Drivebelt Tensioner Seized

pendulum

Hi. The car is a '98 Peugeot 306 (1.9 diesel). It's generally been an unreliable car and needed a new engine around October last year.

Shortly thereafter, the drivebelt began squealing. When I finally got round to doing it, I checked and the belt was loose. I adjusted the tensioner which fixed the squealing, but shortly after we began to get smoke from the belt.

The symptoms suggested I had done it up too tight, so I loosened it to the point where it definitely wasn't too tight. A week later the belt broke.

When fitting the new belt, I noticed that the tensioner pulley wouldn't turn. I've taken the tensioner off the car and have it in my hands, and it's seized for sure. My theory is that when the belt was loose, the belt could slide OK along the stuck pulley (creating noise), but once it was tightened there was increase in friction which caused the smoke and soon lead to the belt breaking. Does this sound reasonable?

I can see they're about £40 or £45 new. How much roughly should I be paying at a scrapyard when I go tomorrow?

Thanks.

Hammyman

For the love of god. This is one part you do not buy second hand. I can't believe you didn't fit a new cambelt kit when you put the new engine in. I suggest you fit a full kit now including tensioner - you've been lucky that the belt didn't let go.

Flying-High_2

Put the whole kit on it while your at it.. Do it right do it once...

Strider590

Bodgeit n legit n co......

Im betting the scrappy will charge just as much for 2nd hand as you'd get new from someone like Eurocarparts or even on ebay!

jaydeeuk1

pendulum wrote: »

Hi. The car is a '98 Peugeot 306 (1.9 diesel). It's generally been an unreliable car and needed a new engine around October last year.

Shortly thereafter, the drivebelt began squealing. When I finally got round to doing it, I checked and the belt was loose. I adjusted the tensioner which fixed the squealing, but shortly after we began to get smoke from the belt.

The symptoms suggested I had done it up too tight, so I loosened it to the point where it definitely wasn't too tight. A week later the belt broke.

When fitting the new belt, I noticed that the tensioner pulley wouldn't turn. I've taken the tensioner off the car and have it in my hands, and it's seized for sure. My theory is that when the belt was loose, the belt could slide OK along the stuck pulley (creating noise), but once it was tightened there was increase in friction which caused the smoke and soon lead to the belt breaking. Does this sound reasonable?

I can see they're about £40 or £45 new. How much roughly should I be paying at a scrapyard when I go tomorrow?

Thanks.

So had an engine, belt snapped, and you've just bought a new belt but not yet fitted/had the engine running? Are the valves ok?

bungle4by4

if its the auxiliary belt, not the cambelt. then no engine damage, buy one from a scrappy, and chuck him a tenner. if its the cambelt tensioner then buy brand new.

personally i'd fit a new one in anycase.

cyclonebri1

pendulum wrote: »

Hi. The car is a '98 Peugeot 306 (1.9 diesel). It's generally been an unreliable car and needed a new engine around October last year.

Shortly thereafter, the drivebelt began squealing. When I finally got round to doing it, I checked and the belt was loose. I adjusted the tensioner which fixed the squealing, but shortly after we began to get smoke from the belt.

The symptoms suggested I had done it up too tight, so I loosened it to the point where it definitely wasn't too tight. A week later the belt broke.

When fitting the new belt, I noticed that the tensioner pulley wouldn't turn. I've taken the tensioner off the car and have it in my hands, and it's seized for sure. My theory is that when the belt was loose, the belt could slide OK along the stuck pulley (creating noise), but once it was tightened there was increase in friction which caused the smoke and soon lead to the belt breaking. Does this sound reasonable?

I can see they're about £40 or £45 new. How much roughly should I be paying at a scrapyard when I go tomorrow?

Thanks.

Unintelligeble post, sorry OP, as said cambelt or fan belt, big difference,

pendulum

I definitely replied to this to say I was talking about an auxiliary belt. Where did the post go???

cyclonebri1

pendulum wrote: »

I definitely replied to this to say I was talking about an auxiliary belt. Where did the post go???

No worries, that makes it much less serious, can't remember what your question was, but just replace the failed bits,;);)

pendulum

Yep will do. The scrappy said he'd want £8 which was fine but I went looking and couldn't find one. Going to go round a few others tomorrow weather permitting. They are nearly £50 new which I think is a bit much to be honest.

cyclonebri1

pendulum wrote: »

Yep will do. The scrappy said he'd want £8 which was fine but I went looking and couldn't find one. Going to go round a few others tomorrow weather permitting. They are nearly £50 new which I think is a bit much to be honest.

£35 on ebay after a quick look