CAAA Auxiliary belt snapped

[Littleblackflash]

Unfortunately my auxiliary belt snapped this week and I need to fit a new one. I suspect the tensioner bearing was at fault so I've got a new one ready to fit.

But how the hell does the old one come off? I can see the bolt holding it from behind but how do you get to it? The engine is a Euro5 CAAA with AC. I guess you need to remove the power steering pump or the engine mount, neither is easy.

Any advice or suggestions?

 

[Littleblackflash]

Well if it happens to anyone else, its a 5hr job to change. To get to the tensioner bolt you need to remove the alternator, but there isn't any space. Therefore you need to remove the front end so that you can pull the radiator forward giving you some access.

5hrs after starting it was all done. I needed to collect something I brought on eBay so I went on a 3hr trip to check everything was ok.

 

[Lubrown]

Car manufacturers need to send the designers, accountants and IT gimps out to do a few weeks work experience in a garage fixing cars. They aren’t engineers or mechanics - that’s for sure!

I remember designing an edge beam for a trunk road bridge and my boss had a little smile on his face throughout. I worked out what steels at what centres, modelled it, drew it in CAD and he signed it off. A bit later he came up to my desk… “you know that edge beam you designed - you’re going out on site to help make it.”. It was a brilliant experience actually lacing the steels into place and tying them. The guys that do it full time were a great laugh and had great talent. Thankfully I hadn’t made it too difficult to build so we got on well - but the lesson was priceless and sticks with me to this day… Don’t design something you (or anyone else) can’t easily build (or fix).