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  #1  
Old 07-13-2013, 11:49 AM
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Excessive noise from belt area -- tentioner shock changed, next step

Hi all -- There is excessive clacking/ noise coming from the belt tensioner area. If I was driving a John Deere it would be OK.

I changed the belt tensioner shock (removed fan, etc.) and am still experiencing the same noise. Belt appears to be vibrating tensioner arm at idle.

What is next step?

Belt seems to turn well and I do not see any wobble in any of the pulleys.

Should I take tension off of belt and check for tensioner pulley for play?

Does the spring get stretched over time thus allowing play in the system? Should I change the spring?

I'm using a Goodyear Gatorback belt I installed 20-25k miles ago. Should I replace with a Gates belt (other posts say this is OEM)?

Any other steps?

This MB looks too nice to have this much noise coming from the front.

-- Chris

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-- Chris

'95 E300, 216k miles, Silver Surfer
'05 E320 CDI, 138k miles
'07 S550 4matic, 69k miles

Gone but not forgotten:

'76 300D, 350k miles?, SOLD in 1995
'75 240D, 300k miles, SOLD in 1991

Last edited by chronometers; 07-13-2013 at 02:20 PM.
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  #2  
Old 07-14-2013, 12:45 AM
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Maybe remove the belt and manipulate each pully in the system to see if you have any play or grinding?

My gut says possible bad bearing in one of the pully positions.
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  #3  
Old 07-14-2013, 07:31 AM
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Sounds like belt tensioner arm bushings are worn. Does the edge of the serp belt ride over the tensioner pulley a little bit? I had a squeak and tried three different kinds of belts, including the gatorbelt. It was a worn tensioner arm bushing and bolt.
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  #4  
Old 07-14-2013, 12:46 PM
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take the belt off, and grab EVERYTHING wriggle it up down in and out. anything that moves, including the tensioner arm needs to be replaced.

I usually pull the tensioner arms, and pulleys on the 124's I've gotten, and they have ALWAYS been bad.
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #5  
Old 07-14-2013, 12:55 PM
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+1
I ended up replacing almost everything that rotates on the front of my 124 when I got it working again last fall. Granted it had been in a minor front end collision but there was slop in everything.

Water pump - replaced
Ac compressor - replaced
tensioner, pulley, shock, and spring - replaced
alternator - had the bearings replaced at a motor machine shop
power steering tandem pump - still going strong
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2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

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  #6  
Old 07-14-2013, 02:17 PM
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Is the only way to tell by taking the belt tensioner arm off and inspecting it?

It would be nice to avoid unscrewing the big bolt that holds it on to the engine block.
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'95 E300, 216k miles, Silver Surfer
'05 E320 CDI, 138k miles
'07 S550 4matic, 69k miles

Gone but not forgotten:

'76 300D, 350k miles?, SOLD in 1995
'75 240D, 300k miles, SOLD in 1991
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  #7  
Old 07-14-2013, 02:41 PM
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No afraid not.

I would replace the tensioner assembly (all 4 components) post haste.

If it lets go you are looking at stranded on the side of the road best case and major damage worst case.

Like vstech said, while you have the belt off check the other pulleys for play. All pulleys should have no play in any axis (up/down, left/right, in/out).

You should be able to freely spin the ac pulley since the clutch is disengaged. The alternator and water pump will offer some resistance but you should be able to smoothly turn them. Power steering will be a little stiff when turning by hand.

Of course you cannot turn the crank pulley by hand.
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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech
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  #8  
Old 07-14-2013, 07:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chronometers View Post
Is the only way to tell by taking the belt tensioner arm off and inspecting it?

It would be nice to avoid unscrewing the big bolt that holds it on to the engine block.
sure, you can take off the shock and the spring, and the belt, then rotate everything like I said. if the tensioner pivot is bad, you'll either feel play, or a binding feeling as you rotate the arm from top to bottom throw. it should be TOTALLY smooth and have zero play in the bearing. if in doubt, change it.
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #9  
Old 07-14-2013, 07:12 PM
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oh,
the bolt comes with the new tensioner arm, but the WASHER DOES NOT!!! DON"T LOOSE THE WASHER!!!
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #10  
Old 07-14-2013, 07:58 PM
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http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/311653-belt-tension-arm-collapse.html

check for wear on the bolt and the washer.
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1995 E300D 306,000 Sold
1996 Ford Taurus LX 130,000 Sold
1985 300TD Still 225,000 Sold
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  #11  
Old 07-14-2013, 09:00 PM
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Chris, I replaced the clattering tensioner shock on my '97 E 300 D, only to find that the new shock still made a clattering sound. I found that the part of the shock that is adhered to the rubber on each end was hitting the block at the top and the tensioner arm at the bottom. In my case the clattering was worse at idle for some reason, so I could shut the car down and using a screw driver to move the shock away from the block and the arm. I confirmed that it was quiet, but it soon moved back and started clattering again. I found a plastic oil drain plug washer that fit between the block and the upper shock mount and had a hole large enough to fit over the center sleeve. This kept the shock from hitting the block and also kept the bottom from hitting the arm so all is now quiet, well, for a diesel.
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  #12  
Old 07-14-2013, 09:16 PM
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Thanks for info.

If I place a stick on the tensioner arm, the noise goes away. I changed the tensioner shock so I have to conclude it is the tensioner arm bearing(s).

My understanding is that only the Meyle arm includes the bolt.
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-- Chris

'95 E300, 216k miles, Silver Surfer
'05 E320 CDI, 138k miles
'07 S550 4matic, 69k miles

Gone but not forgotten:

'76 300D, 350k miles?, SOLD in 1995
'75 240D, 300k miles, SOLD in 1991
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  #13  
Old 07-15-2013, 01:07 AM
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Hmmm
all 4 pictured in the parts section include the bolt... febi, meyle, trucktec, and Genuine MB...

the bolt is circliped in, I fail to see how it's changed actually...
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #14  
Old 07-15-2013, 03:05 PM
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Try your stick on the top of the shock where it mounts to the block. If it stops the noise, I would suggest you try the plastic washer trick I mentioned, as it is way easier than fooling with the tensioner arm. The brand of my new shock was Sachs which I understood to be OEM. It was clearly defective but it was such a pain to install I did not want to do it again so I jury rigged a repair.

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