[sevassusej]

Anyone know if it is possible to take the timing belt tensioner pulley off without removing the motor mount? I’ll be ordering a pulley tomorrow, and didn’t know if I need to get motor mount bolts as well. I looks pretty tight, but I wasn’t going to try to take it off yet, til I get the new one (as it’s still driveable, just a slight noise)

 

[IndyTom]

Are you doing the entire timing belt service or just the pulley? Not sure about the 2.0 engine but on the 1.8 there is no way to work on that side of the car without removing the motor mount and I believe it's the same situation with the 2.0's.

 

[sevassusej]

just the pulley, the bearing quit prematurely.

 

[Creative]

If you have a slim pully lever (circlip pliers possibly) you could do it but with anything that sticks out a little you will need to remove the mount

Also has the bearing gone or just making a noise? Ours started making a noise so i removed the wheel greased the bearings and all was good.

Edit: ignore the second line, thats for the aux belt tensioner.....
I had a blonde moment! Lol

Edit 2:
Are you sure its the cam belt tensioner and not the aux tensioner?

 

[Smileybug]

How many miles are on it?

 

[sevassusej]

I think I messed it up when I put the head back on, I got the belt too tight, and when I got back from test driving it, the pulley was making noise, and the belt was way to tight. Not sure on mileage though, the pulley and belt look fairly new. I didn't replace the belt for two reasons, one- that it looked great, two- that I was guaranteed to get it right, if I marked it and the timing gear when I pulled the head and clamped it in place to keep it from jumping a tooth on the crankshaft pulley. Yeah, I know, I can only assume, or hope that the water pump was replaced when all the other stuff was. I did put an analogue temp guage on the dash, and it runs at 200. I haven't looked in the Bentley yet to see the torque specs on the bolts, but I'm wondering if being that I'm only removing the vertical bolts, if they are re-usable, and the horizontal ones are the "torque to yield" kind that aren't.

 

[Smileybug]

If you're taking it all apart though, why not just replace it all? Then you KNOW its been done, rather than just guessing.

 

[sevassusej]

I figured you'd say that : ) . I'm not going to argue that what I'm doing is the best way, as it's not. You're right I'd feel better knowing i'ts all new. I just don't like throwing perfectly good parts in the trash. Of course one could argue that all the money re-doing the head was thrown in the trash if the water pump fails.

 

[Smileybug]

Also keep in mind that just because the belt "looks" new, doesn't mean it is or even close to it. On a '99 you should be doing the 2nd timing belt job soon anyway, just based on years.

 

[IndyTom]

Also keep in mind that just because the belt "looks" new, doesn't mean it is or even close to it. On a '99 you should be doing the 2nd timing belt job soon anyway, just based on years.

I second Smileybug's advice. The timing belt on my beetle was done at 75k and then again just about a week ago. When I took it off the belt still looked decent without cracks or major wear but it was almost 8 years old and had 85k miles on it. I wasn't going to take a chance and leave it on there just because it didn't look old. Pay a little now or a lot later.