mywifescar

So. I knew it would take me around 6 hours or so to do this, I left yesterday and today opened to finish the job if need be. Everyone warned me that it sucked, but that it's doable...BUT JESUS CHRIST!@ I've had many VW's and a 911, but this has to be the worst car in terms of clearance for your hands and tools that I have ever worked on! The worst part had to be pushing in the piston on the tensioner to release the tension on the belt (which I never could do - I just un-screwed the bolt holding the brass cylinder that pushes on the belt and that released the tension). It took me longer to figure out a way to release the tension on the TB than to remove everything I needed to to get to the damn thing. AND...who else wants to bitch about that engine support!>?

Although I probably won't have this car for the next 60k miles, if I did or ever need to do this again, it's going to the dealer.

(It was fun though )

-mike

TT_Nuge

For the belt I just grabbed it on both sides of the water pump and pulled it off.

I did have to put the new belt on three dang times before it was lined up correctly somehow. But I got good at it the last time. LOL

Trent

mywifescar

Yeah, I had to remove the belt twice and finally went with someone's suggestion to put the tensioner on last which was easier but still took some work to line it up with the tension roller. I didn't expect this to be an easy job, but jeeaassuzzzz.

Today is put everything back together day. It should only take an hour or 2 and putting back together is usually easier, but it's that uncomfortable "left over screws" feeling that I hate.