I've changed the belt, and belt tensioner on my 89, 300e a few times, but this C-class looks a little different. I don't see where the tensioner is on the 280.
Any advice before I get in over my head, or break something in the process.

Thanks,
Shawn

It is to the right of the fan clutch. You will see a pulley that does not drive anything, that is the tensioner. Otherwise the basic procedure should be relatively similar.

__________________
Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

Yes I see the tenisioner pully, but where do you adjust it at? I can't see anything that will tighten or loosen it. It's so far down in the middle of the rest of the pully's that I can't see how it would be spring loaded.

I think this is probably the least favorite thing I like to replace. It never fails that one of the bolts holding on the fan, strips while trying to take it out. And by the time I'm done, there's never much skin left on my hands from the radiator scraping it off.

Still stumped and starting to become very frustrated

I probably shouldn't say anything since I don't have a 6 or that year but I will tell you how it is on my car hopefully that will get you going or someone will say I am wrong!!

On my car ('98 C230) the tensioner pully is spring loaded and has no adjustment. It has an "external torx" head screw on it and you put a wratchet with appropriate E-xx socket on it and pull to remove tension and then release after the new belt is anstalled. At least that is how I remember it and it hasn't been that long ago since I did it.

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Don't know if the '95 has a different version of the tensioner, but on the '97 there is a 15mm nut in the middle of the pulley. I put a wrench on it and rotate and it pulls the tensioner out of the way so that you can slide the belt off of it.

__________________
Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record