W211 OM648 E320CDi Serpentine belt replacement - DIY task?

[gez]

MOT advisories over the past few years have advised that the belt is perishing.
I've put it off as the car does low mileage, but now that every room in the house has been painted during lockdown I now need another project!
Is it a DIY task to replace the belt and tensioner?
I can't find a video or procedure specifically for the OM648 320 engine and wondering how much dismantling is needed at the front.

 

[ajlsl600]

U should not have much prob doing that .take picture of belt pulleys first find tensioner organise how to pull it back against spring and keep it back ,watch fingers ! ,fit belt and release tensioner. Doubt it would take an hr.did my petrol 320 in 15 min.

 

[mioba]

Not something to be put off to be fair. Last thing you want snapping anytime.

Just make sure you get an original Belt. See that all the pulleys are freely spinning - no noise in the bearings.

 

[EmilysDad]

A 'fan belt' ....how hard can it be a I thought when it needed replacing on EmilysMum's Citroen, I've replaced loads over the years! It ended up costing me a few hundred quid for a new water pump pulley and something else.

 

[mioba]

On older cars it was the norm to change the water pump at the same time when water pumps were cheap as.

 

[EmilysDad]

On older cars it was the norm to change the water pump at the same time when water pumps were cheap as.

I've heard of changing water pumps when they're cam belt driven, but not when they're driven by an aux/fan belt.

 

[ajlsl600]

A 'fan belt' ....how hard can it be a I thought when it needed replacing on EmilysMum's Citroen, I've replaced loads over the years! It ended up costing me a few hundred quid for a new water pump pulley and something else.

Try the b w168 !! Crazy .no chance on road side unless yr towin trailer tools ramps ect .my ng,5 min 2 spanner.progress?for who!!!!!

 

[EmilysDad]

Try the b w168 !! Crazy .no chance on road side unless yr towin trailer tools ramps ect .my ng,5 min 2 spanner.progress?for who!!!!!

I've no idea of what it look like on my W166 But when was the last time you had a 'fan belt' snap? The last one of mine was an 8ft long serpentine on my V6 Omega about a mile from home, I tried to limp it home but the engine temp went far too high for comfort so had it recovered home.

 

[ajlsl600]

Its gettin that every f thing is a recovery job now ,such ,I am thinkin on having my own damn car trailer !!!

 

[sonic]

The last belt I had snap was on my Austin 1300 in 1973, the car was 16 months old. It was a 6am on the M5 pouring with rain, but at least I had a spare in the boot. This was the most unreliable car I have ever owned & the only new one I have ever bought.

 

[ajlsl600]

Austin 1300 .not the uk finest hr for cars.but simple to fix.