DIY: M271 Idler & tensioner pulley
#26
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C230K Sedan
so you replaced the whole tensioner and pulley? I heard you could get through it without have to remove the s/c
Yeah like it runs fine.. just i know something is wrong and whent he AC is on.. forget it... sounds like sh** metal grinding... not pleasent..
What is your rpm's at on idle in P
Yeah like it runs fine.. just i know something is wrong and whent he AC is on.. forget it... sounds like sh** metal grinding... not pleasent..
What is your rpm's at on idle in P
Yea, most people do it the quick way and just replace the pulley itself. But it is a spring loaded unit. It just solves the problem temporarily. Over time the spring in the tensioner gets weak. Thats when you get the chirping noise and loud clanking noise while at a stop.
I heard some people attempted by removing the air compressor unit. Its faster that way, but you have to have a vacuum machine to suck out the freon and then recharge it after you connect it back. Something I will not attempt. I dont' want to mess up the compressor. I got on StarTek and paid for a one day subscription. The instructions to removing that belt tensioner requires removing half of the engine. Airbox, fuel rail, air intake manifold, idle control and supercharger. Once you get to the supercharger you need to lift the car up to get to two bolts. which you will need a air ratchet to break loose.
good luck. i have pictures if you need them
#27
Ok I have some good news. By following information on this thread. I got the idea from here about dropping the a/c compressor. I didn't want to disconnect the a/c hoses but I sure as hell didn't want to have to take the intake and supercharger off. It took me a week to figure it out and I spent 100 bucks in tools and ended up borrowing the correct tool from a mechanic. Basically if you drop the a/c compressor take the two screws that hold the hoses at the back near the tranny it gives you enough hose movement to move the compressor down and forward about 4 to 5 inches which then gives you enough room to go up from underneath. I have small hands, I was able to reach in with my right hand by putting it behind the stabilizer bar and holding the wrench on the screw and then putting in my left hand around the same place and pulling with my left hand while stabilizing the wrench with my right hand. I used a snap on star socket because it provided the tightest fit and I also borrowed a kit that has a ratcheting wrench that fits on a piece that goes into the star socket. I ended up having to borrow this because the ratcheting mechanism on this tool is more precise which allows the tool to work in the tight environment in which you have to work. If you use anything cheap you run the risk of stripping the bolt or there is enough play in the ratcheting mechanism of the cheap ratchets that you don't have enough room to swing up and then back down. Anyways I was able to get it done by moving the compressor down without disconnecting the lines. It took a week of trial and error and I spent over 100 bucks on tools but I was able to get it done the easier way. Now that I know what it takes if you don't count the time that it takes to pull all the stuff out of the way to get the belt off, the crossover elbow and the front piece that goes to the intake, taking the screw out of the tensioner and replacing the tensioner itself can be done easily inside an hour. The a/c compressor is held only by 3 screws and you have to take off the two screws holding the hoses to the bracket near the tranny and just move it forward. You do have to have someone holding the compressor forward while you stick your hands in there and loosen the screw but it beats the hell out of taking the intake and supercharger off. The tool I used is called gearwrench serpentine belt tool 3680 by KD tools and a star socket by snapon. Hope this helps. I had originally tried to get away with just replacing the pulley on the tensioner that helped the noise for a couple of days and than it came back. What sucks about this is that i looked at the tensioner, the tensioner itseld is good what makes the noise is that in its wonderful design it has a plastic sleeve that runs inside the spring which gets brittle and flakes off so the spring twists on the metal core and causes the noise. The tensioner itself is still able to do its job, its just noisy while doing it. I thought about putting some grease on the new one to prevent this but I decided that it might end up degrading the plastic faster so I didn't do it. I hope this help is still not an easy job but it can be done. I'm hoping this one last 100,000 miles. It sure is nice to have a quiet car again.
#28
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Mercedes Benz C230 Kompressor 2005
#29
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Does anyone happen to know the torque specs on the idler and tensioner pulley bolts?
I found on a UK forum someone 'reverse-engineered' the idler pulley torque at ~40nm, but no info on tensioner pulley.
Thanks!
I found on a UK forum someone 'reverse-engineered' the idler pulley torque at ~40nm, but no info on tensioner pulley.
Thanks!
#30
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2003 S 500 4 MATIC , 2001 S 430 , 2003 ML 500
what part do I need the T 60 inverted torx bit for ?
The biggest size I have is T 55 I am only replaceing the automatic belt tensioner and it comes with the pully assembled
The biggest size I have is T 55 I am only replaceing the automatic belt tensioner and it comes with the pully assembled
#31
MBWorld Fanatic!
