What are the warning signs of a failing belt and how often should they be replaced? I have a squeak that sounds like a belt around 25% throttle.

What are the warning signs of a failing belt and how often should they be replaced? I have a squeak that sounds like a belt around 25% throttle.

That squeak you are hearing could also be the tensionor or a different pulley for the alt/p.s/a.c

Look at your belts and see if there are cracks on the rip side of the belt (kinda dry rot look) also make sure there is no play really in the belts them selfs. I think replacement should be around 40k I might be wrong about this though.

Both of my belts broke and wrapped themselves up in the fan...the root cause was the tensioner pully completely freezing up on me while I was driving. The parts cost me least than $150 from the dealer. I had to fix it on the side of the road. It was embarrassing having the front end of my car totally taken apart while joggers came passing by.

The squeeking you hear is coming from the tensioner pulley.
Your belt will probably snap apart.
Your engine might over heat if you keep driving it with the temperature needel on the red.

This is very easy job if the belt hasn't broken yet. You'll obviously need to remove the fan and shroud. If the belt is still intact it'll provide enough resistants to get fan nut loose. Once the fan is out of the way, the rest is pretty self explanatory.

My advise, better take care of this sooner than later.

Both of my belts broke and wrapped themselves up in the fan...the root cause was the tensioner pully completely freezing up on me while I was driving. The parts cost me least than $150 from the dealer. I had to fix it on the side of the road. It was embarrassing having the front end of my car totally taken apart while joggers came passing by.

The squeeking you hear is coming from the tensioner pulley.
Your belt will probably snap apart.
Your engine might over heat if you keep driving it with the temperature needel on the red.

This is very easy job if the belt hasn't broken yet. You'll obviously need to remove the fan and shroud. If the belt is still intact it'll provide enough resistants to get fan nut loose. Once the fan is out of the way, the rest is pretty self explanatory.

My advise, better take care of this sooner than later.

Depending on if it's the bearing on the wheel of the tensioner or the tensioner itself is going to determin the extent of work needed to do the job.

you could just replace the pulley wheel, But I would be on the safe side and raplce the whole thing.

Your engine might over heat if you keep driving it with the temperature needel on the red.


...? Obviously I would not drive if it was in the red... which it has never been...

Depending on if it's the bearing on the wheel of the tensioner or the tensioner itself is going to determin the extent of work needed to do the job.

you could just replace the pulley wheel, But I would be on the safe side and raplce the whole thing.


That's true...one thing I didn't mention. When tensioner pully froze the belt also melted the idler pully as well.

It turned out the PO used Napa belts. I don't know if that was a bad thing, but they only last 30k miles.

i have changed mine every 20k miles.

I agree with those that have posted above. It is more likely that the sound is coming from a bearing in a pulley or tensioner than the belt slipping. Perhaps a hydraulic belt tensioner is going bad, thereby makinig the belt lose, but I doubt it. I don't have any experience with multi-ribbed belts squealing either.

I have the same squeaking problem, but only at idle. I have detemined that the problem is a squeaky spring inside the tensioner pulley itself. The entire tensioner pulley assembly is 43 bucks on autohausaz.com. if you have the hydraulic type tensioner, this obvioulsly wont help you.

Like I said it could be etheir and to jsut be on the safe side I would replace the water pump belt and the tesioner. Can't be more then 50$ at that price it would just be safer then guess at what one it is. This is my advice, Seeing on how I can't see or hear for myself

+1 on the tensioner, it will definitely cause a squeal. Easy to check...locate them and firmly tug on the belt. If the tensioner moves easily...problem found! I think there are two of them, at least there were two on my E32 but it was a V12.

When to replace the belts? Hopefully BEFORE they fail...LOL!

i have changed mine every 20k miles.

That's actually a great interval in my opinion. I replaced the belts on mine at 35k and they had a decent amount of cracking on them. It's cheap insurance. Replace them and put the ones you take off behind the battery or amplifier compartment door in case of emergency.

just do them every year, they cost about 30 bucks and will save your ass from overheating, power steering failure, no electricity, and the big important one, ac. I would much rather pay 30 a year then worry about a belt failing and ruining my engine

How difficult is it to replace the belts?
I just took a look at my belts and man alive I'm glad they haven't broke yet!
Also, since Napa isn't the place to go for belts, would I be safe to say PelicanParts?

OEM belts tend to last about 60K miles. Check the ribbed side of the belt for visible cracks to determine if the belt needs to be replaced.

If you are getting a squeak the first thing to do is to buy a new belt and see if the squeak goes away. Belts tend to stretch over their life span and that little bit of stretch can cause the belt to slip which is the most common cause of the squeaking. If you replace the belt and you are still getting squeaking then go ahead and try and determine which pulley is squeaking and replace that pulley. Pulley squeaking is a sign of the bearings about to let go.

