgy idle? I have noticed hdis (or the two I've had anyway) really don't like cold starts/dampness/cold weather. I dunno whether the cold map is just shite but mine doesn't really idle or drive well until its warmed up. Problem is it never gets a chance to warm up atm only doing 15 miles at a time. Jumps on part throttle too. However it drives fine if it can get to 75c!

[rd070707]

Mine heats up quicker than that thy, and then its fine, but it really jumped all over the place for a good 5-10 secs this time

[Toms306]

Fair enough, I just think its a coincidence though, can't see how the belt would affect the idle although if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me lol.

[rd070707]

No mate think you are right enough. Just need to get this belt to stay tight and il be sorted

[Poodle]

I really shouldn't be the one to say this, pot and kettle and all, but is it possible you're being a hypochondriac about it...? Just sayin'...

I agree with Tom about your idle problem though, sounds separate.

[rd070707]

hmmm dunno poodle. I know I am fussy and paranoid but not mental LOL. it is there haha. But I know it will do no harm, just can't have it not right

[Poodle]

Not saying it isn't, just that it could be caused by the loss of damping and isn't much to worry about. If it gets worse then it'll be easier to find the culprit, in the meantime - it's not doing any harm, is it?

If you can't settle for that, replace the other tensioner and grease your pulley shafts (giggidy) and see what happens.

[rd070707]

I found my culprit for the rough cold start, pre heat light isnt coming on at all with ignition. but as for the belt yes I'm driving away at it and if it gets worse we'll see what we can do.

[Toms306]

You might have missed the glowplug light lol, it literally just flashes on, even at -2c this morning! I'm used to other cars (Golfs/106) keeping the light on for like 5+ seconds in temps like that lol.

[rd070707]

it seems to be intermittent but mostly not coming on

[Toms306]

I made a point of looking at mine at luchtime after this thread, car had been sitting for about an hour so was cold again, the glow plug light didn't come on at all when I started it, so I think thats normal for these.

[rd070707]

Yeah just gona batter on and see what happens lol