06-15-2015, 02:41 PM
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Replacing Tensioner/Idler pulley on 1.8L C230
06-28-2014, 09:06 PM
#101
Senior Member
I believe a guy somewhere on youtube wrote in the comments that he was able to replace it without removing the alternator.
I was also on the fence, and considered replacing only the pulley, but ended up just replacing the whole alt due to age considerations.
UPD. Ok, he doesn't specifically say he did not remove the alt, but he kind of implies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wIc3g2e5y7E
I was also on the fence, and considered replacing only the pulley, but ended up just replacing the whole alt due to age considerations.
UPD. Ok, he doesn't specifically say he did not remove the alt, but he kind of implies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wIc3g2e5y7E
06-28-2014, 09:06 PM
#102
Senior Member
I believe a guy somewhere on youtube wrote in the comments that he was able to replace it without removing the alternator.
I was also on the fence, and considered replacing only the pulley, but ended up just replacing the whole alt due to age considerations.
UPD. Ok, he doesn't specifically say he did not remove the alt, but he kind of implies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wIc3g2e5y7E
I was also on the fence, and considered replacing only the pulley, but ended up just replacing the whole alt due to age considerations.
UPD. Ok, he doesn't specifically say he did not remove the alt, but he kind of implies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wIc3g2e5y7E
02-01-2015, 03:01 AM
#103
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
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2006 E320CDI
Thanks
Firstly, thank you for the forum and all the info - super helpful.
Okay, so I am having the same squealing/screeching sounds as described on here. Following all the info I bought a idler pulley and tensioner pulley (not the assembly) (Febi/Bilstein) and got to it. Once belt was off spun above two mentioned pulleys and both felt good. Then disconnected the battery, put a screw driver in the alternator cooling fan and tried to turn pulley clockwise and then anti-canti - clockwise. It was not moving at all ineither direction. Without screwdriver in the fan it spins smoothly, so from my understanding from this forum and others on here that means a bad alternator pulley (which I understand contains the sprag bearing). I understand that the part number is 2711550115. I am hoping to get this from the delear on Monday (not many other suppliers in Zimbabwe).
Re the tool to remove it, there is a link in the forum to one on rmeuropean. It looks to me that this tool would allow you to replace thealternator pulley in situ. As I am in Zim, shipping from the US takes an age and I am planning to sort this asap before some major consequences! So I am hoping to be able to borrow/hire from a local auto - electrition.
Once again, thanks for all the info. Will put on a update once done.
pic of pulley in my car attached. Let me know should you like any more info.
Okay, so I am having the same squealing/screeching sounds as described on here. Following all the info I bought a idler pulley and tensioner pulley (not the assembly) (Febi/Bilstein) and got to it. Once belt was off spun above two mentioned pulleys and both felt good. Then disconnected the battery, put a screw driver in the alternator cooling fan and tried to turn pulley clockwise and then anti-canti - clockwise. It was not moving at all ineither direction. Without screwdriver in the fan it spins smoothly, so from my understanding from this forum and others on here that means a bad alternator pulley (which I understand contains the sprag bearing). I understand that the part number is 2711550115. I am hoping to get this from the delear on Monday (not many other suppliers in Zimbabwe).
Re the tool to remove it, there is a link in the forum to one on rmeuropean. It looks to me that this tool would allow you to replace thealternator pulley in situ. As I am in Zim, shipping from the US takes an age and I am planning to sort this asap before some major consequences! So I am hoping to be able to borrow/hire from a local auto - electrition.
Once again, thanks for all the info. Will put on a update once done.
pic of pulley in my car attached. Let me know should you like any more info.
02-01-2015, 07:37 PM
#105
Member
Zim, to answer your question:
1. Yes when the pulley is locked like that it means it is bad.
2. The tool you'll really only need one, the other you can probably borrow or buy at parts store, the thing is some alternator shaft uses an Allen wrench while other uses a Torx, but either way an Allen wrench will work for both types of shaft. The one tool you need looks like this one on Amazon, don't get the whole kit, just this one tool 3. Bear in mind that the pulley is a right-hand thread, this means you turn the pulley counter-clockwise or the shaft clockwise to loosen the pulley. My total job cost was around 80 USD including the tool, I actually made a mistake and bought the whole tool kit instead of just the one tool to lock the pulley which would have saved me another 25-28 USD.
