Technical Sei with a/c alternator belt pulley guide tensioner thingy

[Cureforsanity]

Hello friends!

It seems I only come on here when I want something

In the middle of an engine swap on a friend's 2000 1100 Sei. It has air con and one of the identifying factors preceding her arrival was the extreme squeek since found to be an idler or guide pulley which goes between the alternator and the air con pump.

My local motor factor looked straight through me and my local Fiat stealer sucked through his teeth and basically told me to ring them 3 weeks next February.

If anyone knows what the proper name is and even better, have a part number, or even better-erer actually have one for sale I'd be most grateful.

Also, does anyone know when the teeth on the timing belt and pulleys changed? I think our replacement engine is a later type as the belt & water pump we've been given by the factor have different spacing between the rubber teeth than that on the original.

Any ideas?

Cheers!!!

 

[Eklipze3k]

Something on this page, perhaps?

Link

 

[Cureforsanity]

Cheers! That's exactly what I wanted, why couldn't I find it?

A fixed tightener is apparently what I need.

Obviously.....

 

[Cureforsanity]

I've just been googling to see where I can get one

HOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW MUUUUUUUCCH???!!!!!

This calls for a foray into my local scrapyard methinks

 

[Eklipze3k]

Yeah I guess there's not many Seis out there with A/C, so the parts for them won't be cheap as they're not as mass-produced as other Cinq/Sei parts are.

 

[Frosty1961]

Might sound daft to those who have access to plentiful cheap spares but here its very different...I take off the grease seals and repack both ac and alternater tensioners bearings every time I change the cambelt. Still perfect after 260000km and quieter than new..even rebuilt the thin plastic outer track of the ac tensioner with a strip of fiberglass when it wore through between spokes 20000 km ago..still as good as new

 

[Eklipze3k]

Might sound daft to those who have access to plentiful cheap spares but here its very different...I take off the grease seals and repack both ac and alternater tensioners bearings every time I change the cambelt. Still perfect after 260000km and quieter than new..even rebuilt the thin plastic outer track of the ac tensioner with a strip of fiberglass when it wore through between spokes 20000 km ago..still as good as new

A guide for the above would be most excellent, I'm sure

https://www.fiatforum.com/guides/

 

[Cureforsanity]

I managed to tap the old bearing out of the middle and get one off the shelf from a local bearing supplier.

Cost me the princely sum of £3.15! :slayer:

 

[Frosty1961]

Great stuff..I didn't want risk the bearing coming adrift and the original was just dry and not worn. But a worthwhile saving I bet and better than a used part in any event

 

[Cureforsanity]

It's been a little problematic but the fresh engine's in and running beautifully!

Had to grind a lug off the block so I could fit the a/c pump which struck me as daft though.

Non a/c equipped cars (i.e. 99.9% of UK supplied cars) have the extended lug on the bottom left (as you look at it from under the OS wheelarch) of the block. I have no idea why it's there as it's merely an extra bit of metal.

So after that was ground off and the reconditioned pulley/tensioner thingy bolted on, and the rest of the jiggery pokery reattached and tightened it started after a few turns and runs very sweetly indeed. The car it came out of had 83K on it so after the service and cam belt it's had it should be good for another year or two

I'd much sooner take one of the little buggers out and work on it on the floor though!

 

[Cureforsanity]

Bit of a warning here:

DON't try to replace the bearing like I did. Got it a mile down the road this morning, the bearing must've been able to move about so it's got hot, melted the tensioner and the belt's jumped off and shredded itself around the a/c pump and jammed the alternator.

Thankfully that's all the damage so I've ordered the proper thing this time and bitten the bullet regarding cost!

Lesson learned. Until next time of course