Broken Pully, Filled Motor, Or Blown Motor?

[25psi_talon]

yesterday i was on my way to work and i realized my car was acting like it was going to die in 5th gear on the highway, so i decided to press the clutch in and pull over, when i pressed the clutch in the car died and big puff of white smoke came out, i opened the hood and it was steaming but then i realized there was a small fire by the transmission and i had some milk i bought maybe 10 minutes ago so i used that to put it out, i called a flat bed and they took it home for me, i looked under the hood and saw that one of the pully's were broken (its right under the far back timing gear) and the belt was off of it, so i took some pictures. So can anyone tell me what that pully is to, or what happened? (its also a 91 tsi with a 6-bolt)

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[AWD_Hybrid]

Harmonic balance rubber popped out. Needs a reco or newy, preferably a newy.
Cheers !

 

[->PrOjEcTGS<-]

Na... That's the A/C tensioner pulley. I don't know why it breaking would cause your fire?

 

[25psi_talon]

well do u think it would make it so motor locks up?

 

[godfather75]

Thats definatly the ac tensioner, but would have nothing to do with your motor locking up or catching on fire.

 

[Littlebeeper]

if the belt is tight enough it will cause it to put a large load on the engine. it will kill the engine when idling (like you did when you put the clutch in). if you had kept your foot in it the belt would have melted off and the motor would have picked up the lost power but you might have had a bigger fire. the small fire was likely the belt melting its self and catching on fire from the heat. it doesn't take much friction to get those belt hot to the point of melting plastics and belts. run the car like that if you have no ac, or check to make sure it was the tensioner pulley of the ac that froze or loosened up and not the compressor or a component of it that froze up. of course check the main pulley (harmonic balancer) since your there already.
If you do have ac i hope it was simply your tensioner pulley that froze or became loose. better that than a compressor or compressor clutch as the damn thing would have to come out.

 

[25psi_talon]

so if i change the belt it should start up? ### there was no knocking of the motor when it died and it wont turn over, like i can hear the starter trying but the motor is locked up

 

[donniekak]

Take the timing covers off and check for damage or slippage. The ac pulley looks like it is in the same space your timing belt should be in.

 

[25psi_talon]

it is off... u can see a lil bit of it in the bottom pic

 

[1990AWD]

if the timing belt is off you better not try starting the motor anymore. take the timing belt covers and all other pullys off and see whats what

 

[donniekak]

it is off... u can see a lil bit of it in the bottom pic

Take the bottom cover off.

 

[MichaelSuch]

Is your timing belt ate up at all? It looks like the pulley dug into the timing cover. I'm wondering as to why it went out though, I would definately check the harmonic balancer and make sure there is nothing wrong with it, along with the Waterpump/alternator belt as it rides on the same pulley that the AC belt is on.

 

[25psi_talon]

the belt is ate up