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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Audi A5 MY09 3.0Tdi
I bought this car a week ago and is now in my garage in a sorry state. It has done 145000km. It drove fine when i test drove it and on morning of pickup owner called me to say it wouldnt start and that he thought it was a bad alternator. He gave me a discount and I had it towed to my house.
Anyway upon inspection I quickly saw that the serpentine belt up front (auxillary belt) was completely destroyed. I also saw the lask of space with which I would have to work in to replace belt. Then I learned about "service position" which supposedly gives you more space. I have managed to get front bumper off but that is all I could find details on how to do.
So failing to put it into service position due to lack of knowledge I have started trying to replace belt as it is. I have two questions:
1. any advice on how to put the a5 into service position
2. i seem unable to release tension on the belt tensioner. I put a 16mm spanner on the bolt and tried very hard to turn it clockwise to release tension but it won't budge. What am I doing wrong?
Thank you all in advance.
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Hi and welcome!
That's a bit of poor start to ownership! Let's hope the belt hasn't shredded due to a component failing and further fixing!!
The service position is basically, remove front bumper, disconnect anything attached to the front panel, remove front bumper bar, undo all necessary bolts, remove headlights etc.
The whole front end including radiators etc needs to slide forwards. I fabricated some long bolts for the front end to slide out on. You can buy these from Audi, but with a welder and some round bar, I just made my own.
My old A4 in service position below, you can see the service bolts sticking out where the front bumper crash bar mounts are.
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Well best of luck to you, shame that ownership has not really started with a bang and I hope all gets better from here!!! Don't worry about the mileage as my 2008 model has 156,000kms and goes great.
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No need to remove front of car!! My belt shredded a while back, garage fitted a new tensioner and belt, they just removed the engine under tray, it's tight but doable.
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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Is it necessary to replace belt tensioner as well? How do I check if mine is ok? I am having trouble decompressing it as I have read so I can install a new belt. I put a spanner to it and trying to turn the 16mm bolt clockwise but it won't budge. Is a good working one supposed to release the pulley attached to it so it is easier to fit/remove a belt? Or perhaps I need to do it anti-clockwise?
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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
BTW: i am over the moon with all your responses. I am at work right now but I will go through the links etc tonight when I get home. Thank you from down under.
Alex
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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
oh ok. now i see what is meant by the "bolts". S these long bolts go in place of ones you have taken out so it provides a rail system to slide on and support the whole thing...ok thanks for that. makes more sense now. Will I loose the coolant from radiator when putting it to service position?
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If it doesn't show disconnecting the hose I dont think you will lose any coolant. If you disconnect then I would assume so.
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oh ok. now i see what is meant by the "bolts". S these long bolts go in place of ones you have taken out so it provides a rail system to slide on and support the whole thing...ok thanks for that. makes more sense now. Will I loose the coolant from radiator when putting it to service position?
Sorry, yes, the 'long' bolts replace yours and it acts as you say like a sliding rail. Coolant pipes and wiring etc will 'stretch' enough to avoid uncoupling.
But, I would, as suggested, try and replace from underneath. I had problems with my Air-Con compressor on the A4 and could whip the belts off and compressor just from underneath without any front end dismantling. On the A4 it had a 17mm nut which you turned to push and swing the tensioner pulley and release the belt. Once you had done it a couple of times it was a 2 minute job! 
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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
Sorry, yes, the 'long' bolts replace yours and it acts as you say like a sliding rail. Coolant pipes and wiring etc will 'stretch' enough to avoid uncoupling.
But, I would, as suggested, try and replace from underneath. I had problems with my Air-Con compressor on the A4 and could whip the belts off and compressor just from underneath without any front end dismantling. On the A4 it had a 17mm nut which you turned to push and swing the tensioner pulley and release the belt. Once you had done it a couple of times it was a 2 minute job!
Yeah I was going to try and do it from underneath but I read somewhere that I should really replace tensioner at same time and I don't think i could do that without putting it in service position. The tensioner on the A5 3.0TDi looks completely different to what it is on the A4 as shown on those videos. I am not sure where or what to puch/turn on to make the tensioner move so a belt can be fitted/removed. I have tried turning on the bolts and nuts that seem obvious but I can;t budge it which makes me think that it might be ceased so I should replace it. Ofcourse it may be perfect and I am just not doing the right thing. I am leaning towards that latter possibility
This is the tensioner on my car
(edit seems i can't post URL's as i am new)
will try a pic
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Yeah I'm not sure with the 3.0 TDI, not done any jobs on it like that. Did lots of diy jobs on my A4
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Hiya Jastreb. It really sounds like you need to find a good independent to help you with your car. If you tell us your location then I am sure that some fellow countrymen can suggest who to try????
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Discussion Starter · #14 · (Edited)
I have managed to get the car in a sort of a service position. Looks like on my car i need to take out radiator hose to get proper service position but i got enough to get me to do what I need to do. So anyway the belt tensioner is out but I am not sure if what i am seeing with the tensioner is normal. There does not seem to be a spring assemply to keep it under tension. I have made a video. What do you guys think?
well i cant attach video and i cant post URLs. this sux. :frown2:
youtu.be/kaR1C54jjFQ
Just add https:// to the front of the above line
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That is the tensioner on these.
To be honest, i'm not 100% sure on how they work, but I would imagine the attached damper unit keeps the tension automatically and the pulley pivots on the front bolt.
I had mine changed last year when i changed the belts as, because of the time involved in getting to it all, it didn't seem worth not doing it whilst she was in pieces.
I think I put a Febi one on (part number 33153) which I got via ebay for around £65 delivered.
Your OE number should be 059 145 201 F
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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
HI everyone, just wanted to update you on my situation. After a number of skin grafts and some blood loss I did manage to change the belt. I did not replace the tensioner and she seems to be running ok. I do have some other questions but I will open a new thread. THANK YOU all for your help.
Alex
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Phew, we like a happy ending Alex!! And pics of your ride please?????
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Discussion Starter · #18 ·
Phew, we like a happy ending Alex!! And pics of your ride please?????
Sure mate. Here she is :smile2:
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Wow she looks lovely well done!!!!
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HI everyone, just wanted to update you on my situation. After a number of skin grafts and some blood loss I did manage to change the belt. I did not replace the tensioner and she seems to be running ok. I do have some other questions but I will open a new thread. THANK YOU all for your help.
Alex
Hi mate, kudos for getting that done yourself... at least it's good way to get familiar with your new purchase (silver linings and all he he)
One thing I strongly suggest is to inspect ALL pulley wheels and the tensioner. I had 2 belts (one spaghettied one replaced due to visible deterioration) The first time the damage had burnt a burr on the plastic tensioner wheel.. the second time the garage picked up corrosion on one of the other pulleys which was prematurely chewing the edge of the belt.
Suggest you monitor it for over the next couple of months just to be sure. Odds are you'd have replaced anyway as it's considered serviceable and I would have done at that mileage as a matter of course...so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Enjoy!
Posted by: horacehoraceboedinge0274341.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.a5oc.com/threads/serpentine-belt-destroyed-and-new-audi-owner.141826/
