Mercedes-Benz Forum banner
Cancel

Input on belt tensioner setting

1870 Views 20 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  lowesguy, 
lowesguy
Trying to adjust belt, instruction in stickies says adjust to 2nd mark, I don't see a second mark on tensioner? there are 2 white dots on mine and a line ,1992 M103, my son says he hears a noise when car shifts gears and A/C is on, like something slipping, I'm thinking loose belt, I did replace water pump few months back and had to remove tensioner, I tested it and it passed the 30 degree test so did not replace it, belt seems tight but double checking adjustment, has a new 6 month old belt also, check out this pic, anyone see a second mark?
Thanks for any input on this!

Attachments

See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 4 of 21 Posts
LeftCoastGeek
dead giveaway you need a new tensioner is if you remove it from the engine and look at it,



the good one, on the right, a virtual line between the 'flats' on the shaft points at the pulley. the bad one on the left, they don't.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
LeftCoastGeek
the tensioner itself is a fairly expensive part. the cheap aftermarket ones are JUNK. and yes, when I did the serp. belt on my wife's e320, I replaced /everything/ (adjuster, damper, and tensioner) as I had no idea what I was getting into. in my case, only the tensioner itself actually needed replacement, but the other two parts were relatively cheap.
Reply
Save
Like
LeftCoastGeek
if you can find a wrecked late 1995 E320, or one of the early (1996-97 ?) W210 cars with the M104, they use a completely different tensioner that's spring loaded, and is much simpler, cheaper, and never wears out. you need to find the newer car to snag its power steering pump bracket, as you need that bracket to mount the new style tensioner.. this bracket will transplant onto your M104 and I think even M103, hold your existing PS pump, and the new style tensioner. no more adjuster, or nada, you just turn the tensioner and stick a pin in it to hold it 'open', change the belt, pull the pin to release it and tension the belt, done.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
LeftCoastGeek
if only the compressor is oily, and its not coming from something 'above' it on the engine and dripping down, its likely leaked out of the A/C system itself... there's a few ounces of special A/C oil in there with the refrigerant, this lubricates the compressor.
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 4 of 21 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Mercedes-Benz Forum
BenzWorld.org forum is one of the largest Mercedes-Benz owner websites offering the most comprehensive collection of Mercedes-Benz information anywhere in the world. The site includes MB Forums, News, Galleries, Publications, Classifieds, Events and much more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
W126 S,SE,SEC,SEL,SD,SDL Class R/C107 SL/SLC Class W163 M-Class W124 E,CE,D,TD Class W210 E-Class
Top