Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 20:36:28 -0700 (PDT)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Steven Johnson" <sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com>
Subject: '91 Camper Belt Change
Hi folks!
Well, I finally did some maintenance to the '91 Camper this
long weekend. I replaced the belts. I must say that it would
have been less of a pain to change the power steering belt had
VW routed the return coolant line some other way. As it was
I had to cut the line and wrestle the remaining clamped bit off
of the plastic line. This took me a while as I didn't want to
break the plastic line because I figured that it was probably
getting brittle.
The power steering belt was pretty easy. The AC one however
took some studying of the configuration. The Bentley didn't
even have a photo of the compressor, much less instructions
on which bolts to loosen. Well, after looking at it, I loosened
a bolt on the bottom (13mm) and then loosened 2 13mm bolts that
were part of the bracket that was obviously the one that the
compressor moved up and down along. After not getting the com-
pressor to budge, I loosened the two allen bolts on the top
left of the compressor. Still no movement. Again, I studied
the left side bracket and eye-balled the long bolt on the top
inside. Hmmmmm.... that reminds me sort of my wifes Sentra
tension bolt for it's compressors belt. So I proceeded to loosen
that bolt and VIOLA! The belt eased its tension. It to several
cranks of the ratchet, but it finally came off. But not with
out me snapping the dust cover in two. DOH! So I called up
the dealer and was told that it was a $17.00 mistake and so
I had one ordered. I'll also pick up another length of hose
to replace the shortened coolant return hose with some extra
that will be a spare.
After that the alternator/waterpump belt came off with no fuss.
Took a break......
Next, I checked the old belts against the new ones and they were
close enough. The old ones were 9.5 and the new ones were 10.0.
So I slipped the alternator belt on and had to figure out a way
to leverage the belt tension. More studying. After several
different positions (Keep quite Thom..... You to David) I found
that with my ridiculously big screwdriver angled down the left
side of the alternator and to the rear side of the belt, I could
get really good tension and tighten the 13mm bolt at the same
time. Whew! Once that was on, I got the AC belt on in short
order by cranking the alternator pulley with a large crescent
wrench. BTW, I was careful to turn the pulleys as I tensioned
each belt to make sure that they seated well. Then I ran the
engine and rechecked the tension. That was another thing about
the Bentley that I thought was pretty lame. It only gave the
belt tension for the alternator belt which was about 1/2 inch.
Nothing for the compressor or power steering. So I made them
all about 1/2 inch of give for the tension.
I have about 80K miles on this engine and I'm happy with the
life of the belts. They don't look bad at all IMO. I'll keep
them as spares till I get new ones from the dealer. I changed
them because I was getting a squeel from the compressor one
when I turned on the AC at idle. I also wanted to know how
to change them and do it on my terms and not when the belt(s)
decided. ;)
Oh well, just one of those maintenance items that have to be
delt with.
Cheers!
Steven
Sacramento, CA
sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com