audi b5 aux tensioner - how much play?

[JNH]

hi all.

I have a whine/whirring that is pretty evident in the cabin, less so in the engine bay. I have a feeling it's something to do with the auxiliary ancillaries or the belt itself as it sounds like it is coming from the general area. 

I changed the belt for a new one, and tested the pulleys one by one. most seemed fine, to me at least. What stood out was just how much movement was in the tensioner itself. it's the type that is spring loaded and tension is automatic. it had enormous amounts of play, from side to side. I could move the base of it back and forth along its mount. 

 

is this normal for this type of tensioner? my garage seem to think it should have some play, but it feels very excessive to me. the movement when slackening the tensioner also feels a bit limp. 

[Magnet]

Hello James,

Many thanks for being in touch. 

Auxiliary belts remain serviceable for many tens of thousands of miles, and the common practice is that whenever the belt is changed, the tensioner is also changed as a matter of good practice. 

I’m sure you will appreciate that commenting on perceived wear without access to the component, is pretty well impossible, so if it were mine, I would be simply renewing the tensioner, particularly since you have doubts about its serviceability. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[JNH]

Hi - thank you for the reply. The reason I ask, is I know there are common failures such as the alternator pulley, the idle pulleys and the tensioner itself. It is a very cheap car, with probably limited life capacity left. Before I go and spend £120 on a tensioner, I thought somebody may have replaced theirs, and may have experienced the level of play on them. I can't just throw money at it, unfortunately. 

[Magnet]

Hello James, 

I’m must take it you have exhausted searches for ‘best possible price’ for these and your best price is £120.  

A quick search on eBay comes up with aftermarket brands for less than half that for petrol engines and even far cheaper again for diesels. Although I don’t usually advocate buying on cheapest price, if needs must, then buying a cheap replacement is better than suffering the consequences of failure of a sub standard component. 

Noting you say ‘It is a very cheap car’, then if that means you bought it cheaply in relation to its value, then having to spend on the car is not so bad as having paid a fair amount of money for it, then having to pay for (scheduled) service replacement items. 

Kind regards, 

Gareth.