Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

anyone out there know of a way to make a non turbo 1.6 diesel run with a serpentine belt? ive been all over the site and all i can find is a kit for the 1.9 and im eating way too many belts up one a week the rate im going. i have a wvo kit on it that has served me well but the alternator belt is eating me up i dont want to rip the engine out and put in a 1.9 just because the belt setup but its looking like im going to have to if i cant get this problem to go away. all pulleys have been replaced and everything but i still keep eating belts. if anyone out there is able to point me in the right direction it would mean alot.

I believe the ABA motor used in the MK3 has the brackets and tensioner you can use. If I remember correctly, there is one bolt that you can't use on the MK2 engine but it is still functional and works w/out issues.

Does your car have AC or is it just water pump and alternator you're looking to convert? You would have to use the upgraded alternator from the serpentine setup as well. And, if it doesn't have the clutched pulley, you should definitely invest in that.

Year and vehicle?

its a 1985 jetta 1.6 and a 5-speed. it has the ac but i wouldnt mind getting rid of it though it does work i never use it i just put the windows down and smell the grease

have you tightened/ replaced the belt driving the ac pulley?

ABA serp bracket won't work. Serp setup from AAZ or AHU/1Z will work, but you should weld on a bracket to the injection pump to catch the fourth bolt. Removing non-functional A/C is a bad idea, IMO, but removing a functional A/C system is crazy unless you don't care at all about ever selling the vehicle.

Andrew, glad I'm not the only one who is opposed to removing A/C, especially functioning A/C. First I don't like butchering vintage cars but having A/C is a valuable option to me on any car. Not that hard to fix either.

I have a 1986 Golf diesel non turbo with air and my alternator belt was being destroyed every 1000 miles. I found a conversion kit for $600 from iabed@inaengineering.com but I did not want to loose my air condition since it still works. I have since managed to keep a belt on by replacing my alterantor and pulley. I also bought an alternator belt from an O'Reilly Auto Parts Store that seems to be abit more stout than my continental belts. Belt still squeals now and than but seems to be holding on. For $600 Iabed sells you the alternator,serpentine belt, pully and brackets but you must remove your air conditioning first. I tried to pull the pulleys off of a MK3 to make my own conversion but had no luck.