# 3.2 belt routing? does this look correct?



## $$Rich$$ (Oct 14, 2005)

when I search I come up with nothing that looks like the mkv based 3.2 it all looks to be different.
older stuff with a different layout. 

I was just laying under my car changing the oil, and noticed that the idler pulley here is smooth,(it looks ribbed because it has been running that way for a while) but it has the ribbed side of the belt on it, should the belt be pulled up and have the back (smooth side) of the belt on the smooth pulley?
logic would tell me that if it was installed correct that the pulley would be ribbed

if I run the belt on top of the smooth pulley, it would be giving more belt contact with the A/C and crank shaft pulley?

is this belt installed wrong?


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## Ratfester (Jul 10, 2008)

Mine is the same way, if you look at it from the top you can see there's no way the belt would fit over the top of that pulley anyway.


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Yeah, the pic is right. Here's mine from when I recently replaced the idler pulleys:


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## Darby76x (May 22, 2011)

^^ Nice clean new pulleys, John. After seeing all the grim posts in the R32 forum I'm replacing both idlers, tensioner, and belt (no Fluidampr though). Just hit 75k last week.


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Good move. :thumbup: I was shocked at how much the idlers were because I just had my mechanic order them for me without asking. They have to be cheaper online somewhere. The actual swap is pretty straightforward.


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## Darby76x (May 22, 2011)

Not OEM, but $30 at RockAuto. Regardless, peace of mind is priceless


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## $$Rich$$ (Oct 14, 2005)

thanks guys!!


just seems that a smooth pulley seems more fit for the back of the belt.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

I had the exact same thought when I took my belt off to find where my whine was coming from. Seems odd that way, you think it should go over the top of that pulley but nope!


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## Darby76x (May 22, 2011)

Here is the description of the Gates idler pulley part #36300 I got:

DriveAlign Premium OE Pulley; Thermoplastic Smooth/Backside (65mm x 17mm x 26mm) - W/Bolt, 2 Dust Shields, Retainer
Made of steel or premium thermoplastic for longer wear life and higher load capacity
Available for both backside and groove-side applications
Built with precise dimensional tolerance for smooth operation
Built with corrosion-resistant coating for better durability
Designed to operate under severe conditions which provide greater reliability
Made with premium service-free bearings and seals that can operate at higher temperatures providing OE performance

Upper pulley runs backside, lower runs groove-side (but without being grooved).


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