Drive belt tensioner for MK4 Golf not getting along with belt - keeps snapping

[NotMyName]

Have had a few new belts bought & they keep snapping.

Tensioner bought from EuroCarParts. Belts from various.

The belt does not sit on the tensioner properly - it's half on half off. If the part is supposed to be correct then why is this? Obviously can't buy a new one from them if that's what happens. It looks just like the one that was replaced. Same code etc.

[Hoggy]

If it doesn't do it with the old tensioner then theres obviously a problem with the new one 

Unless you have another pulley at fault?

[NotMyName]

I don't know if VW themselves are thinking of another part, but they quoted £199 for it when EuroCarParts & similar charge £40-£50. In fact, ECP are quoting the tensioner at about £100 as the one for the car, which looks nothing like the one removed. I know dealers charge more, but £199 when ECP charge £45?

[NotMyName]

The one he's got on is one of those Febi Bilstein ones. He says it doesn't sit close enough to the engine for the belt to sit on it properly, or to read it another way, it'd need to sit in further for the belt to sit proper.



That's a photo of the original one from the car - you'll notice the wheel has grooves which lock in the belt better. The febi bilstein one is smooth & pretty much all the ones on eBay are smooth too.

eMailed Volkswagen & ECP yesterday but nobody has replied yet.

[tdi_blu]

The belt should not sit like you described so its either the wrong belt or tensioner.I have never herd of ECP do they sell genuine parts ? I use TPS they sell all genuine parts had problems with GSF  and I dont use Euro. I rececntly replaced all by belts and bought the cam belt kit along with the tensioner think it was around the £150 mark for the whole lot may have been a tad cheaper.Ive got that ETKA if you need any part numbers let me know.

[Hoggy]

The belt should not sit like you described so its either the wrong belt or tensioner.I have never herd of ECP do they sell genuine parts ? I use TPS they sell all genuine parts had problems with GSF  and I dont use Euro. I rececntly replaced all by belts and bought the cam belt kit along with the tensioner think it was around the £150 mark for the whole lot may have been a tad cheaper.Ive got that ETKA if you need any part numbers let me know.

ECP = Euro Car Parts.

[NotMyName]

The belt should not sit like you described so its either the wrong belt or tensioner.I have never herd of ECP do they sell genuine parts ? I use TPS they sell all genuine parts had problems with GSF  and I dont use Euro. I rececntly replaced all by belts and bought the cam belt kit along with the tensioner think it was around the £150 mark for the whole lot may have been a tad cheaper.Ive got that ETKA if you need any part numbers let me know.

Aye as Hoggy said - Euro Car Parts is where he bought from. I think he's had a belt from them & a belt from eBay. He's checked his 3 letter engine code in the book that came with the car & used this along with the engine type (1.9 TDI 100bhp) to determine which belt & tensioner to buy.

Who are TPS? Will look that up to see what they offer. He'll need it pretty soon because it's only a matter of time before this belt snaps again.

[sharki786]

Ecp are sh1t. They sell sh1t parts. Every part  got from then aint lasted. Try tps. They sell genuine stuff. They will be slightly cheaper then vw them selfs.

[NotMyName]

Again, i don't know who TPS are.

I just did a google search of "TPS VW" & i assume you mean this site: http://www.thetradepartsspecialists.co.uk/

In which case it seems you need to go through some sort of waiting/approval process before you can get past whatever the first stage is.
I don't see the website operating as a shop distributing parts as i don't see any link where you can order parts to be delivered to your doorstep.

Unless TPS stands for something else? It looks like his only option will be ECP or Volkswagen themselves. He says he needs the part sharpish as it'll only be a matter of time before the belt snaps again.

EDIT: Just done some more googling & it looks like you need a local centre. We don't have one nearby. So looks like TPS would be ruled out.

[Chris.]

Heres everyone blaming parts supplier.

Isnt there something that makes the tensioner sit a bit further over towards the chassis leg??  ive seen it a couple of times on a few different cars and i THINK there was some bracket or something pushing tensioner over another 3mm or something?