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Scottn59c
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Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 308
Location: Northern CA
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 Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 7:45 am Post subject: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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I'm getting ready to undertake some work on the van over the cold months. It'll likely sit in the driveway in various shades of disrepair as it waits for my wallet to catch up to it.
Does anyone know if the serpentine belt pulley can be purchased separately from the whole assembly anymore? My preliminary searching didn't turn anything up. There's plenty for the early EVs, but not for the 2002, which is what I've got.
I'm going to do the water pump while I'm in there too. I know that I should look for one with a metal impeller. Anything else I might want to replace or have a look at when I tackle this job?
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Abscate
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Joined: October 05, 2014
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Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Go with the plastic impeller and stay OEM. If you refresh your cooling group before failure you can keep the old as a backup.
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Zeitgeist 13
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Joined: March 05, 2009
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Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:51 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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There is an aftermarket pulley available, but I've forgotten the source--sorry not much help
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'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
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streamr
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Location: Southwest FL
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Check partsgeek, I got one from them last year, seems fine.
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mvaska
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Joined: February 26, 2015
Posts: 135
Location: United States
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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| gruvenparts sells just the pulley. |
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Scottn59c
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Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 308
Location: Northern CA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Mvaska, you're right - gruvenparts seems to sell it, but with shipping, it's over $100, and there are no actual pictures of it. Are all VW MkIV tensioner pulleys the same?
I might just go for the whole assembly at $60 more from Partsgeek. One less thing to go wrong? 
Abscate, if you read this, why do you recommend the water pump with the plastic impeller? GoWesty claims they update every EV they get with a metal impeller water pump to help police against failure.
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Abscate
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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I have no experience with the metal impeller pumps - the 30 or so T4 in my 'neighborhood' range from 100-300k miles and everyone has gotten 100k or more on an OEM. 30 is a pretty decent sample size - getting on for Gaussian statistics
Unless there is a big price savings with metal, the OEM one is proven pretty good.
It has been posted here that its 'better' to have plastic pieces in your engine than metal but since neither seems to fail, that argument doesn't really seem relevant.
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Scottn59c
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streamr
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Joined: February 26, 2007
Posts: 555
Location: Southwest FL
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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So is GW implying their pump makes noise and leaks when going bad or is it still a crap shoot?
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dixoncj
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Joined: June 17, 2004
Posts: 1083
Location: Charleston, SC
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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| streamr wrote: |
| So is GW implying their pump makes noise and leaks when going bad or is it still a crap shoot? |
I talked to Lucas about this topic before I bought my 03 EVC - unrestored - from GoWesty. He was fairly emphatic in suggesting that even if I didn't have them do the replacement, that I go with a metal impeller so that I didn't end up with some plastic shard in an internal spot in the motor that was impossible to reach. My local expert VR6 VW techs here in Charleston have said the same. I had 'em install a metal impeller one before I picked it up. I think that soundwise, it's likely a crapshoot. Just replace it after 60k or so miles with another one, and then you won't have to worry. |
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Abscate
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:42 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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That’s a classic example of a single anecdote , fear, uncertainty, and doubt upsell.
In summary..a metal impeller is better because if your overheat light turns on, and you ignore it, your engine will be ruined.
Two of my cars get long cruising miles so I maintain them by refreshing stress items at 100k intervals , the T4 is one of those.
The other 3 are maintained under run to Failure strategy..cheaper but more troublesome on the road. I’m lucky in that all my drivers are good on situational awareness
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dixoncj
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Location: Charleston, SC
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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| Abscate wrote: |
That’s a classic example of a single anecdote , fear, uncertainty, and doubt upsell.
In summary..a metal impeller is better because if your overheat light turns on, and you ignore it, your engine will be ruined.
Two of my cars get long cruising miles so I maintain them by refreshing stress items at 100k intervals , the T4 is one of those.
The other 3 are maintained under run to Failure strategy..cheaper but more troublesome on the road. I’m lucky in that all my drivers are good on situational awareness |
As I said, I got this same position on metal vs plastic from a pair of expert VW techs here in Charleston whose opinions I respect and who have done excellent work on my EVC. But your point is defintely on point regarding stress items. This is key. |
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Scottn59c
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Joined: December 22, 2016
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Location: Northern CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:52 am Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Well, I replaced the idler pulley yesterday and the noise is still happening. It doesn't seem to change when the A/C is on or off. It's a belt whine sound that I hear at startup and for a few miles until it eventually goes away.
Help me to troubleshoot, guys. The whole A/C system is new, including the compressor, clutch, drier, etc. The serpentine belt is new, and now the idler pulley is new too. I didn't have any noise until immediately after the new A/C was installed by my shop. They thought it was the belt (it wasn't) and then they suggested the idler pulley (that didn't help either).
Squirting silicone onto the belt (or pulleys) makes the noise go away temporarily, but it invariably comes back after a minute or two. The timing of the onset of the noise (right after the A/C installation) makes me think the problem is A/C related. Could my new A/C have a crappy bearing in the clutch? Too many spacers or not enough in there? But the fact that the sound is a belt sound and not a metallic one makes me think maybe it's not the clutch at all. That the noise goes away after a few miles suggests that something is warming up and creating less friction.
I did notice some crud in the grooves of the old idler pulley. The new A/C clutch had some dried oil that I attempted to clean out with a wire brush. Saw a video on cleaning pulley grooves with carb cleaner and a wire brush. Think I'm going to try that next.
Your thoughts are appreciated!
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Scottn59c
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Joined: December 22, 2016
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Location: Northern CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Removed the serpentine belt and spent some time this afternoon out in the misty rain cleaning the pulleys. The A/C clutch had a significant amount of gunk that I scraped and brushed out using parts cleaner and a wire brush. I think that the shop spilled some oil in there that dried and was creating the noise I was hearing. At least, that's my hypothesis for now.
Drove around the neighborhood and the belt noise has ceased. Of course, last time I got it back from the mechanic, things sounded good for the first day and then the noise returned. Things seem to be fixed now, though!
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Scottn59c
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Location: Northern CA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 12:19 pm Post subject: Re: Serpentine Belt Pulley |
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Next up for me is the water pump. I've ordered a replacement Graf which should arrive next week.
I'll need to pull the pulley over the water pump off. I've seen videos of folks using screwdrivers wedged diagonally across the bolts as a counterhold. They then are able to break the pulley bolts loose. Anyone done this on a Eurovan? Do I need to invest in a pulley puller instead? If so, got any suggestions for which one?
Thanks as always!
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