- 01/31/2017
- 1 Min Read
- By: Kyle Bascombe
Mercedes-Benz Belt Service Tips & DIY - E63 AMG V8
When you are driving and lose power steering, and you see that alternator light appear, it's a serious gut check - a legitimate oh shit moment. You very quickly assess the situation and know you have limited options. If you are close to home, maybe you take a chance and drive the vehicle knowing you have finite time if you limit the use of accessories. Or, maybe you throw in the towel and have the vehicle towed.
Belt service on a modern Mercedes engine is a DIY repair that requires no special tools and about an hour of your life depending on the application and skill level. The days of setting belt tension with a well tuned finger or a tension gauge have passed. Belts and idlers are typically aggravated by the cold weather. The last belt service I performed was on an 8 cylinder AMG motor.
Tools Needed:
- External-torx set - European 7 Piece E-Torx Socket Set (E6 through E16) CTA-9590
- Serpentine belt tool - Serpentine Belt Tool Set - CTA-A875
- Patience
- Torque wrench
- Pick tool
If you are servicing a Mercedes, FCP recommends using parts from reputable OE suppliers such as Gates, Contitech, INA etc. for the idlers, tensioner and belt. We also offer several OE belt kits.
Shop all of FCP Euro's Mercedes Drive Belt Kits here.
Make a Map
On most vehicles a single belt runs all of the accessories. Start by making a map of the belt routing on a spare paper or cardboard and then release the tension on the belt by moving the lug on the tensioner. If you are fortunate enough to have a snapped belt, remove the engine belly pan and fish out all the broken belt pieces, hardware etc that have likely found a new home on the tray. Remove all of the accessory idlers taking note of the orientation of any shims or factory spacers. After reinstalling, torque the idlers to the appropriate value which is typically under 30ft lbs and varies depending on application.
The tensioner on this AMG engine comes out after removing two mounting bolts, and it is best to fish it out in a clockwise direction moving up and towards the passenger/right side of the engine bay.
When installing the new tensioner, keep the pin in place until you are ready to install the belt. Once the belt is routed, remove the pin and the tensioner will apply the proper tension to the belt.
