Totally chewed out Idler bearing - TD5

[cwebb]

Anyone seen a Idler bearing on a TD5 as bad as this?
This happened to my D2 TD5 last Friday. It came on very suddenly.
The Idler bearing is on the right side of the engine (passenger side) under the airconditioner compressor. Not too difficult to change either, got a new one for around $70 and installed it in a hour, taking my time.
I noticed it after hearing really strange noises, I actually thought my gearbox has decided to throw it in.
I managed to drive home 25km at very slow RPM, and it finally died about 250 meters from home. Because I was coasting down hills in neutral, the bearing eventually seized, stalled the engine and that was that. No chance of restarting. And MAN! The D2 is a total beast to try and steer when the engine doesn't go, thats for sure.
Have a look at the photos, the yellow ringed bearing is of course the new one.
This is the first time that something mechanical has gone wrong or worn out on the actual engine.
Cheers
Chris

[Xtreme]

I hope you also replaced the other idler bearing while you were at it!

Actually, although they are supposedly sealed bearings, I managed to prize out the plastic covers on each side, gave them a good clean and then regreased them. I reckon this should be done about every 80,000kms, more often in dusty or muddy conditions.
Avoids all those horrible noises. :D

[alien]

Mine did this too:eek: (120,000km)
Burnt through the serpintine belt but it loosened the rubber in my harmonic balencer first;)
That was on the way home from a camping trip away and it was towed to home.

As stated do the adjuster also as it's probarly the same age, oh and the one in the timeing case.
I'll be doing them all and the belt every 100,000.

[Psimpson7]

I've changed all mine after the tensioner failed in a similar way burning through the drive belt. I carry a full set, belt and tensioner now.

[McDisco]

Pfft! Thats nothin...you should have seen mine when it failed! It spat out white hot bearings that burnt through the bitumen! My mechanic has a wall of shame and I have about 4 to 5 bits on it! The other is my harmonic balancer...