Belt replacement
Replacing the serpentine belt is quite a laborious activity, especially in the V6 engine, in which you even have to remove the shock absorber and set the front belt in the service position. In a gasoline engine 1,8 Turbo, in which it is necessary to replace the belt every 120000 km, it is better to entrust this operation to a workshop.
Next steps:
1. On all engines, remove the top engine casing (some models also include the lower engine cowl and the right-hand noise-reducing hood). In the engines 1,9 TDI (AGR, AHF, ASV i ALH) the air intake pipe between the air cooler and the turbocharger must be removed.
2. Before removing the poly V-belt, mark the direction of rotation with chalk or a felt-tip pen. If the same belt is put back on, but it will rotate in the opposite direction, this may damage it, and certainly for faster wear. Pay attention when attaching the strap, so that it goes well on the pulleys. Crankshaft rotates clockwise (viewed from the right side of the car).
3. To loosen the belt, tilt the tensioner pulley in the direction of the arrow and, on some engines, the tensioner mechanism with a ring spanner or a spanner 16 mm.
4. Remove the strap. In some solutions, the tensioner mechanism must be locked with a metal pin (diameter 4,5 mm, length 55 mm), inserting it into the locking hole. On cars without headlamp washers, the tensioner crank bracket can be locked with a special V.A.G tool 3090 (see drawings).
5. When refitting the V-belt, place it carefully on the pulleys. Pay attention to the correct installation of the generator, power steering pumps and air conditioning compressors.
6. In diesel engines, in cars without air conditioning, start removing the belt from the alternator pulley (it is located to the right of the tensioner wheel). Also start attaching the strap from this point. On cars with air conditioning, first remove the belt from the reversing pulley and start installing it there as well.
7. After attaching the strap, check its orientation.
8. Start the engine and check for proper belt operation.