ALTERNATOR PULLEY came flying off ?!?!? Belt somehow stayed on but was destroyed

03tdiwagon

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Location
Toronto ontario
TDI
2003 vw jetta wagon TDI
Hey guys. This morning on my way into work i was going about 90km/hr and i heard a clunk/pop sound briefly then it was gone.
Almost instantly my battery light came on which had me wondering whats up. I continued to drive straight another 2km then i had to make a turn. Upon turning i noticed my power steering really started to be heavy/hard to turn. This made me instantly think my tensioner was shot as the only thing connecting the battery/alternator to power steering was the serpentine system. It had a new belt in so i knew it wasnt that. By default i thought tensioner.
I Managed to get to work, and when i looked under the hood i noticed the pulley on the alternator was GONE and the belt was somehow sitting on the alternator crank shaft a bit torn up. !!

Has anybody had this happen to them or is there a replacement clutch pulley available?
I can buy a new one for 370 tax in but that sucks all over a pulley.

My only other concern was driving home as i said power steering was hard to turn. Upon entering my survey i was making s turn very slowly and my steering wheel kinda "freed up/ broke loose" from the tight steering and became extremely loose which made me worry something in the system now broke and wasnt under pressure anymore !! How do i check power steering components to ensure operation
 

Vince Waldon

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Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Yup, when the clutch mechanism blows it can separate into pieces... belt comes off, alternator stops charging, power steering stops working.

52 bucks Canadian plus shipping from a great Canadian vendor Roseland Technical Services in NB:

https://roselandtech.ca/alternator-clutch-pulley

You'll need to borrow or otherwise obtain the splined tools needed for installation, and I'd probably replace the belt too, since it may have been stressed. :)
 

03tdiwagon

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Location
Toronto ontario
TDI
2003 vw jetta wagon TDI
thank you, i should've been more clear i knew there was pulleys just the specialty tools i was more leaning towards and i didn't mention, i know it has a special tool used to turn clockwise and counter clockwise on the pulley
 

03tdiwagon

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Location
Toronto ontario
TDI
2003 vw jetta wagon TDI
thanks for the reply guys, im going to get the princess auto set and tackle the job this weekend, i hope the set works as i ordered a pulley to pickup tomorrow i dont want to have to start cutting bits to make stuff fit.

and i have heard about metal nerd looks like German oem parts in Burlington is a registered seller, but you said 41$ plus shipping vince waldon, the one i found was this http://www.metalnerd.com/catalog/product/2644937fbe324184a25e586d88a2e97d
 

Tdijarhead

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Nov 10, 2013
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Lawrenceville PA
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2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
You’re lucky after the pulley flew apart and you kept driving it with the serpentine belt riding on the alternator shaft that your serpentine belt didn’t shred and get sucked under the timing belt cover and your engine jump time and destroy the head.

The serpentine belt usually doesn’t make a clean break but instead turns into spaghetti and long pieces get sucked behind the timing belt cover and wind around the crank.

I wouldn’t drive it for just that reason, till you get it fixed.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
and i have heard about metal nerd looks like German oem parts in Burlington is a registered seller, but you said 41$ plus shipping vince waldon, the one i found was this http://www.metalnerd.com/catalog/product/2644937fbe324184a25e586d88a2e97d
Yup... 29 bucks AMERICAN, plus AMERICAN shipping. ;) German OEM wants $45 CDN, looks like.

PA version should be fine...it's not a tool that will get a lot of use, but only that tool will do, so ya kinda gotta go for it.
 
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imo000

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Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
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2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
You’re lucky after the pulley flew apart and you kept driving it with the serpentine belt riding on the alternator shaft that your serpentine belt didn’t shred and get sucked under the timing belt cover and your engine jump time and destroy the head.

The serpentine belt usually doesn’t make a clean break but instead turns into spaghetti and long pieces get sucked behind the timing belt cover and wind around the crank.

I wouldn’t drive it for just that reason, till you get it fixed.

I agree. If a car is telling you that something is wrong, safely stop and see what the problem is and don't just keep driving it. There is a an active post on the Passat forum where the shredded serpentine belt made the timing belt jump.
 

P2B

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Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
thanks for the reply guys, im going to get the princess auto set and tackle the job this weekend, i hope the set works as i ordered a pulley to pickup tomorrow i dont want to have to start cutting bits to make stuff fit.

and i have heard about metal nerd looks like German oem parts in Burlington is a registered seller, but you said 41$ plus shipping vince waldon, the one i found was this http://www.metalnerd.com/catalog/product/2644937fbe324184a25e586d88a2e97d
The metalnerd tool is specifically designed to be short enough to change the pulley without removing the alternator from the car, the PA one looks too long to me.

Simon
 

Wingnut

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Joined
Oct 10, 2002
Location
Toronto & Whitby
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta Wagon
If you need to fix it ASAP and can't wait for the tool to be mailed, you can buy the tool at Princess Auto. But you will have to remove your alternator as there is not enough clearance in front of the pulley. If you can wait till the modified tool arrives, the part can be changed with the alternator in the car.

Here is how to remove the alternator if you decide to do so:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=932019
 
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