4. You do NOT have to remove the alternator but you have to remove the electric fan and the supercharger air box in front of the engine. Believe me it is still simpler than to remove the alternator. The whole job should take you no more than 1.5 hours to do at the most.
Your mileage will ultimately be the deciding factor as to change the pulley or the whole alternator. I changed my pulley at 70,000 miles and I have 110.000 currently and still on my original alternator.
If you need more info let me know if I can be of further help.
1. Yes when the pulley is locked like that it means it is bad.
2. The tool you'll really only need one, the other you can probably borrow or buy at parts store, the thing is some alternator shaft uses an Allen wrench while other uses a Torx, but either way an Allen wrench will work for both types of shaft. The one tool you need looks like this one on Amazon, don't get the whole kit, just this one tool 3. Bear in mind that the pulley is a right-hand thread, this means you turn the pulley counter-clockwise or the shaft clockwise to loosen the pulley. My total job cost was around 80 USD including the tool, I actually made a mistake and bought the whole tool kit instead of just the one tool to lock the pulley which would have saved me another 25-28 USD.
4. You do NOT have to remove the alternator but you have to remove the electric fan and the supercharger air box in front of the engine. Believe me it is still simpler than to remove the alternator. The whole job should take you no more than 1.5 hours to do at the most.
Your mileage will ultimately be the deciding factor as to change the pulley or the whole alternator. I changed my pulley at 70,000 miles and I have 110.000 currently and still on my original alternator.
If you need more info let me know if I can be of further help.
02-01-2015, 11:13 PM
#106
MBWorld Fanatic!
I don't think it is necessary to remove the fan. See this DIY by scottonfire: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ditioning.html
Last edited by VVF; 02-01-2015 at 11:16 PM.
02-02-2015, 01:00 AM
#107
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
Posts: 19
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2006 E320CDI
Hi Icebreaker
Thanks for the link to the tool - definitely a cheaper option than the set! Mine is a torx key - see pic attached, but as you mention, no problem as tool will work on both. Noted that you dont have to remove the alternator - great news!
VVF
Thanks allot for the link to the other forum - apologies, I had not come across this! Now should have all the info I need!
Great guys, appreciate the help - will make a plan re the tool and update once done!
Edit, my mileage is 110 k KM
UPDATE: Bought 271-155-01-15 from Pelican Parts for $41 + Shipping to Zim $51. (price from local dealer $243 and no stock!, surprising South Africa dealership was R 2064 = $206 so cheapest option was to ship from US). Should be here in 2 weeks hopefully!
Thanks for the link to the tool - definitely a cheaper option than the set! Mine is a torx key - see pic attached, but as you mention, no problem as tool will work on both. Noted that you dont have to remove the alternator - great news!
VVF
Thanks allot for the link to the other forum - apologies, I had not come across this! Now should have all the info I need!
Great guys, appreciate the help - will make a plan re the tool and update once done!
Edit, my mileage is 110 k KM
UPDATE: Bought 271-155-01-15 from Pelican Parts for $41 + Shipping to Zim $51. (price from local dealer $243 and no stock!, surprising South Africa dealership was R 2064 = $206 so cheapest option was to ship from US). Should be here in 2 weeks hopefully!
Last edited by ZimC180K; 02-03-2015 at 02:27 AM.
02-03-2015, 02:18 AM
#108
Member
The reason I recommended the fan shroud removal is because that's what I did on my car my tool to lock the alternator shaft was quite long and I didn't have quite enough room (yes this is talking from personal experience and not referring to anyone else's), ultimately if you can do it without removing the shroud, more power to you.
02-03-2015, 02:28 AM
#109
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
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2006 E320CDI
The reason I recommended the fan shroud removal is because that's what I did on my car my tool to lock the alternator shaft was quite long and I didn't have quite enough room (yes this is talking from personal experience and not referring to anyone else's), ultimately if you can do it without removing the shroud, more power to you.
