Serpentine Conversion.. now having issues!

[R.O.R-2.0]

ill be checking that today..

and i got a gates belt.. if its the issue, it will be the first junk belt ive ever had from gates..

gonna be making an aluminum bracket for the 4th bolt hole, also..

[R.O.R-2.0]

ill be checking that today..

and i got a gates belt.. if its the issue, it will be the first junk belt ive ever had from gates..

gonna be making an aluminum bracket for the 4th bolt hole, also..

made a bracket yesterday, out of 3/4" T6061 plate. the setup no longer makes noise, or vibrates.. the alternator was completely fine.

[R.O.R-2.0]

belt still squeals upon cold start, but just for a few mins. once the car is up to op temp, everything is golden..

[srgtlord]

Yeah...that squeak is the tensioning arm machining itself on the worn out bushings

[R.O.R-2.0]

Yeah...that squeak is the tensioning arm machining itself on the worn out bushings

both bushings are fine tho.. it doesnt even move, so i dont understand how its machining its self..

all the parts i have, are either new, or pulled off engines with less than 100k miles..

why does it squeak cold, but not hot? and its like a rubber belt squeak, not a metal on metal squeak, i do know the difference..

[srgtlord]

The only way to tell if the bushings are fine is to pull out the tensioning arm from the bracket and inspect the arm for points of wear.

[R.O.R-2.0]

The only way to tell if the bushings are fine is to pull out the tensioning arm from the bracket and inspect the arm for points of wear.

lately, it hasnt been making any noise tho, none on cold start, none ever, just silent.

i think the squeak was probably just some rusty, possibly glazed pulleys..

[theman53]

On my truck that is what happens. Then the rust imbeds in the belt and when you don't drive it for a bit it stays forever. My truck has a belt chirp at idle that never goes away, unless you put a new belt on, but as much as I drive the truck that only lasts until the next time I start it and the new belt is the same as the old.

You probably won't have that issue as you drive that car more than 1 time every 4 months.

[R.O.R-2.0]

On my truck that is what happens. Then the rust imbeds in the belt and when you don't drive it for a bit it stays forever. My truck has a belt chirp at idle that never goes away, unless you put a new belt on, but as much as I drive the truck that only lasts until the next time I start it and the new belt is the same as the old.

You probably won't have that issue as you drive that car more than 1 time every 4 months.

actually, when i first put the serp setup on, i didnt drive the car much, surely not enough to get all the rust of the pulleys.. but now that its my daily driver again, im driving it pretty much every day again (blown oil seals on the TD, im having bad luck with turbos lately)

the belt was brand new when i put it on, so it had to wear to the pulleys, and of course, wear all the rust particles into the belt also..

i think im gonna keep running it, and just keep an eye on things, see how everything works out.. if the squeak comes back, or gets worse, then i will pull stuff apart and fix it, but for now, everything seems to be playing very nicely together..

[CrazyAndy]

Keep us posted.  I'm gonna be running an ABF setup, a bit different but the principle of the tensioner is the same so it's nice to know about the internal bushings.  Thanks theman53 on the rust embedding comment. My pullies have a bit of gunk on them, so I'll wire-brush the contact surfaces at least.

Hope you don't have to pull the tensioner bracket apart, but pics if you do! 

[R.O.R-2.0]

well, the 1054mm belt sucks.. its stretched enough now, so that the tensioner is at the end of its travel.. any looser, and the bent is gonna start flying off..

[GTiTDi]

well, the 1054mm belt sucks.. its stretched enough now, so that the tensioner is at the end of its travel.. any looser, and the bent is gonna start flying off..

Kev dude you need to get a 1033 belt..that is the length I ran on my mk2 ABA swap that only had an alternator to run...also the squeaking can be a failing harmonic balancer, the rubber delaminates from the hub, causing the two pieces to slip when cold. It might be quit now but that is probably because it has found a tight spot lol

[R.O.R-2.0]

well, the 1054mm belt sucks.. its stretched enough now, so that the tensioner is at the end of its travel.. any looser, and the bent is gonna start flying off..

Kev dude you need to get a 1033 belt..that is the length I ran on my mk2 ABA swap that only had an alternator to run...also the squeaking can be a failing harmonic balancer, the rubber delaminates from the hub, causing the two pieces to slip when cold. It might be quit now but that is probably because it has found a tight spot lol

gonna be ordering the 1033mm belt here in about an hour..

and as for the squeak, its up high, like the belt is slipping over the rusty alternator pulley..

but it stopped squeaking for now, and my tensioner is fully extended, no more tension left in it. so, the "worn tensioner bushings" is starting to sound more plausible..

[R.O.R-2.0]

i may take and dis-assemble the tensioner assembly, to see if i can modify the tensioner spring housing to allow some more travel past stock limits, and to inspect the bushings on the tensioner arm. if the bushings are work, i imagine its going to be visible..

anyways, ill let you guys know what i find out.. or if i find anything out.

[8v-of-fury]

well, the 1054mm belt sucks.. its stretched enough now, so that the tensioner is at the end of its travel.. any looser, and the bent is gonna start flying off..

I think I am using a 1055mm on my m-tdi.. and I am also driving the water pump! lol