I replaced my serpentine belt along with a brand new pulley and tensioner, my pulley didnt sound so hot. Anyways, when I started it, the belt tracked off the tensioner pulley some, about 2 grooves actually. When I inspected my old belt, i also noticed this pattern in that belt as well. I looked down through and all of my pulleys seem to be in alignment. I do not know what would throw it off so much. When i took the idler off of the car, this is the order of the parts i took off closest to the block. First was a two eared fastener to bolt the fuel line down. Nest was the tensioner itself, then the bracket for the IC pipe clamp. Is there any other place to make adjustments??
Thanks in advance!!!

 

What engine/vehicle? On the tt's with the 1.8 the tensioner should be bolted directly with nothing behind it. If there bracket is put behind instead of infront of the tensioner the tensioner will be angled forward slightly causing the belt to walk.

 

sorry, 2001 tt 1.8t 225. There is a thin bracket behind the tensioner, two ears that match the tensioner brackets bolt hold. The thin bracket comes up and provides the nut for the fuel line to be bolted down to. I put it back in the order i took everything off, but looking at the old tensioner, the three holes all look to be at the same height. What you described is what I thought might be happening, that 1/16 of an inch or so for the extra bracket is creating a slight angle below, and throwing the belt to the outer side. That is the only thing I could think of. I will take it back apart and try putting the bracket on the outside. Maybe a previous owner had work done to it and it was reinstalled incorrectly. Thanks.