T60 torx is for the tensioner, to release the tension and slip the belt off. Some tensioners have a torx slot, some have a regular hex nut.
You can use T55 instead of T60 in a pinch, I did that twice without problems. Just be careful.
You can use T55 instead of T60 in a pinch, I did that twice without problems. Just be careful.
#33
Hey i'm just curious...
Do you get any noises when you put your AC on? If you start it when your stopped in drive, reverse or stopped at a light... I get this horrible sound coming. I'm thinking of doing this as well for my car and hopefully get rid of what feels like a sluggish start.. My rpms idle at 300 rpm... I've also had the alternator replaced the 1st week I picked it up (January 2010). It starts well, runs good for the most part.. Just I also hear a sound around the belts.
Can the pulley on altnernator just be replaced? Maybe that could be a possibility. Sorry for the bombarding in questions. I'm cleaning the TB this weekend to hopefully do it some good.
Do you get any noises when you put your AC on? If you start it when your stopped in drive, reverse or stopped at a light... I get this horrible sound coming. I'm thinking of doing this as well for my car and hopefully get rid of what feels like a sluggish start.. My rpms idle at 300 rpm... I've also had the alternator replaced the 1st week I picked it up (January 2010). It starts well, runs good for the most part.. Just I also hear a sound around the belts.
Can the pulley on altnernator just be replaced? Maybe that could be a possibility. Sorry for the bombarding in questions. I'm cleaning the TB this weekend to hopefully do it some good.
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#34
Tensioner pulley torque setting
I am also changing the tensioner pulley only and hoping that will fix my chirping.
As VVF was asking does anyone know the torque of the bolt that attaches the tensioner pulley to the tensioner body.
I have ordered the tensioner pulley from mercedes part number A271 200 05 70 but have not been able to find the torque requird for the centre bolt
If you can help that would be great
Cheers
As VVF was asking does anyone know the torque of the bolt that attaches the tensioner pulley to the tensioner body.
I have ordered the tensioner pulley from mercedes part number A271 200 05 70 but have not been able to find the torque requird for the centre bolt
If you can help that would be great
Cheers
#35
MBWorld Fanatic!
Try to call a dealer, or send an email to parts.com etc.
The idler pulley bolt torque on w204 is 26 lb-ft, so the tensioner shouldn't be too far off.
Can also check what torque you need to undo the bolt.
When does it chirp btw? When AC is on and in reverse gear? The pulley itself is not likely to fix the chirping, it might be the tensioner assembly, or something else is putting strain on the belt.
The idler pulley bolt torque on w204 is 26 lb-ft, so the tensioner shouldn't be too far off.
Can also check what torque you need to undo the bolt.
When does it chirp btw? When AC is on and in reverse gear? The pulley itself is not likely to fix the chirping, it might be the tensioner assembly, or something else is putting strain on the belt.
#36
Thanks for the reply
I will try my local dealer to see if he can help. There are a few posts of the tensioner pulley being changed but no torque value is mentioned.
A/c on or off doesn't make any difference. Not really noticed it in reverse either (it's a manual gearbox) It doesn't chirp when started up from cold but starts chirping after a mile or two of driving. It's intermittent but is worse when the revs rise when accelerating but less noisy on the overrun if I take my foot of the accelerator.
I am hoping!! it is either the idler or tensioner pulley but will do some checks on the alternator, water pump, a/c and power steering pulleys when I get the belt off.
Cheers
I will try my local dealer to see if he can help. There are a few posts of the tensioner pulley being changed but no torque value is mentioned.
A/c on or off doesn't make any difference. Not really noticed it in reverse either (it's a manual gearbox) It doesn't chirp when started up from cold but starts chirping after a mile or two of driving. It's intermittent but is worse when the revs rise when accelerating but less noisy on the overrun if I take my foot of the accelerator.
I am hoping!! it is either the idler or tensioner pulley but will do some checks on the alternator, water pump, a/c and power steering pulleys when I get the belt off.
Cheers
#38
Hey guys i am new here and this is the first i have encountered the same problem as some of the guys here. My mechanic told me that my 2005 c230 needs a belt tensioner replacement. He is charging me almost 700 to do the job, parts and labor. I would just like to know if he is ripping me off or the price is just right. I appreciate your help.
#39
Yea, most people do it the quick way and just replace the pulley itself. But it is a spring loaded unit. It just solves the problem temporarily. Over time the spring in the tensioner gets weak. Thats when you get the chirping noise and loud clanking noise while at a stop.
