Auxiliary Drive Belt replacement

larryr123 · 11th July 2022, 19:24

Just finished replacing power steering pump in my MGZT-T Diesel.
Almost ready to go, replaced compressor belt OK.
Can't get anywhere close to replacing the auxiliary drive belt.

Tried the approach of fitting it from the Power Steering Pulley and trying to hook the belt onto the Crank Shaft Pulley from below, as suggested by the wonderful Haynes Manual.
Also tried it from the other angle and fitting the last part from the top onto the Power Steering Pulley.
Two of us doing it, me with the 12" Halfords 24 mm ring spanner held in by a suitable slim piece of wood to hold it in place.
Taken the spanner as high as it will go in the limited space between the engine and side wall and pulled it as far as it will travel to hit the subframe member.
Even with maximum travel there is no way either of us is strong enough, or is there enough play in the belt to get this thing on.

Took the new belt off and compared it to the old one and yes it is ever so slightly shorter, but put that down to age and stretch after 7 years since last changed. Doubtful we could even get the old one back on.

Any clues or ways to get these belts on as I'm completely stuck and can't get the car back on the road without this.
My plan is to hopefully fix the power steering leak and get the steering fully functional in order to get the car to a garage to determine why it is leaking gear box oil even after changing the clutch/master/slave cylinders.

Regards Larry

Arctic · 12th July 2022, 09:18

Hi Larry.
Yes sometimes you need just that little more room, try putting the spanner a little further back so you do not hit the crossmember so soon, also the trick is to get the belt over the top of the pulley.

Make sure you have the car in neutral gears, with the belt on the top of the pulley get your friend to turn the crank anti-clockwise it will then pull the belt onto the pulley.

make sure you have the belt routed right.

1

2

Belt over the two top pulleys then snake it round the others as in photo above, leaving the crank pulley to be the last, also sometimes the tensioner pulley can start to just turn and do nothing in that case you need an aviation 15mm spanner on the back to tighten it up.

2a

Couple of photos of how the tensioner is fitted to the engine.

3

4

Tools of my choice for the job.

5

All have been ground down so they are thinner

6

7

The tube is to give me that extra leverage.

8

larryr123 · 12th July 2022, 09:45

Arctic Thanks - Good diagram, and snapshot. After a good nights sleep I'm ready to give it another go.
Belt routed and just waiting for assistance.

Regards Larry

Arctic · 12th July 2022, 09:57

[QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryr123

Arctic Thanks - Good diagram, and snapshot. After a good nights sleep I'm ready to give it another go.
Belt routed and just waiting for assistance.

Regards Larry[/QUOTE

]

Larry use a 22mm socket on an extension bar and get your helper to turn it anti-clockwise to pull the belt over the remainder of the the pulley.

1

You will not need the crank holding tool as you are not removing the crank pulley (yet)

2

Also another little tip have the front up as high as you can get it, best to keep it level ie on ramps, or axle stands.

3

Then i switched the ramp round sideways.

4

Maybe information overload

Good luck you will get it on today.

polinsteve · 12th July 2022, 15:08

Looking at your carefully engineered thin spanners, takes me back about 30 years. My shed was burgled which meant replacing a few power tools. The worst thing to be stolen was my collection of carefully bent, ground thinner and especially shortened tools. The trouble is, I didn't even miss most of them until that special job needed doing.

larryr123 · 12th July 2022, 17:01

Excellent method to get the new belt on Arctic, managed to do it single handed by using two connected zip ties around the spanner and the cross member.
All reassembled and the clutch bled.
Started up the engine and leaks everywhere - black fluid on the all around the front to the left of the dip stick, over the alternator and on the side of the steering pump.
It looks like engine oil and the level on the steering filler chamber has not gone down from the top marker. The underside of the filling chamber and the pipes seems dry.

So I have a new clutch but clear gear oil leaking from what looks like the gear box join with the engine - although I can't be definitive about this, there have been some suggestions it could be the offside drive shaft as that was put back in awkwardly, but I'm unsure about that as it seems to collect around the sump when the engine is running and drips a lot onto the garage floor.

