Help Roadside break down: 190e belt tensioner questions - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

haasman · #1 11-25-2003, 12:20 AM

The 190e's belt tensioner quit in the middle of downtown San Francsico! OK, there are worse places to have a problem.

I determined that the adjusting arm came out of the serpentine belt adjuster. I just replaced the unit and I am wondering if I installed it the wrong way.

I have two questions:

- Which way does the threaded long adjuster arm go into the belt tensioner? In other words, does the curved hooked end point towards the front of the car or towards the back of the car.

I wonder this because I can remove the rod completely ....

-Second question: Can I remove just the tensioner unit alone or do I have to do extra removal of parts and pieces surrounding it?

I am embarassed to ask but when I did this several weekends ago it was also while doing a water pump and I didn't pay alot of attention.

Thanks in advance,

Haasman

Stranded in a beautiful city .....

jrbnc · #2 11-25-2003, 08:06 AM

Haasman,

Mine also broke recently when I was away from home. I think the curved hook end points to the rear, but i cant really remember. If you can pull that rod out all the way i think its busted on the end where it goes into the tensioner, and you cant reuse it. Mine has a belt shock that goes under the crank shaft. All that I had to remove to get the tensioner out was the Fan, fan shroud, P/S pulley, and then tensioner.

Josh

haasman · #3 11-25-2003, 09:14 AM

Thanks Josh

This is what I was figuring .... I think I installed the rod incorrectly though. I don't thinkit broke off

Haasman

haasman · #4 11-25-2003, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Which way does the threaded long adjuster arm go into the belt tensioner? In other words, does the curved hooked end point towards the front of the car or towards the back of the car.

Well .... the hooked end faces the rear of the car. It actually goes in between the adjuster housing and the outer collar. This way it is prevented from coming out of the hole in the collar as well as being held by a clip.

I am getting good at taking this thing off and on now ....

Thanks for everyone's help, especially Josh!

Below is how it should been!

xp190 · #5 11-25-2003, 11:04 PM

My car came without that hook, I bought a replacement, but since the tensioner was not installed correctly, I broke the ring with the holw that holds the hook, so now i have two broken ones. I figured out a way to tension up this sucker without that bit hook, but one day, it'll be back in there the way it should, only $12 CDN.

xp