Thread: Squeeky Tdi300 water pump drive belt?

On mine it was the tensioner/ idler pulley bearing. These are easy enough to press out but as a few threads have pointed out, there are a few different quality bearings that you can get from Consolidated Bearings etc., ranging from about $4 to 12. It's better to go for quality. The old trick for isolating the offender is to use a long screwdriver as a 'stethoscope'. Put the blade end against the suspect part (retaining bolt of the pulley, avoiding the belt) and the round end of the plastic handle against the outside of your earlobe.

I was hoping that the lube on the belt would indicate that it was not a bearing. The tensioner was new when I rebuilt the motor about 30k ago, so hoping it would last longer than that.
I'll take up your screwdriver technique though, and see what I can hear.

There are three bearings on the 300Tdi belt - all the same size and at a mere $7 to $10 each, I'd advise replacing all three at the same time. Either as soon as one starts to fail or at a regular, say, 100,000kms.

not sure if applying lubes - particularly WD40 - is the go...probably better off applying a proper belt conditioner for squealing belts - the belts grip better (allowing you to run lower tensions for manually-adjusted belts, thereby increasing bearing life) and helping the belt last longer in the process.

Solved the squeeky belt ... in an effort to confirm that the problem was a belt rather than bearing ... I changed to an old belt I had as a spare ... SILENT
AND squeeky belt had bits of what looked like hard plastic, but maybe bits of old sticker. Scraped these out of the groove, refitted belt, still silent, and after about 100ks, still silent. I will claim problem was the belt, and proceed to Sturt NP for next week.

You'll find that the bits of plastic were grains of sand etc. see it all the time with the poly rib belts. It's a good idea to check your belt for this every time you've been in the ruff. They will stuff your belt and pullies.

Make sure this doesnt happen

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php't=44198

It started as a squeak and I used dry lube thinking it was a belt problem...

Or could be this, can't see it in my photos. but the back of the main belt had litle globules of rubber on it.
Maybe the old one you put on is a bit harder and not wearing like the newer belt.
As i found out , and others, don;t discount the idler pulley.
Mine wasn;t visibly out.



http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread...t=idler+pulley



john