Serpentine belt emergency, stuck in Joseph OR

[manwithgun]

It sounds like you have learned a few things from this fix/experience... The main thing that you need to learn from this is, don't wait until things break down. Preventive maintenance is very important if you don't want this to happen to you again.

As far as idler pulleys, in the case with INA pulleys, there are 2 of them specified for Sprinters, but the correct one is 532 0234 100 FP02341. See pictures below...

I’m going to take a guess here and suggest that “maybe” the part# is the metric dimension, meaning FP03041 is 30mm wide and 41mm diameter. If that’s the case (based on your pictures), you might have your pulleys and boxes mixed up and the OP does have the correct pulley. Either way, I can’t see how wider could be an issue but too narrow certainly could. Is the pulley wider than the belt when mounted?

 

[hilld]

As long as the belt is not hanging over the edges, I don't think it matters. The pulley should have a crown on it, keeping the belt centered. If you are really worried, at least you know now what it takes to replace it. Perhaps under better conditions in a heated garage.

 

[220817a]

I’m going to take a guess here and suggest that “maybe” the part# is the metric dimension, meaning FP03041 is 30mm wide and 41mm diameter. If that’s the case (based on your pictures), you might have your pulleys and boxes mixed up and the OP does have the correct pulley. Either way, I can’t see how wider could be an issue but too narrow certainly could. Is the pulley wider than the belt when mounted?

Nothing is mixed up... I have bought so many in the past and I know what is a match to the original. FP02341 is a direct match of the original MB part and it is wider than the belt.

 

[sprint2freedom]

I’m going to take a guess here and suggest that “maybe” the part# is the metric dimension, meaning FP03041 is 30mm wide and 41mm diameter. If that’s the case (based on your pictures), you might have your pulleys and boxes mixed up and the OP does have the correct pulley. Either way, I can’t see how wider could be an issue but too narrow certainly could. Is the pulley wider than the belt when mounted?

The replacement pulley I installed is exactly the same width as the belt, no wider. The original equipment pulley was a few mm wider.

Europarts lists the dimensions as:
Sprinter II 2007+ 3.0L V6
Sprinter III 2019+ 3.0L V6
54mm O.D.
30mm wide

It did not occur to me to measure either the new or old ones directly, but I snapped these photos. Seeing that the evidence of wear on the original pulleys was confined to the width of the new pulleys, and that they seemed to have the same circumferential lateral offset led me to the decision to "worry about this later" during the install.

 

[sprint2freedom]

As long as the belt is not hanging over the edges, I don't think it matters. The pulley should have a crown on it, keeping the belt centered. If you are really worried, at least you know now what it takes to replace it. Perhaps under better conditions in a heated garage.

I didn't notice a crown, but it might be very subtle?

 

[hilld]

I haven't seen one of those, but it certainly could be flat.

 

[sprint2freedom]

More photos:

New (above) and old (below) serp belt:

Fighting the stretch belt:

 

[sprint2freedom]

Fan bearing after removal:


In an emergency, it may be possible (although not fun) to loosen and/or partially remove the fan bearing bracket without first removing the fan in order to swing the pulley a few mm out of the way and change the top idler. In that case, this photo may be useful to someone in the future. The hard part would be getting the bracket back on, but perhaps with one person pushing on it with a stick from below, another person could slip the removed bolts back in from above? I'm not sure if this is actually possible, but it seems like there's more room to access the bracket bolts than the fan pulley bolts.


Zip tie repair of cracked fan shroud:

 

[hilld]

Nice sewing job, if your current job doesn't work out, you have another career.

Also if you ever pull the shroud back out to change the idler for example, get a tube of this and make the repair a bit more permanent.

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[sprint2freedom]

Tools acquired for the job:


Other important tools I was already carrying included the obvious (torx sockets, e-torx bits, ratchet, slotted screwdriver), channel locks (for the radiator hose, and a long (~20-24") breaker bar.

 

[220817a]

Here are a few more pictures of the parts...

 

[sprint2freedom]

So I heard back from Europarts.. Steve is saying that it looks like they sent out the smaller idlers by mistake.

