Belt Tensioning - Some questions

[LostThePlot]

Folks,

My W124 300TE water pump swap has eventaully been completed to the stage where now i simply need to retension the belt. Having read the book by that Anglo-Spanish chap (Haynes Manuel) I have a couple of questions that I can't seem to find answer to.

Questiosn refer to this diagram http://tinyurl.com/ykn8rp

1) Item 17- Shock Absorber - This seems to have no resistance to it, in either direction.
Q1: I presume it should?
Q2: What purpose does this serve?

2) My Tightener has the Triangle embossed on it. Now Manual say to set pointer (44) to the far right, and tighten 41 until the pointer is at the thick end of the triangle, so belt is tight.
Q1: As the pointer, 44 is movable when in situ, and it's all been apart anyway, what is your starting point for the start of the tightening process? Adjust 41 to finger tight then set pointer to the far right?

Are there any 124 gods who can assist please?

TIA

Eric

 

[turnipsock]

The shock absorber (17) should have a bit of resistance. You should be able to move it but you will feel a bit of resistance. The shock absorber is there to smooth out the fact that pulleys are not perfectly round.

I remember having problems figuring all this out a couple of years ago. I think there was something you had to apply pressure to before tightening something. I think it was in around (5).

 

[Stevie A]

There's the small tension adjuster nut that points down. Tighten that up until there is about half an inch of play on the belt. Then tighten up the big 17mm ish main bolt that is on the tensioner barrel where you set the plastic pointer thing that Haynes refers to. Set the pointer thing as Haynes says and it will make sense.