Replaced Belts

[angel318ti]

Thats weird because mine has a 16mm bolt on the tensioner. the hardest part was routing that damn belt.

[Boxy]

Hey, did that writeup ever get finished. My alternater belt broke today, so now its parked in a parking lot in a bad part of town. :[

So hopefully i can get it running by the morning.

Ironic thing is I bought new belts this morning :[

[praveen.thomas]

how do i change the belts for the M44 engine. I am doing this for the first time so i want to be sure

[Bluebimma]

When i changed my serpentine belt (m44) i didnt unbolt anything, just used a rachet and fitting socket, then turned the tensioner counter clock-wise and lifted the belt off the pullies. Installation was just the opposite and took like 5 mins to do.

[marleymon]

Originally Posted by Panzer_M

I have 1 belt on the M42, not the 3 belts of the e30 318is

It's 10/95 production so do I use the 1.9 belt? I use the 1.9's oil filter.

only a one belt set up on your m42?

[Bluebimma]

I only have one belt on my m44 as well. Runs the alternator and water pump. Removing A/c this weekend due to bad compressor and that ran on a different belt.

[praveen.thomas]

so do i have to remove the AC belt first? how does one remove that. i was told that on emust change both belts

[CirrusSR22]

Originally Posted by praveen.thomas

so do i have to remove the AC belt first? how does one remove that. i was told that on emust change both belts

For the M44....

Yep, you can't get the serpentine belt off without first taking off the A/C belt. The A/C belt tensioner is purely machanical, meaning you set the tension, then tighten a bolt to hold that tension on the belt. The sepentine belt is automatically sprung for tightness.

Refer to this diagram for the A/C belt....
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...79&hg=11&fg=18

To get the A/C belt off, find the tensioner pully (#2) and pry the protective cap (#3) off the front with a flat blade screwdriver. The exposed bolt (#4) needs to be loosened. Once that bolt is loosened, the pully will flop loose and release tension on the belt. You can just the belt off. Super easy.

Before you go loosening anything though, get a good feel of how tight the belt is. You'll want to make it about that tight when you reinstall the belt.

You might as well put in a new A/C belt while you're at it. It's only $8.50 at PelicanParts.com. It's also a good idea to throw your old set of belts in the trunk, just in case one breaks on the road. You at least have a used one that'll get you back home.

[Bluebimma]

As seen in the attached photos...you do have to remove the a/c belt first [mine is already taken off due to a bad compressor]. Theres a cap over the bolt you need to get to. Loosen the bolt and rotate the tensioner cc-wise i believe and it make slack in the belt. Take the belt off and youll access to the main serpentine belt.

[Boxy]

Originally Posted by Bluebimma

As seen in the attached photos...you do have to remove the a/c belt first [mine is already taken off due to a bad compressor]. Theres a cap over the bolt you need to get to. Loosen the bolt and rotate the tensioner cc-wise i believe and it make slack in the belt. Take the belt off and youll access to the main serpentine belt.

Man your engine looks super clean. So yeah the water pump was busted too. The plastic propeller shattered in it shattered, and the ball bearings where the pully goes was nowheres to be found. So I got a new water pump for 74$ Both threads on the old one that push it out broke off as we tried to put screws in them so we ended up having to have it towed to the house and using a huge crowbar and a block of wood to get it out. After that it was just a matter of putting it back together and filling up the radiator (with water cause tahts all we had at the time). Oh and my dad used the water hose to spray the plastic bits out of the engine.

So then the next morning i took it to a garage to have them fill the radiator with antifreeze etc, it was up in the air running for 5 - 8 minutes (guy was checking for leaks) and a connector to a hose on the back of the engine busted and sent antifreeze and steam everyyyywhereeee. The guy like freaked out, and I was like man there goes my bimmer.

But luckly it was only a 16$ part.

So I was there from 11-5 and the guy only charged 50$ not counting the parts cause me and my dad drove to the dealership and got the parts.

I appreciate the pictures mang.

[Bluebimma]

Originally Posted by Boxy

Man your engine looks super clean....

a connector to a hose on the back of the engine busted and sent antifreeze and steam everyyyywhereeee.

Thanks for the compliment.

I had that same connector hose break on the way to work one day and the next day i had to drive 300 miles to my grandmothers funeral. God, it took forever to get that done, pita too. Made it there in time though, so all was good.

Sounds like youre having good/bad luck with yours, best of luck to you.

[Rick539]

I have the squeeky noise coming from my tensioner. Is there any articles on how to change it. I can't find anything about it in Bentley, only how to release the tensioner. Is there a tensioner kit that you can get that has all the needed parts? Beside replacing the belts, any other parts I should consider while I am down there.

[J!m]

Just get a new tensioner. One bolt holds it on. Once you see the new part it will be clear. I just changed mine on the Land-Rover, as it was getting a bit noisy. If the bearings sieze, it will eat the belt (if it does not throw it).

[Rick539]

Is the bolt that holds the tensioner on the same one you turn to release it? If so, do you take it off going clockwise (left hand threads)? The way I understand, to release the tension you actually tighten the bolt (counter-clockwise). It seems so damn confusing.

[L84THSKY]

I think counter clockwise loosens the spring tension. After you feel the spring tension hit bottom, keep turning to loosen the bolt.

Originally Posted by Rick539

Is the bolt that holds the tensioner on the same one you turn to release it? If so, do you take it off going clockwise (left hand threads)? The way I understand, to release the tension you actually tighten the bolt (counter-clockwise). It seems so damn confusing.