General 2000 Marea Weekend 105 ELX very heavy steering.

[spudyclur]

Hi I'm new to all this.

Today when I was driving there was a clunking noise from the drivers side, I stopped to check that I hadn't blown a tyre and when I restarted the engine the battery light is on and the steering is nigh on impossible, I looked under the bonnet and the belt is fine but very loose. I don't know what to do.

If anyone can offer any advise I would be most grateful

Thanks

Claire

 

[Hellcat]

Aux tensioner has failed. They cost about £30. Quite easy to fit.

 

[spudyclur]

Thanks very much, I was expecting to cost ££££££'s.

I think you may know what nthe next one is.

How to fit it??

Thanks again

Claire

 

[Hellcat]

I didn't fit mine myself, so don't know if the crank pulley has to be removed to get in there. Basically the belt goes on around all the pulleys, then you pull the tensioner against the spring with a spanner, put the belt around it and release.

 

[spudyclur]

Looks like I'm taking it to the garage then. Thanks

 

[Hellcat]

Put it this way, its not complicated.. well the RAC guy couldn't work out which way around the pulleys the belt went even with me having provided the fiat eper diagram But I guess he let me use his spanners so i could tinker so all was not lost.

If you can get the car on a battery charger as without the tension in the belt the altenator will not be getting driven. If you can fetch the belt out too as it risks getting caught up and damaging something else.

 

[spudyclur]

Silly question. Will it still go if I take the belt out? Need to get it to the garage after all. I can borrow a battery charger.

 

[Hellcat]

Yes. The aux belt takes power (tractive power) from the crank shaft and powers the power steering pump and the altenator (and the air con compressor if you have one). As long as you have enough power to pump fuel there should be enough to power the ECU. Try to avoid driving with lights/heater fan/heated screen switched on. I managed several starts and over 20 miles on the charge stored in my battery - the aux belt sitting in my passenger footwell

 

[spudyclur]

Thank you very much, I feel much better now.

 

[spudyclur]

All done, it wasn't the clip, it was the tensioner arm had jumped the guard and was hindering the belt causing it to fray and catch.

£215 smackeroonies later I am back on the road 3 hours(!!!!) labour was the most expensive part, garage blokie asked me in a nice way not to go back as he hates Fiat (how is this possible)???

Many thanks for the help and advice.

Claire

 

[Hellcat]

I'm sure he hates fiats is a way of trying to justify 3 hours to change an auxilary belt! Basically he doesn't have the skills.

 

[jug]

garage blokie asked me in a nice way not to go back as he hates Fiat (how is this possible)???

that happens a lot, when you own a fiat you have to get used to it.