I'm thinking I will go buy a new belt and this time strip the paint off the belt tensioner pulley.
Is that crazy?

Yes.

When you remove the belt, can you spin every pulley by hand freely? Is your belt tensioner spring stretched beyond spec?

Also, when you buy a belt, make sure it the belt length corresponds to the size if your water pump pulley. There are 2 different sizes.

This information also applies to the OM606.




The longer belt length is 2145mm.

Pulley PNs:
#6032050110, 138mm diameter
#6032050210, 157mm diameter

If you have the small pulley get the short belt, if you have the large pulley get the long belt.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

"When you remove the belt, can you spin every pulley by hand freely? Is your belt tensioner spring stretched beyond spec?"

I don't know, but the tensioner spring is what came on the car when I bought it.

As far as the belt...



My alternator is a valeo. ( I found that out after I ordered the bosch voltage regulator)

I just found the receipt for the belt and pulley that was on there from 2014 from pelican parts (did not squak for a few years). had I known that I would not have replaced the pulley, trying to think if I threw the pulley out or not... .
Sales slip (pelican parts) says 6k x 2140 010-997-79-92
The one I have on the car says 6PK 2140

I looked online and they are the same as far as I can tell.

I measure the cooling pump pulley and it is 157 MM.

It sounds like I have the correct belt.

I cleaned the gunk out of the pulley grooves before installing the new one. Would that make a difference?