Alternator belt help

[DJM]

Well had an issue last night with the car where the battery warning come up on the dash. Checked it on vagcom this morning and didnt show any faults with the battery but with air con. Checked in engine bay and noticed i had no alternator belt on it had snapped and was sitting on the tray at bottom.

Managed to get car home and have put battery on charge over night. Hopefully going to pick up a alternator belt in morning. I did try searching but couldnt find what i was after. Just wondering how hard they are to fit? Done them on other cars but never one with such a tight working space.

Also does anyone know a part number or price? Can pick it up for £15 from local spares place but if not much more id rather get vw part.

[Phil Miller]

Easy to fit, on most VW engines you need a 15mm spanner to move the tensioner so you can get the belt on, word of warning be careful about fingers when getting the belt on

[vRSAlex]

It would be worth checking why it snapped or it could happen again.  Quite rare for this to happen unless its really old (120k+) or its been catching on something.

I think its a 17mm spanner for the newer tensioners.  Too many sizes for me to remember exactly.

[DJM]

From quick look last night it looked like the tensioner loosned but going to inspect further in a minute as seemed abit weird as belt snapped. Was a weird smell so think it might have caught something but dont know if this was before or after it snapped. Ill go armed with both 15mm and 17mm. It accessible from above or got to jack car up? I have a gravel drive so hoping from the top lol.

[vRSAlex]

The tensioner is self tensioning so with no belt on it should be in a fully tight position.  Get a spanner on it and check its still got tension as it may of died.

You can do it from the top but its tight.

[DJM]

Cheers, ill give it a go from top but got battery fully charged so will be able to park it on road and jack it up if need be.

Will check tensioner but just had quote of £26 to replace it on trade so for sake of that may just buy that and the belt.

[DJM]

how do you move the tensioner?

[vRSAlex]

There is a lug on top that the open end of the spanner sits onto.  The lower part of the tensioner where the roller is should be all the way forward at the moment and you will need to pull the tensioner towards you to relieve the tension.

[DJM]

Cheers alex, all sorted. Looks like belt had perished. Changed belt all okay so far. 

[vRSAlex]

Good to hear it all went ok.