Any advice please, the Auxiliary belt on my 52 plate tdci has shredded, it has not snapped but it obviously needs to be replaced. Any idea how much to replace, will this or could this have caused any serious damage. Is it the belt only or do any other parts need to be replaced. The car has done 126k, but for the last year it only moves on a weekend, probably only done 3k max. Got the car from a friend who thinks that the belt has never been changed. Any thoughts? Thanks.....

I took mine to a garage for a software update the other day. We talked about the auxilary belt. They charged £60 to change it. The alternator and tensioner both need to be removed in order to replace the belt

Thanks, did call a garage yesterday and that's how much they said, hope that's it, no more little extras.....

The aux belt on the mk3 Mondeo diesels runs the alternator and the aircon pump, if it snaps the car can still run but all the electrics will run off the battery untill it goes flat (without the alternator to recharge the battery) the battery probably only has enough power on its own to start the engine once, and the battery will go flat quickly if using electrical items, esp. lights, but if you are careful you may be able to get the car home, or be able to drive to a garage to get it fixed especially if you keep jump leads and jump it off another car to keep the battery power up

The belt is tight up against the bulkhead on the mk3 mondeo diesel, and requires a special tool, typical garage prices are about £100 for labour alone, if you change the belt, it is recommended that you change the tensioner and idle pulleys as well, you can get a gates kit for about £170 -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MONDEO-MK3-TDDI-TDCI-ALTENATOR-BELT-TENSIONER-KIT-PULLEY-BRAND-NEW-KIT-/150928710321?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AMondeo%7CPlat_Gen%3AMK+III&hash=item23240d5ab1#ht_3651wt_956

that is with a pattern crank pulley though, better with a genuine crank pulley -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Genuine-Ford-Mondeo-MK3-Diesel-Crankshaft-Pulley-1594853-/310673664341?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item485597e955#ht_1728wt_1199

so £100 + 170 + 130 = (approx) £400, if you just change the belt, the tensioner may fall to bits when you go to change it, and you still have the labour cost, you could just use the pattern crank pulley but i may start rattling sooner, (its usually about 50k before it starts rattling again), the genuine crank pully has a crank damper built into it, the pattern ones have rivets that loosten off after a while (they often look like genuine ones in pictures but they are not the same)

for the belt and tensioners, idler pullys - i recommend a gates kit

Prices are just a guide but its highly unlikely you will get a professionally fitted belt+ pully kit (including tensioners and crank pully) for less than £200 - if you cut corners you may regret it or it may cost even more in the long run - depends what your plans for the car is / whether you intend to keep it for a while etc

Thanks for that, very helpful, cheers.

buy yourself a new tensioner spring,take old one off,new 1 on voila