AMacdonald Posted September 11, 2006 Report Posted September 11, 2006 The belt on my mk1 TDi 90 Alhambra has snapped. I only noticed when I got home and found clouds of rubbery smoke pouring out of the bonnet. The aircon had stopped working earlier which I presume was symptomatic of the same thing. So, is it the sort of thing an amateur who used to spend lots of time mending his mini 20 years ago can fix or should I leave it to the semi-professionals in the garage? Quote
Guest neil_wiles Posted September 11, 2006 Report Posted September 11, 2006 The alternator belt is not the accesory belt theree are two of them on the early 1.9 tdi's Replacement is quite easy for either The multi Vee accesory belt is inside the single vee belt. Remove the Vee belt by slackening the power steering pump at the bottom of the front of the engine and remove the belt then by releasing hte tension on the multivee belt by rotating the spring tensioner away from the belt and then remove the burnt belt. The same for the Vee belt. Best of luck its easy I do my sisters in about 20 mins including the removal of the tray. Quote
soptom Posted September 11, 2006 Report Posted September 11, 2006 The belt on my mk1 TDi 90 Alhambra has snapped. I only noticed when I got home and found clouds of rubbery smoke pouring out of the bonnet. The aircon had stopped working earlier which I presume was symptomatic of the same thing. So, is it the sort of thing an amateur who used to spend lots of time mending his mini 20 years ago can fix or should I leave it to the semi-professionals in the garage?You should be fine, I recently had to change the belt and tensioner after the tensioner's pulley wheel disintigrated, once I had worked out what had gone wrong it wasn't difficult. Ford wanted Quote
NikpV Posted September 11, 2006 Report Posted September 11, 2006 The belt on my mk1 TDi 90 Alhambra has snapped. I only noticed when I got home and found clouds of rubbery smoke pouring out of the bonnet. The aircon had stopped working earlier which I presume was symptomatic of the same thing. So, is it the sort of thing an amateur who used to spend lots of time mending his mini 20 years ago can fix or should I leave it to the semi-professionals in the garage? has the air-con compressor seized and caused the belt failure ? Quote
AMacdonald Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Posted September 12, 2006 The belt on my mk1 TDi 90 Alhambra has snapped. I only noticed when I got home and found clouds of rubbery smoke pouring out of the bonnet. The aircon had stopped working earlier which I presume was symptomatic of the same thing. So, is it the sort of thing an amateur who used to spend lots of time mending his mini 20 years ago can fix or should I leave it to the semi-professionals in the garage? has the air-con compressor seized and caused the belt failure ? I'm not sure yet. The first thing I noticed was a slight "slapping" sound from the engine bay, like a strand of wire flapping around. The sound stopped when I engaged the air con. At that point the aircon was still working. I imagine the belt was starting to delaminate although I can't quite explain why engaging the compressor should clear the sound. Quote
Dave-G Posted September 12, 2006 Report Posted September 12, 2006 has the air-con compressor seized and caused the belt failure ? Had this on mine. Reach down to the front of the AC compressor. Try to rotate the centrifugal clutch inside the belt pulley. There were clouds of smoke billowing out of the bonnet. The compressor had smoke marks on it too. Quote
AMacdonald Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Posted September 12, 2006 has the air-con compressor seized and caused the belt failure ? Had this on mine. Reach down to the front of the AC compressor. Try to rotate the centrifugal clutch inside the belt pulley. There were clouds of smoke billowing out of the bonnet. The compressor had smoke marks on it too. Right, I've replaced the belt. Mostly in the dark and mostly without the use of 10mm or 12mm sockets, which both went to the socket orphanage years ago. The air-con compressor pulley is loose and rattly. With the engine running and the compressor disengaged it sounds like a bucket of nails being rattled. It's quieter with the compressor enagaged and the air-con still seems to work but the pulley is obviously loose. The belt tensioner is just a blur. Is this something to do with the clutch and can it be rectified without buying a new compressor? Plus, I have to drive to Reading (~250 miles) at the weekend. How bad an idea is that? Quote
NikpV Posted September 12, 2006 Report Posted September 12, 2006 new air-con clutch from frauds is over Quote
AMacdonald Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Posted September 12, 2006 new air-con clutch from frauds is over Quote
NikpV Posted September 12, 2006 Report Posted September 12, 2006 new air-con clutch from frauds is over Quote
Vanbursta Posted September 13, 2006 Report Posted September 13, 2006 Here, this may be of some assistance to you. Enjoy:- Galaxy_Drive_Belt.pdf Quote
Guest sirsaltire Posted September 13, 2006 Report Posted September 13, 2006 I had the same happen on my Galaxy a few years ago. It was the air con "clutch" that had siezed up ( common problem) I decided I didn't need the air con and took the clutch away. Had to fit a belt meant for a focus ( shorter) as it didn't have to go around the air con clutch any more. No probs since! Quote
AMacdonald Posted September 27, 2006 Author Report Posted September 27, 2006 Well, I decided to book it into the garage to have a new compressor fitted. On the way, rattling like a bucket of nails I got stuck at some roadworks. not wanting to listen to it for any longer then neccessary, I switched the engine off. Big mistake. It wouldn't even turn over after that. The AA man told me the engine had seized and grinned while he was doing it. I knew he was talking rubbish but there's something disconcerting about a grinning AA man. We tried a towed bump start and his enormously thick tow rope snapped. Ha! The garage confirmed that the AC compressor had seized up. When they seize, they seize properly. Waiting for the new one to be fitted now. If I've still got the car next time it goes I'll just remove it and run the drivebelts over the non-AC path. Will I have to replace any pulleys for that or does one have a V path and a grooved path? Quote
greg_68 Posted September 28, 2006 Report Posted September 28, 2006 . Waiting for the new one to be fitted now. What are you waiting to have replaced? the compressor. If so sorry but I can almost guarantee they wil come back and tell you there's a load more work to do as the internals of the compressor will have shatttered and all the bits are now floating around your aircon system. You may also be unlucky like I was and find you have a leaking condensor when they do the job. All in all may end up around Quote
AMacdonald Posted September 28, 2006 Author Report Posted September 28, 2006 . Waiting for the new one to be fitted now. What are you waiting to have replaced? the compressor. If so sorry but I can almost guarantee they wil come back and tell you there's a load more work to do as the internals of the compressor will have shatttered and all the bits are now floating around your aircon system. You may also be unlucky like I was and find you have a leaking condensor when they do the job. All in all may end up around Quote
sepulchrave Posted September 28, 2006 Report Posted September 28, 2006 Espace very bad! Build quality significantly lower than Galaxy variants. Zafira good (mostly) but smaller. TBH it's the devil and the deep blue sea, that's why I'll stick with the devil I know. :o Quote
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