Front Belt Jumped - Christmas Breakdown E320CDI

[ShinyF1]

Well that’s unfortunate. Apologies in advance for the Jackanory nature of this post

Left London early yesterday and all was going well - the old beast hadn’t been used for a couple of weeks but was pulling like a train heading west. Anyway once we hit a couple of slow points (A303 - stop start for a few miles), noticed a ‘chirruping’ had started at the front end. we pressed on as we had a scheduled stop just past Wincanton.

Made the proper stop for coffee/loo breaks etc and the old beast sounded awful once we got going again, really not well at all. Decided to find somewhere sensible to stop and have a look around when the PAS gave up and we got the red light engine warning (alternator). Once parked I had a look and the belt on the front of the engine had jumped off the pulleys.

The belt itself seems to be in one piece but impossible to get back on for someone of my limited talent. The engine also sounded absolutely fine once the belt wasn’t flailing around so much. Anyway now delayed, and as we had stopped at a station, we unpacked, got the next train West, and arrived at our destination. Trust me, trying to manhandle the contents of a fully loaded old e class estate on and off a packed train is not mean feat, even when there’s four of you!

The car is still sitting in a station car park, and I am an hour away wondering what to do next. Big question is will the belt coming off have caused any damage or just shut down ancillaries running off it, and is it just a ‘get a new belt refitted properly’ job? Or is it the final instalment on the list of events that try to signal the end for the faithful beast?

Can anyone recommend a local tech in Somerset who I can contact once the world is back to life next week, or should I just bite the bullet and scrap it here? Oddly my youngest daughter shed a tear when I suggested the old beast may be at the end of the line, which did make me proud....

Thanks

Sean


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[Botus]

an idler pully has probably got a wobbly bearing (normal on Mercs) or something seized and made the belt jump off

damage depends how far you drove without the cooling system pumping (never a good idea)

they are really simple to refit if you have a long flex head ratchet and 17mm socket to twist the tensioner from hell back to let you get the belt on. But it won't have just come off for fun unless the belt's very sad

a very good indy the other side of Bristol -forum supporter and helps out here with advice quite a bit

Avantgarde Automotive

Unit 14 Hither Green Trading Estate,
Clevedon,
Somerset
BS21 6XU.

T: 01275 217270




http://mercedesspecialistfinder.co.uk/

 

[ShinyF1]

I think the belt only came off (and alternator warning light on) during the last mile or so.


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[Botus]

I think the belt only came off (and alternator warning light on) during the last mile or so.


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if you weren't thrashing it and its a tractor its probably fine (in that regard), how do u know the belt is still OK ?
at this age the belt will be pretty sad - just got one to put on my fathers 2006 E280 CDI v6 looks like the original belt and about to let go at 103k miles (there's a "resonator box" in the way stops a new belt going straight on)

 

[ShinyF1]

how do u know the belt is still OK ?
at this age the belt will be pretty sad

It just looks and feels ‘OK’, and is still in one piece, just not wrapped around the wheels and pulleys that it should be. You’re probably right that it won’t be in the best of nick though


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[umblecumbuz]

As said - phone Steve at Avantgarde (above).
Very very helpful and he's already on auto pilot when it comes to what MB Dealers are just learning about Mercs.

 

[Uncle Benz]

It's either one of the guide pulleys or tensioner pulley gone wonky and thrown the belt, or the alternator freewheeling pulley has seized. The noise before it was thrown off would lead me to suspect the alternator pulley. They do sound like a cement mixer full of bricks when they go.
Sometimes a drip of diesel from the high pressure pump can lead to the belt falling off, but I think you'd have mentioned it being soaking wet with fuel in that case.

 

[om613]

A relatively cheap fix... see it just doesn't want to die yet (and be scrapped)!

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Will be back in on Tuesday!

 

[ShinyF1]

Sorry Steve - you were my first thought but slightly too far away from Castle Cary where we left the car and I needed to get it recovered before heading back to London.

The good people of Cornerstone near Chard took the car in last Wednesday, and it is now awaiting collection with a new alternator fitted. The pulley had sheared off [spot on Uncle Benz]. Other than that the old girl is in reasonable shape. I just have to find time to get back down to Somerset in the coming week!

 

[om613]

Good result.
I was thinking about your debacle, doing Bristol and back today in mine!
Shame, I've got a spare alt and pulley.

 

[om613]

It's either one of the guide pulleys or tensioner pulley gone wonky and thrown the belt, or the alternator freewheeling pulley has seized. The noise before it was thrown off would lead me to suspect the alternator pulley. They do sound like a cement mixer full of bricks when they go.
Sometimes a drip of diesel from the high pressure pump can lead to the belt falling off, but I think you'd have mentioned it being soaking wet with fuel in that case.

I had a seized alt pulley = freewheel not working, evidence by lumpy tick over.
Glad I swapped it, if they can let go like Sean's did!
Is that common?

 

[Botus]

incredible to see if you never knew of these one way clutches, they are on most cars for the last 20 years or so....

 

[om613]

The tensioner 'jigging about' is a sure sign that the pulley is failing / failed.

 

[kid-jensen]

Brilliant....I'm sold.

Wonder if they do one for the OM642?