VR6 belt tensioner bearing replacement - how to.

[PhatVR6 0]

Noisy tensioner? don't pay £140 for anew VAG one. The bearing is £5 from any SKF bearing supllier (BSL for instance), code number 6203-2RS1.

 

Screw an M8 bolt into the threaded hole in the tensioner to back off the tension. Don't go too far, you'll damage it if you do.

 

Slip the belt off.

 

Remove the 3x 13mm tensioner to head bolts and remove the tensioner.

 

The bolt holding the pulley to the tensioner is a left hand thread, hold the tensioner in the vice and crack the thread open by turning the bolt clockwise.

 

Remove pulley and bearing.

 

Cut/scrape away the smaller of the retaining lips on your old pulley with a stanley knife then press the old bearing out using a vice and a suitable sized socket. Give it a good clean up and scrape away the lip even more until it's totally smooth so the new bearing can slide staight in without having to stretch the pulley. Then be VERY careful when pressing the new one in or you'll crack the pulley. Make sure it goes in square.

 

Refit it to the tensioner, tighten the bolt and refit it all.

 

No more screaming tensioner bearing.

 

As soon as I can get a spare tensioner I'll be doing these on an exchange basis.

[PhatVR6 0]

bump.

 

sticky please?

 

is this in the right section?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Stickied for you.

 

Great info and will save people a lot of money. Good work.

 

K

[A20 LEE 0]

Noisy tensioner? don't pay £140 for anew VAG one. The bearing is £5 from any SKF bearing supllier (BSL for instance), code number 6203-2RS1.

 

 

As soon as I can get a spare tensioner I'll be doing these on an exchange basis.

 

I've got two spare pulleys, how about i send you both and you send me one back with a new bearing?

[PhatVR6 0]

DEAL

[stormseeker 0]

Nice pictures of some of the removal/disassembly procedure at http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1138497

[jedi-knight83 0]

so which particular noise in my engine bay would this be??? i have so many and i want to fix them all? would this stopp the whistling noise...

 

in the pics that stormseeker posted, they just packed the bearings with grease, would this do just as good-a job as replacing them?

 

cheers

[stormseeker 0]

 

in the pics that stormseeker posted, they just packed the bearings with grease, would this do just as good-a job as replacing them?

 

cheers

 

If there's play in the bearing then no amount of grease will fix it! If it's just dry, then you might get away with it - re-packing it might quieten it for a while...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Only if the bearing is salvagable. If it's completely seized or worn out, you'll need to replace it. They whine when lacking in grease or about to sieze.

 

Best way to check it is to slacken the belt tension (instructions above) and spin the pulley by hand. If it's grindy and stiff....it's shagged. If spins freely with no lateral play....she's OK and prolly could do with some grease to prolong it's life. I lubed mine a few months ago and it's still sweet :lol:

 

If you get a burning rubber smell....the pulley has siezed solid.....so pays to keep your beadies on it.

 

K

[jedi-knight83 0]

cheers guys, another job to add to the list.

 

when you say replace the bearing i presume your refer to the dougnut shaped bit in the middle that holds the ball bearings?

 

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You replace the whole race mate. You just use a suitable drift or socket on the outer of the two metal rings and punch it out. Part no for replacement supplied by PhatVR6 at the top but I have a local bearing supplier if need be.

 

K

[jedi-knight83 0]

haynes says

 

You just use a suitable drift or socket on the outer of the two metal rings and punch it out

 

actual work needed

 

"hold with molegrips and beat repeatedly with a hammer"

 

thanks., i'll see what its like before ordering a spare

[PhatVR6 0]

when you say replace the bearing i presume your refer to the dougnut shaped bit in the middle that holds the ball bearings?

 

no, the "bearing" is the whole metal assembly in the middle. what you call "ball bearings" are in fact called "spherical rolling elements, these are the load bearing, moving parts in the bearing.

 

the part number I have specified is for a deep groove ball roller bearing. effectively that's what's i there now.

 

like other have said, grease is no good, it's noaisy becasue it's worn out. it's too late to grease it.

[PhatVR6 0]

haynes says

 

You just use a suitable drift or socket on the outer of the two metal rings and punch it out

 

actual work needed

 

"hold with molegrips and beat repeatedly with a hammer"

 

thanks., i'll see what its like before ordering a spare

 

if you do that you'll smash the plastic pulley to peices....and you can't buy the pulley on it's own, you have to buy the whole unit.....expensive.

[jedi-knight83 0]

so which is the rubber bit you have to cut to get it out and if its cut away ( i think i know which bit it is) surely the new bearling wont be held in again properly?

[jedi-knight83 0]

if you do that you'll smash the plastic pulley to peices....and you can't buy the pulley on it's own, you have to buy the whole unit.....expensive.

 

t'was a joke

[dr_mat 0]

Did you get those spare tensioners then PhatVR6? I think mine is still iffy..

[PhatVR6 0]

nope. only got the one, my own, and that has a bit missing off the side of the pulley.

[Joe M 0]

Heres another guide for replacing the bearing I just found. Nothing new on whats already been posted but thought id add it anyway.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

And here is the bearing you need. Big shout to Phat for supplying the part number. £6.70 inc VAT. Somewhat cheaper than the whole tensioner unit from VW!

[stu 0]

Excellent work Phat VR6. Replaced my bearing last week, and no probs since. Great service by BG Bearing in Loughborough, if anyone is nearby. Oh, and the guy in thee local motor factors mentioned that these bearings are fitted to Honda m/c's, so a trip to a bike shop may be a good port of call if you can't get hold of one.

[stormseeker 0]

as an incentive to sort out a noisy bearing sooner rather than later... here's what happens when you don't!

 

Bearing has almost completely seized - the heat generated had melted the plastic pulley and the belt was running on the (hot) bearing :shock:

[dr_mat 0]

PhatVR6, did you decide on whether you're going to offer this service, btw?

I'm pretty sure my tensioner is pretty knacked, so I need to look into replacing it. I'll confirm this weekend..

How much do you want for a refurbed one?

[PhatVR6 0]

I've just bought a load of bearings. currently looking for a decent pulley to use as an exchange item as mine is cracked so it's only fit for the bin.

[stormseeker 0]

I've just bought a load of bearings. currently looking for a decent pulley to use as an exchange item as mine is cracked so it's only fit for the bin.

 

I'd be interseted in what you find :-) as you can see above, my old pulley's vapourised :shock:

 

I bought the new bearing 5 days :roll: before my old tensioner bit the dust, so I have all the bits to make a new one except the pulley :-(