AC and Serpentine Belt Diy doityourself [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

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danewilson77

10-30-2010, 08:19 PM

So....I looked through the diy section and didn't see a diy for belt replacement so I made one and decided to post if it would help someone...

THIS DIY IS FOR MECHANICAL SERPENTINE TENSIONER. SEE BELOW PIC. AC tensioner is mechanical as well.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maint%20and%20Misc%20II/Mechtensioner.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/nicee46/media/Maint%20and%20Misc%20II/Mechtensioner.jpg.html)

Time elapsed...about 2 hours..taking my time and taking pics for the diy.

***As a side note....I recommend performing tensioner and deflection pulley changeout at this time also.

1) Gather tools and get parts.

TOOLS
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00489tor.jpg

PARTS (1 AC belt, and 1 Serpentine Belt for the water pump, PS, and alternator)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00479g.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00480otp.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00481m.jpg

2) Remove interference to include:
-Fan Shroud and fan.
-Airbox (Intake air filter housing)
-Plastic protective cover from underneathm of engine bay.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00478n.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00482hda.jpg

3) Remove AC Belt...
...by relaxing tension on AC pulley with a 5/8" socket and turning clockwise. This is the shorter of the two belts and is very easy to remove and install.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00483w.jpg

-There ya go.....AC belt removed.
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00485vgq.jpg

3) Make a drawing or refer to these prior to removing serpentine belt. Also recognize that your car may have the upgraded hydraulic tensioner installed already. In order to relax the tension on this type pulley, you will have to use a socket, on the pulley bolt itself, vice the one indicated below. Please see pic below

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maint%20and%20Misc%20II/Hydraulictensionerlayout.png (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/nicee46/media/Maint%20and%20Misc%20II/Hydraulictensionerlayout.png.html)

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00477note.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/e46beltdiagram.png

4) Relax tension, as indicated above, and remove serpentine belt.

5) These are the wear differences between my AC belt and my serpentine belt. Glad I changed it when I did.

AC Belt
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/dsc00488xec.jpg

Serpentine Belt

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/worn-belts.jpg

6) Belt installation
Once you have removed the belts just reinstall in reverse order and ensure the belts are properly seated. Obviously the serpentine belt must go on prior to installing the AC belt.

Marcus-SanDiego

11-03-2010, 10:42 AM

Very nice DIY, Dane.

danewilson77

11-04-2010, 03:21 AM

Very nice DIY, Dane.

Thank you Godfather...

quikryptonite

05-04-2012, 09:15 PM

I pulled the idler pulley off first. Now, I can't get the tensioner of the accessory belt to release the tension. It looks like I have the hydraulic tensioners. According to the RealOEM, It looks like I need a hex bit to loosen the tensioner. It is supposed to turn counter clockwise to loosen it correct? Does anyone know what size that is?

Am I screwed?

Real OEM for my Car (http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=EV53&mospid=47725&btnr=11_2190&hg=11&fg=18)

danewilson77

05-05-2012, 07:26 AM

For the Serp belt tensioner, put the torx bit, in the bolt, and turn clockwise to release tension.

Bolt looks like this...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6545690671_061f918f77_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dw77zhpmafia/6545690671/)
E46 Serp Tensioner Bolt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dw77zhpmafia/6545690671/) by Dane Wilson77 (http://www.flickr.com/people/dw77zhpmafia/), on Flickr

Sent from SIGFest 2012

quikryptonite

05-05-2012, 09:33 AM

Great, thanks Dane. I got the tension released successfully and can get the belts off. I would like to install new pulleys as well while I have the engine torn apart. How do I get them off? I've looked at a few different forums and videos, and no one has an example of removing the pulleys from a hydraulic tensioner.

danewilson77

05-05-2012, 09:48 AM

To remove the pulley from the tensioner....you just turn the torx counter-clockwise (The same one you used to relax tension)

quikryptonite

05-05-2012, 10:46 AM

Thanks for your patience and guidance Dane, you're a stud. Sorry for my dumb questions. Now, after having done this I look forward to doing it again at 120,000 miles when I can breeze through it because I know what I am doing.

I have got everything off and will be ordering the following items to replace when I get my new alternator:

Idler Pulley - Part # 1128 1748 130
Tensioner Pulley (x2) - Part # 1128 1748 131
A/C Belt - Part # 1128 7512 762
Accessory Belt - Part # 1128 1437 475

danewilson77

05-05-2012, 12:15 PM

OK.....good deal. No worries.

Oli77

05-05-2012, 04:43 PM

danewilson77

05-05-2012, 05:32 PM

Is that bolt for sale Dane? Cause I need a new one.

Sorry bud. I put this one in, a few months ago when I did pullies.

Sent from SIGFest 2012

Oli77

05-05-2012, 06:10 PM

Wonder if I can buy just the bolt somewhere.

danewilson77

05-05-2012, 06:21 PM

Wonder if I can buy just the bolt somewhere.

Yes. You can buy it somewhere. :shifty

I got mine from ECSTuning.

Sent from SIGFest 2012

Oli77

05-06-2012, 05:48 AM

I have had no luck finding that bolt at ECStuning (discontinued).

Searched high and lo. It's called a fillister-head screw according to relaoem:

07 Fillister-head screw M10X25 1 07/2007 07119920150 ENDED

danewilson77

05-06-2012, 06:11 AM

This the one I got for my car. P/N from realoem, using my VIN.

I dunno why yours would be any different?

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/07129905534/ES16139/

Sent from SIGFest 2012

Oli77

05-06-2012, 06:12 AM

Never mind:

http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/36118_x600.jpg (http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/07129905534/ES16139/)

Realoem # 07129905534

Oli77

05-06-2012, 06:17 AM

Thanks Dane, you posted the answer 1 minute before I found it.

danewilson77

05-06-2012, 07:03 AM

Thanks Dane, you posted the answer 1 minute before I found it.

OK. Great. Just want you taken care of.

Sent from SIGFest 2012

quikryptonite

05-17-2012, 09:40 AM

Sorry, another dumb question.

I got my pulleys & belts back on last night and the car put back together, but it seemed that the A/C pulley wasn't quite sitting flush. I had it tightened as far as it would go and the belt was hanging off the back of the pulley a little bit. I couldn't get a picture because it was too dark. The old A/C pulley had belt marks in the middle with room to spare on either side.

Looks like I installed a wrong part. Can you confirm? This is the one I ordered:

ECS Pulley (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Search/11_28_1_748_131/ES21691/)

The old A/C pulley I took off looked exactly like it but it wasn't an BMW OEM part so I couldn't get the proper part number. Do I need to order this instead:

ECS A/C Tensioner (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Search/Tensioner/ES21722/)

Oli77

05-17-2012, 11:10 AM

Yes, the second link is the AC belt tensioner.

Your first link is for the idler puller (the one that attaches to the alternator top bolt).

quikryptonite

05-17-2012, 07:17 PM

Indeed, it was the wrong pulley. But, it appears that they don't just sell that pulley anymore, just the assembly. Well, I will be listing the pulley (for hydraulic tensioner) in our classifieds and placing an order from ECS.

danewilson77

07-13-2013, 09:04 AM

Updated with a few more pics to aide in clarification.

WOLFN8TR

07-13-2013, 10:53 AM

:like

TomTomTuning

07-13-2013, 02:51 PM

Awesome DIY Dane!!!