2001 A4 1.8T AWM Quattro

Had timing belt done not too long ago somewhere between 140-150k.

Car has been vibrating a lot since. A friend / mech. looking at it said that the serpentine belt tensioner seemed to be the problem and recommended replacing it.

I got a replacement part for it off eBay, and I was wondering if it's an easy install? I see three bolts for it.

Does anyone know if it can be done without putting the car into 'service mode' (i.e. taking off the front bumper and such)?

Would it take a while either way?

Here's an example of the part I got:
Your Parts Search Returned 1 Part(s)

Thanks in advance for any advice/help,

--Matt

 

while I think it is "possible" to do without putting the car into service position, it is one of those things where it is easier just to do the few minutes of extra work so that you have the room you need to get access to the parts

 

Agreed ^

 

Ok, thanks for the tips!

 

Yup and it's actually one big Allen socket bolt that secures the tensioner to the block.

 

I was wondering if that was the same for the 1.8t...

 

I was able to replace the tensioner in "partial" service mode by removing the bumper, disconnecting the radiator fasteners and tilting the radiator forward.

There is a post somewhere where someone did it by just removing the radiator fan. I tried this but couldn't for the life of me figure out how to detach the fan, as there is one screw but that's it. I found out later you have to break off a tab toward the base of the fan to remove it.

 

I did mine. I wrote a DIY some where. I only took out the electric fan out and put it aside to make room. Just as redmond said, there is a tab at the very bottom that you gotta unlatch to remove the fan out. Although my car is a 2.8.

 

Finally got it done yesterday.

Had a friend who's a mechanic do it for me - just removed the original part using the three hex bolts at the top, although it fell down a bit when he removed it, but he used some long pliers to get it out.

Then he placed the three bolts in the new part (ebay purchase), slid it in, tightened it to "Good and Tight" (his words - actually he couldn't get his torque wrench in there anyway, but he said he knew by feel how tight to make it), and then pulled the pin.

We didn't have to 'service mode' the car or remove the fan or anything (this is a 2001 1.8T B5 AWM)

The car has been running a lot smoother since. Before it was vibrating a lot, especially when putting it into R, or even D from idle. We think the old part was just worn (also you could hear the bearings when spinning it - not usually a good sign).

Another guy I was working with, had thought it was the transmission mount(s) that needed replacing, having just done the timing belt for me, then the motor mounts. It had gotten a lot worse after the timing belt was done, and the motor mounts only improved it a little. However my friend mechanic took a look and saw that this serp-belt tensioner was really vibrating hard and hence this replacement.

Overall thanking God that it feels a lot better now.

Now onto the coolant flange...(will probably do a separate post for this one).