this belt in my car is occasionally squeaky, is it a problem? [WARNING: FILTHY ENGINE BAY]
- Thread starter kanyewest
- Start date
Auxiliary drive belt. If its squeaking then it is likely to be worn. If it snaps its not a complete disaster but the battery wont charge and some other things like power steering and air con might not work. (Im not sure what the belt drives in these cars). I would get it replaced to be honest, they are not expensive and not that hard to change,
nice one sharpy! from some google searches it looks like its in charge of the battery and air con at the very least. ive had a look online and found these two belts. now im not suer if there is any acutal difference but one says
VIN From 6L-2-012 770 and the other says VIN To 6L-2-012 769
do you reckon these are just the same belts?
VIN From 6L-2-012 770 and the other says VIN To 6L-2-012 769
do you reckon these are just the same belts?
The amount/level of noises that the auxiliary belt makes is usually relative to the ambient temperature and alternator load demand, so at this time of year, the demand will be high, the battery might be past its best and the temperature is low - and also add in the fact that there is possible salt glazing going on with the road salt mixed with water attacking that belt and its pulleys.
It is always a good plan with these engines to replace the cambelt, some idlers and tensioner, water and coolant, and also the auxiliary belt - when the cambelt is replaced.
Some people save a bit of cash and only get the actual belt replaced, these people, in my mind are wasting their money, just get the job done correctly by a proper garage first time round and then no need to worry about that area again for a few more years.
On the question of 2 different belt versions due to VIN number range change, why not accept that finding and buy the one for your car's VIN range? Or buy from SEAT? Again saves lots of time wasting when it get changed.
It is always a good plan with these engines to replace the cambelt, some idlers and tensioner, water and coolant, and also the auxiliary belt - when the cambelt is replaced.
Some people save a bit of cash and only get the actual belt replaced, these people, in my mind are wasting their money, just get the job done correctly by a proper garage first time round and then no need to worry about that area again for a few more years.
On the question of 2 different belt versions due to VIN number range change, why not accept that finding and buy the one for your car's VIN range? Or buy from SEAT? Again saves lots of time wasting when it get changed.
Clearly one belt is slightly longer than the other, one is 1080mm and the other 1082mm although ECP also claim it is 1084mm, the change will be down to the reduction of the alternator pulley diameter which I think dropped by 2mm at one point in time. Now does that make a serious difference, probably not, if it did it would mean that the belt tensioner was not in its ideal position so it might be just too near another idler/pulley. Trying to buy the correct belt is always the best plan, can you not still make out any script painted on that belt's surface - is is usually quite enduring.
One other tip, cover the AC service port with insulating tape or a proper dust cover, who ever was last in contact with the AC in that car did not care much about competing that job!
One other tip, cover the AC service port with insulating tape or a proper dust cover, who ever was last in contact with the AC in that car did not care much about competing that job!
i actually had the battery changed last week, which was also the last time i heard it squeak loudly. the dealership i got the car from were definitely trying to squeeze as much money as possible from the car so not surprised they didnt change the aux belt as well! ill ask one of the dealership guys on here about how much a belt will cost. youre right about saving time
ill have another look at it today mate, i didnt even think about checking any writing on the belt
that would be our friends at VAG manchester! ill have to get someone to have a look at that because i dont know what im doing down there
It’s the thing just below your red box in your image looks a bit like a big tyre valve.
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This belt does not get manually tensioned, the tensioner is sprung loaded, so it moves as far as the slack in the belt allows it to, now it could be that ECP have been a bit lax in the description that they are giving these belts that indicates that the difference in length is only 2mm or 4mm - if it was me, I'd be checking up on maybe the Contitec website to see what they offer length wise, I did buy a new belt from VW dealer and it was a Dayco belt, French rubbish it turned out as the belt was cut across the webbing bias and when you placed the new belt on a flat surface it only made contact at each end - not a perfect start, the original belt was also a Dayco though, probably the correct price for VW Group.
Sharpy is correct, that one is the discharge port if you are wanting to buy a new cap online, maybe check the suction side service point as well, follow the small diameter alloy pipe on the LHS of these pictures, that section of pipe also has a pressure sensor screwed into it - which you can see in these pictures.
Edit:- the discharge and suction ports are made to be deliberately different sizes, so the cap from one port does not fit the other - they screw on as there is an internal threaded section inside the "hole".
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ill be honest mate, im not actually sure what im looking at. would you be able to highlight it on the photos i attached?
I’m guessing they had the ac re gassed at some point and the people that did it didn’t put any of the caps back on. Shoddy work.
Still, if you’re the same as me you’ll find it oddly satisfying fixing these small things.
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Still, if you’re the same as me you’ll find it oddly satisfying fixing these small things.
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i had the car regassed at the expenses of the dealer shortly after i got it. VAG manchester were the guys they used. who knows if the caps were already on before it went to them though?
it was definitely satisfying to stick the AC cap on! ill eventually get this other one too when i have more stuff i need to buy from Lister's
There are just too many lazy people employed in the servicing sector, I have just been staying in a hotel in London for 4 days and the control panels in all the lifts were only secured with a single screw and that was just into the threads in no more, sloppy lazy B****rds just can't be bothered doing the job that they are paid to do.
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