03-31-2015, 01:35 AM
#110
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
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2006 E320CDI
Hi Guys
Just to give you an update. All parts arrived and I purchased the tool recommended by IceBreaker - pic attached - thank you. It was much quicker this time to get to the pulley now that I had done it before. Same procedure to take everything off, I left the cooling fan in place as I had enough space to work without a problem. I left the alternator in-situ.
Taking the actual pulley off was more difficult than I expected. I used a L-set Torx Key (T50) [pic attached] in the center of the splined tool, but I would recommend that one buys a socket type Torx with a long tool section as it required much more force than I anticipated to get the pulley off. So I basically started with a normal size 17 spanner on the spline tool and a extension pipe on the short section of the L-tool. Did not have enough leverage and it would not budge. So then put a big shifting spanner on the spline and a further extension on the L-tool. I was quite sure that the L-tool was going to snap as it was under huge force but the pulley came loose before it did. Point to note, the alternator spindle goes clockwise and the spline tool anticlockwise to remove it. Then put on the new pulley in reverse and made it as tight as I could without the extra leverage tools (just 17 spanner and single extension pipe).
Also replaced the idler pulley and just the pulley on the tensioner assembly - both looked okay, just replaced as a precaution.
Then put it all back together, being VERY sure that the belt was correctly seated on all the respective pulleys.
Started the car and sounded better. Took it for a test drive and AC on, in reverse whilst steering at lock and NO NOISE, only a very slight rumble for approx 1 to 2 seconds every now and then when at the extreme. So i would say, God Willing, all fixed!
Thank you again to the forum for all of your help. I am very sorry but I did the job with quite limited time so no pics to show for it.
Just to give you an update. All parts arrived and I purchased the tool recommended by IceBreaker - pic attached - thank you. It was much quicker this time to get to the pulley now that I had done it before. Same procedure to take everything off, I left the cooling fan in place as I had enough space to work without a problem. I left the alternator in-situ.
Taking the actual pulley off was more difficult than I expected. I used a L-set Torx Key (T50) [pic attached] in the center of the splined tool, but I would recommend that one buys a socket type Torx with a long tool section as it required much more force than I anticipated to get the pulley off. So I basically started with a normal size 17 spanner on the spline tool and a extension pipe on the short section of the L-tool. Did not have enough leverage and it would not budge. So then put a big shifting spanner on the spline and a further extension on the L-tool. I was quite sure that the L-tool was going to snap as it was under huge force but the pulley came loose before it did. Point to note, the alternator spindle goes clockwise and the spline tool anticlockwise to remove it. Then put on the new pulley in reverse and made it as tight as I could without the extra leverage tools (just 17 spanner and single extension pipe).
Also replaced the idler pulley and just the pulley on the tensioner assembly - both looked okay, just replaced as a precaution.
Then put it all back together, being VERY sure that the belt was correctly seated on all the respective pulleys.
Started the car and sounded better. Took it for a test drive and AC on, in reverse whilst steering at lock and NO NOISE, only a very slight rumble for approx 1 to 2 seconds every now and then when at the extreme. So i would say, God Willing, all fixed!
Thank you again to the forum for all of your help. I am very sorry but I did the job with quite limited time so no pics to show for it.
03-31-2015, 03:06 AM
#111
Member
Well done Zim! I'm glad all is well!
I had just replaced an interlock on my brother-in-law's 2004 SL500 myself. Had to buy a $92.00 part which I'm sure didn't cost more than $5.00 to make, but I guess that's better than to get the whole shifter assembly from the stealer for $1300-1500.....
BTW a little rumble when going lock-to-lock on your steering wheel is pretty normal.
I had just replaced an interlock on my brother-in-law's 2004 SL500 myself. Had to buy a $92.00 part which I'm sure didn't cost more than $5.00 to make, but I guess that's better than to get the whole shifter assembly from the stealer for $1300-1500.....
BTW a little rumble when going lock-to-lock on your steering wheel is pretty normal.