I heard some people attempted by removing the air compressor unit. Its faster that way, but you have to have a vacuum machine to suck out the freon and then recharge it after you connect it back. Something I will not attempt. I dont' want to mess up the compressor. I got on StarTek and paid for a one day subscription. The instructions to removing that belt tensioner requires removing half of the engine. Airbox, fuel rail, air intake manifold, idle control and supercharger. Once you get to the supercharger you need to lift the car up to get to two bolts. which you will need a air ratchet to break loose.
good luck. i have pictures if you need them
I heard some people attempted by removing the air compressor unit. Its faster that way, but you have to have a vacuum machine to suck out the freon and then recharge it after you connect it back. Something I will not attempt. I dont' want to mess up the compressor. I got on StarTek and paid for a one day subscription. The instructions to removing that belt tensioner requires removing half of the engine. Airbox, fuel rail, air intake manifold, idle control and supercharger. Once you get to the supercharger you need to lift the car up to get to two bolts. which you will need a air ratchet to break loose.
good luck. i have pictures if you need them
#40
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2005 C230 Coupe
So, with 156,000 miles on my ’05 C230 Coupe I now have a “noisy bearing / squealing noise” at the front of engine. I am preparing to replace all of the usual suspects (Serpentine Belt, Idler Pulley, Alternator Pulley, Water Pump, and Tensioner).
I would like to replace the entire tensioner assembly, not just the tensioner pulley. From my searches, I understand that the bolt holding the tensioner assembly in place is very difficult to access. I am hoping to use Juan Gonzalez’s approach (1-22-12 post #27 earlier in this thread) of dropping the AC Compressor (without disconnecting hoses) to gain access.
So my questions are:
1) Has anyone been successful using Juan Gonzalez’s AC Compressor drop approach?
2) Does anyone happen to know the size of the Tensioner Assembly bolt? (Again, not the pulley bolt, but the bolt holding the tensioner assy from behind). From the parts diagrams I have seen, it appears to be a ‘star headed bolt’, so it is an E-??
Thanks in advance,
Jeff
I would like to replace the entire tensioner assembly, not just the tensioner pulley. From my searches, I understand that the bolt holding the tensioner assembly in place is very difficult to access. I am hoping to use Juan Gonzalez’s approach (1-22-12 post #27 earlier in this thread) of dropping the AC Compressor (without disconnecting hoses) to gain access.
So my questions are:
1) Has anyone been successful using Juan Gonzalez’s AC Compressor drop approach?
2) Does anyone happen to know the size of the Tensioner Assembly bolt? (Again, not the pulley bolt, but the bolt holding the tensioner assy from behind). From the parts diagrams I have seen, it appears to be a ‘star headed bolt’, so it is an E-??
Thanks in advance,
Jeff
#41
MBWorld Fanatic!
If the "squealing noise" sounds like a tire rubbing against a rubber floor, that's probably the sprag bearing on the alternator. Check to see if your A/C still works. If the sprag bearing goes out, it usually takes out the A/C compressor with it.
#44
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2005 C230 Coupe
Thanks for the feedback.
My noise began about a month and a half ago as a rattlely bearing noise. Some days were worse than others; some days very little noise.
It has now progressed to an RPM related whirring/whining noise. AC still works; so far...
With 156,000 miles on the clock it seems reasonable to replace the serpentine belt and related pulleys including the tensioner assembly.
So I am hoping to find out:
1) Has anyone been successful using Juan Gonzalez’s AC Compressor drop approach (post #27)?
2) Does anyone happen to know the size of the Tensioner Assembly bolt? (Again, not the pulley bolt, but the bolt holding the tensioner assy from behind). From the parts diagrams I have seen, it appears to be a ‘star headed bolt’, so it is an E-??
My noise began about a month and a half ago as a rattlely bearing noise. Some days were worse than others; some days very little noise.
It has now progressed to an RPM related whirring/whining noise. AC still works; so far...
With 156,000 miles on the clock it seems reasonable to replace the serpentine belt and related pulleys including the tensioner assembly.
So I am hoping to find out:
1) Has anyone been successful using Juan Gonzalez’s AC Compressor drop approach (post #27)?
2) Does anyone happen to know the size of the Tensioner Assembly bolt? (Again, not the pulley bolt, but the bolt holding the tensioner assy from behind). From the parts diagrams I have seen, it appears to be a ‘star headed bolt’, so it is an E-??