Aux belt issue

[Rids666]

Hi guys
Noticed a rumble and squeak coming from the aux belt so got the car jacked up this morning and took the wheel and liner off so I could get a decent look at what's going on. With the engine running the belt is flapping around all over the place and clearly hasn't got enough tension on it.
Took a video here: https://youtu.be/_06O0Dh5n0w

Bit of advice please. Does it look like the belt has stretched or is it the tensioner? According to the service history the bottom crank pulley and aux belt were replaced in Feb this year but not the tensioner!
Thanks for any help

[Ovlovppz]

Get new belts, auxiliary and Aircon, and a tensioner on as soon as possible. They have been known to take out the cam belt when (if) they let go 😉😉

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Rids666

Hi guys
Noticed a rumble and squeak coming from the aux belt so got the car jacked up this morning and took the wheel and liner off so I could get a decent look at what's going on. With the engine running the belt is flapping around all over the place and clearly hasn't got enough tension on it.
Took a video here: https://youtu.be/_06O0Dh5n0w

Bit of advice please. Does it look like the belt has stretched or is it the tensioner? According to the service history the bottom crank pulley and aux belt were replaced in Feb this year but not the tensioner!
Thanks for any help

You will find the alternator one way drive clutch has seized , it is designed to stop this belt oscillation .. No harm in changing the belt and tensioner too whilst there , it may have been overloaded by the vibration ..

[Rids666]

Thanks clan
Had a quick read and watched some videos about the alternator clutch pulley and this looks like the culprit. Will get the belt off and check all the pulleys
Wondering how much a garage would charge for the job or might give it a go myself

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Rids666

Thanks clan
Had a quick read and watched some videos about the alternator clutch pulley and this looks like the culprit. Will get the belt off and check all the pulleys
Wondering how much a garage would charge for the job or might give it a go myself

you will need to get the alternator off and there are two special tools , one to hold the shaft and the other to undo the pulley . Note the thread can be left hand or right hand depending on which way the alternator rotates . You undo the pulley the opposite direction to what it rotates . It can be initially very tight so an impact gun is your friend here , but only do it up by hand ...

[Rids666]

So this morning I have taken the aux belt off and tested the alternator clutch pulley and it is definitely this that is faulty. I've had a go at removing the alternator as there is no way to remove the pulley with it in situ but it looks like you have to remove the power steering pump to gain access to the lower left mounting bolt
Think I might have to get a garage to sort it now.

[Rids666]

Bit of an update.....
Contacted Volvo to get a price for supplying and fitting a new alternator clutch pulley. I was quoted £88 plus vat for the pulley and 1 hours labour @ £128 an hour!
So I thought I'd give it a go myself. Managed to get the identical original part from a supplier off eBay for £33 delivered. Bought a pulley removal tool off amazon for £22.
By removing the upper and lower right bolts on the alternator and loosening the lower left bolt I was able to get enough wiggle room to place the tool in the end of the pulley. For anyone who is unsure the thread on this model is right handed.
The pulley was incredibly tight but finally managed to get it cracked. Very impressed with the sealey tool as I was swinging on it and amazingly it held up! Thought for sure it was going to shear off at one point!
Fitting the new pulley was very straight forward. With the help of the missus putting the aux belt back on was also straight forward.
This is definitely a job for the home mechanic if you want to save a bit of cash
Thanks again to clan for steering me in the right direction

[oragex]

Thanks for the update. What brand is the replacement pulley? Inexpensive brands simply don't last. I think Ina is about the choice for a good replacement one.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by oragex

Thanks for the update. What brand is the replacement pulley? Inexpensive brands simply don't last. I think Ina is about the choice for a good replacement one.

This is one of the very few cases where I would suggest buying non Volvo branded parts.

The one in the Volvo box is INA and costs £100 ish with VAT. The exact same pulley, with same markings and part number, is on e-bay as a INA branded part for £22.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INA-Over-...72.m2749.l2649

The Sealey tool (SX400) usually works well and is also £20 on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Al...72.m2749.l2649

I did the one on my XC90 a few days ago, there's more room on the P2 platform and it can be done in situ.

[Rids666]

Pulley was INA identical to the one fitted from new. The price Volvo try and charge for what is a non Volvo part is almost daylight robbery. To start with the parts guy tried to tell me this part couldn’t be purchased alone as it comes fitted to the alternator. He said I would have to buy a new alternator at £400 plus vat!!! Thankfully i knew better however makes you wonder how many people would fall for it and get the whole unit replaced.