Diesel Ancilary/Fan/Serpentine Belt Snapped

[sitch76]

So the belt snapped at the beginning of the month on my Diesel Rover 75 and this is something that I have been determine to fix on my own, however it would appear that no matter how much I read or buy different tools, I am stuck not being able to do this.

So far I have managed to get the belt routed correctly and all lined up, however I can't get it over the final pulley (I have tried them all as the final one) as I can't get the tensioner to move enough. Now I have seen a couple of threads mention that if the belt does snap the tensioner will move to far forward and is near on impossible to get back to the right position without the correct tool.

Does anybody have any suggestions on this or recommendations of garages nearby to Rickmansworth that might have the tool?

Thank-you

J

[Daveluck]

So the belt snapped at the beginning of the month on my Diesel Rover 75 and this is something that I have been determine to fix on my own, however it would appear that no matter how much I read or buy different tools, I am stuck not being able to do this.

So far I have managed to get the belt routed correctly and all lined up, however I can't get it over the final pulley (I have tried them all as the final one) as I can't get the tensioner to move enough. Now I have seen a couple of threads mention that if the belt does snap the tensioner will move to far forward and is near on impossible to get back to the right position without the correct tool.

Does anybody have any suggestions on this or recommendations of garages nearby to Rickmansworth that might have the tool?

Thank-you

J

I purchased a 24mm combination spanner and then ground the head down until it was thin enough to slide up between the side of the car and on to the tensioner nut.

I didn't realise that the actual pulley rocks on this. I thought I was undoing a nut to slide the tensioner fit the belt an re tighten.

So in fact you only need about a ¼ of a turn to "slacken" / slide the tensioner enough to slip the belt on.

It is a bit tricky and it took a bit of heaving but I got there in the end.

[sitch76]

Really stupid question but what is the best way to grind a head down, not got that many tools and all I can think of doing is using sandpaper that would take a very long time lol

[Heddy]

You need someone in engineering mefinks. To 'thin' a spanner you'd need an angle grinder and a strong fixed vice. I wouldn't advise you to do it 'freehand' 'cos angle grinders can be nasty tools to use, especially if they snatch.

[EastPete]

I found that to get the tensioner to move enough to get the belt back on, you have to remove the upper o/s engine mount bracket and tie-bar, then use the 24mm spanner from the top to wind the tensioner back far enough to get the belt back - trying to do it from under the wheel arch is a waste of time, in my opinion !.

Do the front pulleys first, then the water pump and tensioner pulleys, leaving the crank pulley until last.

I ran a thread on this in January last year - I'll see if I can get the link.

Pete

[EastPete]

Here you go

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=205523

Pete

[first-things-first]

Really stupid question but what is the best way to grind a head down, not got that many tools and all I can think of doing is using sandpaper that would take a very long time lol

You can use a hacksaw or junior hacksaw. I did on mine. Offer up to the gap so you can estimate how much you need to take off and the angle, then cut away.

[rbm]

Agree with Pete found it easier moving top engine mount when I ground down my spanner I put the grinder in the vice

[Phil-T4]

I found that to get the tensioner to move enough to get the belt back on, you have to remove the upper o/s engine mount bracket and tie-bar, then use the 24mm spanner from the top to wind the tensioner back far enough to get the belt back - trying to do it from under the wheel arch is a waste of time, in my opinion !.

Do the front pulleys first, then the water pump and tensioner pulleys, leaving the crank pulley until last.

I ran a thread on this in January last year - I'll see if I can get the link.

Pete

Agree with Pete found it easier moving top engine mount when I ground down my spanner I put the grinder in the vice


Good job i have the factory tool then, it makes changing the belt easy!!

[harrisop48]

Hi James,

Come over and collect an angle grinder that you can borrow. UB4 8AT I am in the book. Or bring the spanner and I will do it for you. Phil, or anyone can you tell us how thin the spanner needs to be.

Thanks, Peter.

[FrenchMike]

Hi James,

Come over and collect an angle grinder that you can borrow. UB4 8AT I am in the book. Or bring the spanner and I will do it for you. Phil, or anyone can you tell us how thin the spanner needs to be.

Thanks, Peter.

here it is
hoping it helps

60077

good luck

Mike

[Amsca2]

Leave the crank till last. Hold as tight as possible and put a socket on the crank. It pulls itself on. 5 minutes and easy as pie.:} ( not tried on a 75 yet but works on every other car I've done from a focus to a tomcat to a 406 to a 407)

[Daveluck]

- trying to do it from under the wheel arch is a waste of time, in my opinion !.


Pete

Depends on how long the spanner is. You need it long enough the reach back down just below the arch or more to get a decent grip and enough leverage. Still a NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- job to do though.



To grind it down I used a little cheapie bench grinder.

[ratchet]

I used a Draper 24mm combination spanner.

Use the open end on the tensioner (with a sliver of wood between the tensioner and the chassis leg to stop the spanner coming off) and then tied off the ring end with a cable tie when I had the tensioner in the correct position.

There was no need to grind the spanner down :shrug:

[EastPete]

I used a Draper 24mm combination spanner.

Use the open end on the tensioner (with a sliver of wood between the tensioner and the chassis leg to stop the spanner coming off) and then tied off the ring end with a cable tie when I had the tensioner in the correct position.

There was no need to grind the spanner down :shrug:

I think the gap between the tensioner bolt and the inner wing varies between cars - so on come cars no/minimal slimming down of the spanner is needed, whereas on others a good grinding down is needed. It also depends on the thickness of the spanner you are using, of course.

Cheers

Pete

[HarryM1BYT]

I think the gap between the tensioner bolt and the inner wing varies between cars - so on come cars no/minimal slimming down of the spanner is needed, whereas on others a good grinding down is needed. It also depends on the thickness of the spanner you are using, of course.

Cheers

Pete

That is correct, it varies between cars for some reason - maybe the condition of the engine mountings. Frenchmike's home made version of the spanner is the best, failing the correct Rover item.

I was able to do it with the spanner hanging below, with plenty of leverage and some thin rope to lash the spanner under tension to the sub frame. Use a thin bit of wood to wedge the spanner on the bolt head, so it cannot slip off.

[sitch76]

Right so thanks to the help of harrisop48 grinding down my 24mm spanner for me and the help of 2 mechanics, we have finally managed to get the belt on :D

So the 24mm spanner I had ground down was too long, so whilst I could get some very good leverage on it due to the length, it would get caught too easily and not move the tensioner enough. In the end, we had one person hold the tensioner in place with as much tension taken off as possible from underneath, one person guiding the belt around the Power Steering Pulley, whilst I manually turned the crankshaft pulley and ensure the belt stayed on the idler pulley.

This has been a real faff to complete and is not something I will undertake again, however if this was done a car where the belt hadn't snapped, I imagine that my spanner made by harrisop48 would have worked, so I can offer this out for loan if anybody wants to give it a go.

Thanks for all the help and tips.

[HarryM1BYT]

In the end, we had one person hold the tensioner in place with as much tension taken off as possible from underneath,

Are you saying you managed to get more swing/more degrees of turn from below, than you could from above?

I know the belt can be a bit of a struggle, because I spent an entire evening, two of us doing the two belts. We had the home-made spanner on from below and lashed back, so as to leave hands free.

[macafee2]

gulp at the price if this is the genuine one
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-12__163

macafee2