He's going to send me the correct ones, but it sounds like I'll "be there again" to install them unless I decide to run the smaller ones and just keep the proper ones as spares. At least the process is familiar now..

 

[tinman]

So I heard back from Europarts.. Steve is saying that it looks like they sent out the smaller idlers by mistake.

He's going to send me the correct ones, but it sounds like I'll "be there again" to install them unless I decide to run the smaller ones and just keep the proper ones as spares. At least the process is familiar now..

Good catch, glad you got it all fixed. I think I'd pick a quiet warm day and change them. The thought of the belt wandering a bit and jumping the pulleys would prey on me. Probably very unlikely, but...

 

[lindenengineering]

There is an operative word here "Catch".
Just about every vehicle these days has only one serpentine belt for engine accessories.
Service advisories for many brands advice service & overhaul @ 90,000 miles.
Few follow it and the result is often stranding.

In fact without looking at our shop stats I would state that about 30% of Sprinters that come into the shop for basic A & B services have accessory belt defects and are a few months if not weeks away from the "undertaker.

As a sidebar of sorts GM won't warranty an alternator nor a water pump if regular accessory belt belt servicing is not proven by records using AC Delco parts nor properly overhauled at 90,000 mile intervals before a specific failure occurred.
Landrover specifically states overhaul at 90,000, so does many similar brands .

Ignore it and its Shanks' Pony or push bike alternative at best.
Dennis

 

[sprint2freedom]

In fact without looking at our shop stats I would state that about 30% of Sprinters that come into the shop for basic A & B services have accessory belt defects and are a few months if not weeks away from the "undertaker.

I was struck by just how much quieter my engine became after the idlers, fan bearing bracket, serp belt and tensioner were replaced. The constant swooshing noise I used to hear is totally absent. I can now understand how an experienced ear could detect worn serpentine belt components with eyes closed and hood open.

So take it from me and do your PM on schedule! This was not a very fun experience and could have been so much worse if I were further from town, a post office, and a place to stay that permitted me to do repair work on their property.

 

[irvingj]

...Not to mention your previous mechanical experience, and (to me) biggest of all, your willingness to take this on! Yer a better man than I, Gungadine!

 

[smiller]

I was struck by just how much quieter my engine became after the idlers, fan bearing bracket, serp belt and tensioner were replaced. The constant swooshing noise I used to hear is totally absent. I can now understand how an experienced ear could detect worn serpentine belt components with eyes closed and hood open.

I just replaced the belts, tensioner, idlers, fan bearing, and fan clutch on my 2007 NCV3 and noticed the same thing, much quieter afterwards, as in scary quieter. The serpentine belt was severely cracked on the ribbed side and one of the idlers was well on the way out (the same one that sprint2freedom had fail FWIW) so the work was none too soon, and this at 87k relatively easy miles. This is one job you should not put off and I think going to even 100k is pushing it.

BTW the idler pulley p/n that Dima74 specified above (IMA 532 0234 100 / FP02341) matched my 2007 3.0L original parts exactly, both 30 mm wide. Actually there was one small difference in that the new parts have what seem to be a heat shield on the inner side that was not on the original part, perhaps an update. Also the replacement fan bearing was considerably larger than the original part.

 

[220629]

... The thought of the belt wandering a bit and jumping the pulleys would prey on me. Probably very unlikely, but...

It looks like that is an anti-flutter position similar to the T1N. The short distance between ribbed pulleys and the anti-flutter smooth pulley is a good thing. There really isn't anywhere for the belt to go.

To be clear, I'm not saying not to change it out at a convenient time. With all new parts the [assuming properly in-line] incorrect smooth pulley should be good to go for some time.

vic

 

[Eric B]

I wanted to follow up on the smooth idler pulley narrow width thing ...


Europarts SD still (4 years later) shows 642 200 10 70 as the part number for the 3L V6 idler pulleys - in the description it also states 30mm wide

I did some digging, and the wider INA/Schaeffler pulley (532 0234 100 FP02341) is I believe MBZ p/n 642 200 06 70

EDIT: Please read the post below (#60) as the PN's listed above does NOT work.

 

[Eric B]

@sikwan and other moderators - can you delete my post above please ? The info is incorrect … I ordered one up and it is not the correct size - my bad