I'm thinking I'm reaching the end of the road here. I'm not sure what to do next, whether to offer it up on the forum or if it's eminently fixable for a sensible price.
I've spent about £700 on the clutch, slave and master cylinders, gear oil, steering pump, labour so far and have a clutch and steering but two very serious leaks that I can't really diagnose.

Being here in Bedford, I used to call on Phil T but now he's no longer active I can't see a next solution other than to sell it on to someone on the forum perhaps? A real shame though since I've had it from new, it drives great and is in very very good condition.

Regards Larry - Thanks for your help so far.

Ed3 · 12th July 2022, 18:08

Would it help to use photos for people to understand what is happening? I don't know how to upload photos. Maybe one of the regular posters can help get photos uploaded?

Arctic · 12th July 2022, 22:02

Hi Larry.
As your car recently had an oil change with a new oil filter, if so the O-ring could have been fitted wrong on the oil filter cover photo below.

1

The seal must sit in the second grove not the first grove of the cap.

2

If it's in the first grove it will leak all over the alternator, and down the sides of the oil filter.

The clear gear oil sounds like the drive shaft as not been fitted fully home or the seal as been damaged.

whom is closer to you that can deal with these for you, there must be someone.

larryr123 · 13th July 2022, 07:47

Hi Arctic,

Just checked around the filter housing and its pretty bone dry. I'm sure the o ring was inserted properly.

Regards Larry - not sure where else this can be coming from.

Arctic · 13th July 2022, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryr123

Hi Arctic,

Just checked around the filter housing and its pretty bone dry. I'm sure the o ring was inserted properly.

Regards Larry - not sure where else this can be coming from.

Hi Larry.
Can you take a photo or do a video and post up so we can see what's going on.

11th July 2022, 19:24	#1
larryr123 Avid contributor MG ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: larryr123 - Biddenham, Bedfordshire Posts: 224 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Auxiliary Drive Belt replacement Just finished replacing power steering pump in my MGZT-T Diesel. Almost ready to go, replaced compressor belt OK. Can't get anywhere close to replacing the auxiliary drive belt. Tried the approach of fitting it from the Power Steering Pulley and trying to hook the belt onto the Crank Shaft Pulley from below, as suggested by the wonderful Haynes Manual. Also tried it from the other angle and fitting the last part from the top onto the Power Steering Pulley. Two of us doing it, me with the 12" Halfords 24 mm ring spanner held in by a suitable slim piece of wood to hold it in place. Taken the spanner as high as it will go in the limited space between the engine and side wall and pulled it as far as it will travel to hit the subframe member. Even with maximum travel there is no way either of us is strong enough, or is there enough play in the belt to get this thing on. Took the new belt off and compared it to the old one and yes it is ever so slightly shorter, but put that down to age and stretch after 7 years since last changed. Doubtful we could even get the old one back on. Any clues or ways to get these belts on as I'm completely stuck and can't get the car back on the road without this. My plan is to hopefully fix the power steering leak and get the steering fully functional in order to get the car to a garage to determine why it is leaking gear box oil even after changing the clutch/master/slave cylinders. Regards Larry

12th July 2022, 09:18	#2
Arctic Give to Learn Freelander 2 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: West Midlands Posts: 18,696 Thanks: 1,155 Thanked 6,407 Times in 3,874 Posts	Hi Larry. Yes sometimes you need just that little more room, try putting the spanner a little further back so you do not hit the crossmember so soon, also the trick is to get the belt over the top of the pulley. Make sure you have the car in neutral gears, with the belt on the top of the pulley get your friend to turn the crank anti-clockwise it will then pull the belt onto the pulley. make sure you have the belt routed right. 1 2 Belt over the two top pulleys then snake it round the others as in photo above, leaving the crank pulley to be the last, also sometimes the tensioner pulley can start to just turn and do nothing in that case you need an aviation 15mm spanner on the back to tighten it up. 2a Couple of photos of how the tensioner is fitted to the engine. 3 4 Tools of my choice for the job. 5 All have been ground down so they are thinner 6 7 The tube is to give me that extra leverage. 8 __________________ Arctic Givology Learn to Give Everything is Achievable ad altiora tendo. Check out our Nano meet dates http://www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk/ http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/index.php?thepage=howto " You do the work , we supply the expertise " Last edited by Arctic; 12th July 2022 at 09:44..

