2.5TDI (AKE): Alternator + Air Con belt snapped

nedge2k

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This time last year, I rebuilt both heads and replaced all belts and pulleys after one of the bolts behind the cam pulley vibrated its way into the cam pulley and did lots of damage...

Fast forward to a couple of days ago, the wife was driving my car and lost power steering. Stripped it down yesterday, both a/c and alternator belts had snapped and the groves on the plastic multi-v alternator idler pulley were destroyed (all round). Nothing had seized, all ancillaries and pulleys are free running with no play...there is no obvious cause.

The only thing I didn't change last year (as it was still fully functional), was the alternator damper assembly. I've not checked it yet but is there anything apart from this that could cause the belt to fail?

I was also careful, last year, to ensure I got the correct length of a/c belt as there's a 4PK1240 and a 4PK1218. My Allroad is a 2002 with an engine from a 2000 so I got the longer one (for use up to chassis number 4B-Z-3-090 000)
 
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Check your aux belt tensioner, when it wears it will throw the belt off the pulleys and cause the issues you've just experienced...
 
In your case you will find that the PAS bracket has worn beyond repair and it might need replacing, the bearing pivot is cast and machined in one piece and it's about £125 from dealer/TPS... It's quite a pain to replace as it will require AC compressor removal and the oil cooler is also in the way- that needs removing too.
 
Thankfully I have access to a machine shop so I may be able to drill it out and sleeve it in-situ if that is the case - although my head is telling me just to do the oil cooler anyway incase it ever decides to leak and I have to do all this again!

Should have time to attack it tonight, will update with progress.
 
If it was mine I'd take the PAS bracket off and sounds like you need to if the pressed bush on the bracket has had it. With mine I didn't have to remove completely the aircon compressor as I just let it hang out he way once unbolted from the bracket.

How many miles on your Allroad?.
 
Thankfully I have access to a machine shop so I may be able to drill it out and sleeve it in-situ if that is the case - although my head is telling me just to do the oil cooler anyway incase it ever decides to leak and I have to do all this again!

Should have time to attack it tonight, will update with progress.
There's not enough meat on that bracket to press a bush on, it's cast alloy and it will break...
 
Christ, what a ball ache job getting that off, oil cooler hoses took ages!

So, the bushes were not worn, neither was the pin really. The only wear I found was in the rubber bushes in the strut but even then, it wasn't much. I'm replacing everything anyway.

One thing that did strike me as odd, the pulley arm that bolts to the PAS bracket is a very loose fit on the bracket....you'd think it would be snug. That means all the load is on that bolt :/
 
The load is on the stainless steel bush, however when the bush seizes it will put all the load onto the bolt and it will wear faster ar snap altogether ! For audi the system is regarded as reliable and to my knowledge it only starts to give issues around the 150-180k mark...
 
Yeah but that load is still being transferred through that bolt - which makes me uneasy.

Think i'll machine a nylon bush to sit between the PAS bracket and the pulley bracket - take up that slack!
 
This was what was so confusing when I went to tackle the job i.e. the amount of slack between the pulley bracket and the PAS bracket. What Chris says is right the stainless steal connecting pin is where the movement and load strain is. My bolt snapped just as Chris has highlighted. it's just such a stupid setup all together and odd to have the loose PAS bracket bush???
 
I think you'll do better to just leave it alone, just lubricate the stainless steel sleeve and replace the bracket- it will serve you well for another few years ! It's most cars nowadays, the parts fitted at the factory are nowhere near the quality of the ones dealers supply nowadays !
 
Bushed up and rock solid. For anyone interested, dimensions are 27mm ID, 30mm OD and 14mm length (if you do make one, ensure it sits flush in the pulley bracket before fitting)

IMAG13931 IMAG13941 IMAG13951
 
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UPDATE: Two years on, still going strong :)
 
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