[s-cars] belt tensioner

[Paul Heneghan]

I wouldn't mess around with just replacing the bearing.  I'd replace the
whole tensioner.

Our S6 Avant shredded a serpentine belt a couple of years ago.  I had the
car flat-bedded home (the one and only time), and replaced the belt.  A
couple of months later, we were setting off to catch a car ferry to go on
holiday, and when I started the car, there was a shrieking noise from the
front of the engine.  On inspection, the serpentine belt tensioner was
pressing at an angle against the belt, and had worn a small groove in the
middle of the belt.  The roller and bearing were fine, but the pivot was
very badly worn.  I swapped the tensioner from the S6 saloon, and 15 minutes
later we were on the road and made out ferry.

I knew it was a good idea to get two identical cars!

Paul