12th July 2022, 22:02	#8
Arctic Give to Learn Freelander 2 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: West Midlands Posts: 18,696 Thanks: 1,155 Thanked 6,407 Times in 3,874 Posts	Hi Larry. As your car recently had an oil change with a new oil filter, if so the O-ring could have been fitted wrong on the oil filter cover photo below. 1 The seal must sit in the second grove not the first grove of the cap. 2 If it's in the first grove it will leak all over the alternator, and down the sides of the oil filter. The clear gear oil sounds like the drive shaft as not been fitted fully home or the seal as been damaged. whom is closer to you that can deal with these for you, there must be someone. __________________ Arctic Givology Learn to Give Everything is Achievable ad altiora tendo. Check out our Nano meet dates http://www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk/ http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/index.php?thepage=howto " You do the work , we supply the expertise "

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12th July 2022, 09:45	#3
larryr123 Avid contributor MG ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: larryr123 - Biddenham, Bedfordshire Posts: 224 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Arctic Thanks - Good diagram, and snapshot. After a good nights sleep I'm ready to give it another go. Belt routed and just waiting for assistance. Regards Larry

12th July 2022, 15:08	#5
polinsteve Gets stuck in 75 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: UCKFIELD Posts: 502 Thanks: 35 Thanked 122 Times in 85 Posts	Looking at your carefully engineered thin spanners, takes me back about 30 years. My shed was burgled which meant replacing a few power tools. The worst thing to be stolen was my collection of carefully bent, ground thinner and especially shortened tools. The trouble is, I didn't even miss most of them until that special job needed doing.

12th July 2022, 17:01	#6
larryr123 Avid contributor MG ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: larryr123 - Biddenham, Bedfordshire Posts: 224 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Excellent method to get the new belt on Arctic, managed to do it single handed by using two connected zip ties around the spanner and the cross member. All reassembled and the clutch bled. Started up the engine and leaks everywhere - black fluid on the all around the front to the left of the dip stick, over the alternator and on the side of the steering pump. It looks like engine oil and the level on the steering filler chamber has not gone down from the top marker. The underside of the filling chamber and the pipes seems dry. So I have a new clutch but clear gear oil leaking from what looks like the gear box join with the engine - although I can't be definitive about this, there have been some suggestions it could be the offside drive shaft as that was put back in awkwardly, but I'm unsure about that as it seems to collect around the sump when the engine is running and drips a lot onto the garage floor. I'm thinking I'm reaching the end of the road here. I'm not sure what to do next, whether to offer it up on the forum or if it's eminently fixable for a sensible price. I've spent about £700 on the clutch, slave and master cylinders, gear oil, steering pump, labour so far and have a clutch and steering but two very serious leaks that I can't really diagnose. Being here in Bedford, I used to call on Phil T but now he's no longer active I can't see a next solution other than to sell it on to someone on the forum perhaps? A real shame though since I've had it from new, it drives great and is in very very good condition. Regards Larry - Thanks for your help so far.

12th July 2022, 18:08	#7
Ed3 Loves to post Rover 75 CDTi saloon Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: UK Posts: 305 Thanks: 88 Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts	Would it help to use photos for people to understand what is happening? I don't know how to upload photos. Maybe one of the regular posters can help get photos uploaded?

13th July 2022, 07:47	#9
larryr123 Avid contributor MG ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: larryr123 - Biddenham, Bedfordshire Posts: 224 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Hi Arctic, Just checked around the filter housing and its pretty bone dry. I'm sure the o ring was inserted properly. Regards Larry - not sure where else this can be coming from.