Fan belt has come off

I've always removed the crank bolts by using an 18" breaker bar resting against the passenger side inner wing, then turning the key to briefly engage the starter. I've yet to find one this method couldn't undo!

I'm with Busta 
Also take the plug leads off so it can't start up
And a block of wood so no damage to the inner wing

Always jammed mine against the floor not a body panel

You can just rattle it undone with a little battery windy gun if it isn't rusted solid to the pulley like mine was.

Mine wouldn't undo by flicking the bar against the chassis. I undid the 200 TDi that way to do the cam belt, but it was beautifully clean, not a rusty lump.

Facade, you are the reason why I have a 1000Nm makita rattle gun, I watched the suffering live and thought I'd rather like to be prepared if I had it to do myself!

Right an update.

Have spent a shed load of hours on this today with various degrees of success.

A number of snapped bolts on fan shroud.

A crank bolt that refuse to budge. Impact wrench, long bar, bigger bar, home made locking tool etc.. I'm too chicken to try flicking the starter method single handed.

Eventually (as I had a new bolt anyway) I went with the Facade angle grinder method. Although I only cut most of the way through it on two sides. That obviously released enough tension and rust as another go with the impact gun saw it spin off. Happy days.

Also spent far too long removing the alternator, but I wanted to clean it up and free up all the bolts whilst access was good to help with adjusting the belt tensions later. I also have a new tensioner for the power steering belt to go on.

It all still in bits with the new pulley and bolt on. I'll update with some pictures when I've finished later this week.

What is the correct torque figure for the pully bolt? (VVT engine)

I can find references to a number of different figures from 76 all the way up to 110 lbs/ft.

wrote:

What is the correct torque figure for the pully bolt? (VVT engine)

 

150Nm on the VVT engine, that is 110lb/ft.

You need the locking tool to hold it whilst you tighten it.

 

Thanks for the confirmation.

Just ordered an alternator too.
The old one seemed to be turning okay, before I took stuff apart, then when tested it seemed to not turn freely, now it seems fine again.

Gonna change it to be sure.

So that's £300+ in parts cause the fan belt popped off ...

Oh that's true. I need to go and get some antifreeze as well....

wrote:

Right an update.

Have spent a shed load of hours on this today with various degrees of success.

A number of snapped bolts on fan shroud.

A crank bolt that refuse to budge. Impact wrench, long bar, bigger bar, home made locking tool etc.. I'm too chicken to try flicking the starter method single handed.

Eventually (as I had a new bolt anyway) I went with the Facade angle grinder method. Although I only cut most of the way through it on two sides. That obviously released enough tension and rust as another go with the impact gun saw it spin off. Happy days.

Also spent far too long removing the alternator, but I wanted to clean it up and free up all the bolts whilst access was good to help with adjusting the belt tensions later. I also have a new tensioner for the power steering belt to go on.

It all still in bits with the new pulley and bolt on. I'll update with some pictures when I've finished later this week.

What is the correct torque figure for the pully bolt? (VVT engine)

I can find references to a number of different figures from 76 all the way up to 110 lbs/ft.
 

Sadly we have all been there, but at least it's off and you are making progress. 

My crank bolt had no rust on it, but boy was it tight, 150Nm to get it out was no where near what we used.  We had a 1m long breaker bar, so 150Nm is 15kg on the end of 1m.  We (two of us) swung on the end with all the force we could manage, it did come out so I reckon we had somewhere close to 750Nm. 

When I put it back in I couldn't get my high torque wrench to fit, so just tightened it up and then gave it a 1/4 turn with the long breaker bar, that will be somewhere close to 150Nm.

Robin

Well alternator arrived 8am so back to it.
Did up the crank pulley.
Fitted the alternator, and its belt, tensioner and steering belt. Refitted fan.
Found some bolts to replace the ones that hold the fan shroud which sheared during removal.
New radiator in. Refilled with fluid, ran to temp, left to cool, topped up.
Hopefully jobs a good 'un, albeit an expensive one 

 

Good job indeed.

I know it was expensive, but if the pulley hadn't gone the radiator and alternator wouldn't have been far away from failing, so at least you got the whole job done in one go rather than doing a bit now, only to take everything off to do another bit later on.

Plus you have the satisfaction of knowing that those key components are all new, a good move at this time of year.

Robin