slipping belt?

[mjt]

i suspect a belt is slipping.
no idea how many belts the tdi 150 has, but there's a horrible screeching when using the power steering at idle (< 1000 rpm)
and you can hear it very briefly when starting

it's also much more rattly at idle, but if you rev maybe 100rpm more, it goes back to normal.
there is nothing untoward at anything above 1000 rpm, so if i'm turning while on slipping the clutch, there's no screeching.

is this a serious issue, or can it wait a few weeks and a 2000km trek through europe?

it only appeared yesterday afternoon, after a particularly appalling piece of norwegian road (winter ruts a-plenty)
is it possible that bumpty, rutted roads can knock the belt?

it went away this morning, but after a 100 mile drive it's come back..

cheers

 

[Robb1990]

Sounds like tensioner is fecked to me. They are a self adjusting type with a shock dampner on them. My first one fell appart (damper mounting snapped) and ive just replaced it, as the new one i fitted started leaking its fluid everywhere.
If the main spring has gone in the tensioner itself your belt will be slipping constatly id assume. When mine failed it just squeeked on switch off/on. While your there id fit a new belt as its probably due plus it will fall off when your doing the tensioner as the PAS pulley has to come off to allow access to the tensioner bolts.

I paid £70 for the tensioner and a belt will be around £5-£10 A garage will probably charge an hours labour id assume.

 

[mjt]

if it is the tensioner, how serious is it?
i don't really want to pay norwegian labour/parts rates if i don't have to.. (£400 for an outer cv joint @ dealer!!)

i'm going home for easter, but this involves a 2,000km journey..

 

[Robb1990]

depends how bad it is now. If the belt is slipping all the time (constant screech) then your alternator wont be making much charge. If its just a little bit, like a screech when you set off from lights ect then id risk the journey tbh. It doesnt power your water pump so the engine wont go tits up.

On the belt you have PAS, AirCon compressor and alternator. So if it does fail compleatly you will get VERY heavy steering. When my alternator/belt failed on mine, i drove about 10 miles with no PAS, parking and low speed was tough!, but once you got it over 10Mph, it was just about do-able.

 

[mjt]

my A/C compressor is broken already
it's only causing screeching and über vibrations on steering at idle and the engine sounds a bit raucous at idle, or below 1,000rpm on the move.
once it's revving above 1,000 there's nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Robb1990]

You will be fine then, sounds just like the dampner part has given in. Id do the journey. I was driving around like that all last week untill i got a new one bought and fitted it. I wasnt doing great distances like yourself though, maybe a 20mile radius from my house lol

 

[ltwilson]

my A/C compressor is broken already
it's only causing screeching and über vibrations on steering at idle and the engine sounds a bit raucous at idle, or below 1,000rpm on the move.
once it's revving above 1,000 there's nothing out of the ordinary.

Did you get it sorted? Im having the same problem and have replaced belt and tensioner which only solves problem short term!!!!!!!!!

 

[mjt]

i'm getting it sorted tomorrow
replacing this thing (tensioner?) and the belt, see what happens..

 

[Robb1990]

It certainly is mate. Just make sure the one you have is the same as it looks slightly different to mine. That is if your doin it yourself, if not, its up to the garage to sort that out Hope all goes well.

 

[mjt]

yeh, i made sure we ordered the right part. got a hella one as it was cheaper than a VAG branded part. i've got the ARL 150bhp the local garage's computer system showed that it matched the engine.

was fixed today, there's still a really faint squealing on idle, but you can only hear it with the bonnet up. it's probably a loose wheel or something, nothing serious. it doesn't sound anywhere near as rough on idle, and i swear the power steering feels lighter whilst turning at a standstill. certianly no horrific vibrations or noises like before

shame that and belt cost £100 together though
add the £100 for an hour's labour... i hate norway

 

[LEE69]

It's only 3 bolts holding the tensioner to the block, a very easy item to replace.

 

[magicoi]

I'm so glad i found this thread as my Cupra has been doing the same for a couple of months but just not had the money to fix it!

Is it really a DIY job? I could really do without a trip to a garage to be spanked for cash!

mjt - Can you post a link to the part number?

 

[LEE69]

Definitely a DIY job.

 

[magicoi]

excellent! Now its just a job of findin the part then

 

[Robb1990]

depends how confident you are. First time i did it, i struggled getting the belt back together, then i was shown the right way and now i can whip it all off and back together in 30 mins. On my 110 non-pd i had to remove the boost pipe from the intercooler, power steering pulley and fuel lines.

You do need access under the car though without doubt, trying to get a spanner to take the tension off from the top is a nightmare.

 

[LEE69]

Mines the LC and was far far easier than that, depends how handy you are with a spanner.

 

[magicoi]

Well i may get a quote from a garage in that case!

 

[mjt]

bleh, it's still squealing on idle, nowhere near as loud as before, but you can still hear it faintly in the distance. lame.

mjt - Can you post a link to the part number?

i can't remember the part number, but feel free to read it off the image i posted above
it looks like 098 903 315F

 

[Robb1990]

Still squeeling? ask the garge to check it all over id say, I mean, if its a new belt and tensioner, then there is nothing to stop it getting the required tension unless its a faulty part. Sure its coming from the belt? If you put more/less load on it, does it go louder or quieter? like turning the steering when stationary, or putting on the air-con.

 

[mjt]

my AC compressor is broken, but the noise is the same sound and frequency all the time, and you can only hear it at idle, and up to around 1200rpm. the guy at the garage says it might be a 'wheel' or something. can't remember the word he used as it was in norwegian..

one of the pulleys on the belt probably.
i'll pop into the SEAT dealer when i get back home next week for a proper diagnosis. it's nothing serious, it's just a bit annoying. driving a few hundred miles on the knackered damper probably loosened something else around the belt..