If you replace the belt with OEM belts then again the interval is about 60K miles.

If you use Continental or Pirelli belts you are good to go for about 30K miles.

If you use typical auto store belts, Gates, Goodyear, etc. then the change interval should be about 15K miles.

I'm lazy, so OEM is best

replace yo shet or yo shet will go boom!

I know for sure I'm driving around on borrowed time, how much can I expect to pay the have the belts and tensioner (if needed) changed?

I know for sure I'm driving around on borrowed time, how much can I expect to pay the have the belts and tensioner (if needed) changed?

I paid 360 :dunno

I paid 360 :dunno

Gud gawd! I'd have to sell a lot of stuff to go get my belts done.
Looks like I'm going to have to DIY it.
Did a search and couldn't find a DIY.
Gotta sell more stuff to get the Bentley Manual.

i should mention, this was for tensioner and rollers + belt and labor.

i should mention, this was for tensioner and rollers + belt and labor.
Did the shop you had the work done at furnish the parts or did you purchase them elsewhere?

All parts purchased from BMW by the shop.

expensive? yes. But I don't have to worry about my belt, fan clutch, etc...

anyone with even the slightest mechanical inclination should be able to do this. it surprised me how easy it was.

anyone with even the slightest mechanical inclination should be able to do this. it surprised me how easy it was.

So I guess you've done it? If so, how long did it take?

I replaced the belts on my '01 540i a few weeks ago, it took me about 10 minutes to do, and that includes 5 minutes searching for the right Torx bit to operate the belt tensioner.

So I guess you've done it? If so, how long did it take?
less than 30min

I replaced the belts on my '01 540i a few weeks ago, it took me about 10 minutes to do, and that includes 5 minutes searching for the right Torx bit to operate the belt tensioner.


where can i find a DIY write up with pics?

where can i find a DIY write up with pics?

Here (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/119957) are some instructions for the e38. Similar with ours.

where can i find a DIY write up with pics?

I figured that there was one around here already so I didnt bother making one.

I e/m'd an indy shop asking how much to do the same job that Brandon got done: replace all belts, tensioners & pulleys and got this:

Paul,

Estimate for replacement of drive belts & tensioner
pulleys on your car : $425 - $462.
Cannot give exact price until we see exactly which parts
are on your 528i.

Please let us know if you have any further questions, or
if you would like to schedule this work.

Thank you,

Marta

Bavarian Professionals
1218 Seventh Street
Berkeley, Ca 94710
www.bavpros.com
510.524.6000

Well, from the replies of you guys that have done the work, sounds like I should wait till my Bentley Manual arrives, buy the parts and git 'er done myself. What do you all think?

Do it yourself Paul, it really is not difficult at all.

If I'm not able to find the part #'s on RealOEM.com will the Bentley Manual have the part#'s..?

If I'm not able to find the part #'s on RealOEM.com will the Bentley Manual have the part#'s..?

for the belts or for the pulleys? for the belts just go to the dealer and pick them up or any auto parts store should have them.

I replaced the belts on my '01 540i a few weeks ago, it took me about 10 minutes to do, and that includes 5 minutes searching for the right Torx bit to operate the belt tensioner.
Hi Nick,

I am guessing you did not do exactly what they say in the write-up referenced since that would take a lot longer than 5 min! They say to remove the under cover and the fan.

What exactly did you do? What size of Torx did you use? I am working on '03 530i with the I6 engine and the AC tensioner looks like it uses at least a T50. I am interested in any info anyone has on the belt procedure for the M54 engine.

Thanks

http://www.oembimmerparts.com/catalog/item/4984876/5013187.htm

Hi Nick,

I am guessing you did not do exactly what they say in the write-up referenced since that would take a lot longer than 5 min! They say to remove the under cover and the fan.

What exactly did you do? What size of Torx did you use? I am working on '03 530i with the I6 engine and the AC tensioner looks like it uses at least a T50. I am interested in any info anyone has on the belt procedure for the M54 engine.

Thanks

I had the car up on a lift to begin with so that makes it alot easier. There is no need to remove the fan and shroud as you can run the belt around it. I do this job all the time for my customers so I am used to doing that. IIRC, its a T47 torx, but I dont remember right now.

Which pulley & tensioner would you guys recommend that I replace while I'm changing my Alternator/Water pump belt & AC Belt?

I've been searching for the past 2 hours for the thread that has the template to make the "special tool" needed to change belts and clutch fans.
I CAN'T FIND IT. :mad
Would anyone know where the hell this post is?:eyecrazy

I've been searching for the past 2 hours for the thread that has the template to make the "special tool" needed to change belts and clutch fans.
I CAN'T FIND IT. :mad
Would anyone know where the hell this post is?:eyecrazy

Here (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/119957) are some instructions for the e38. Similar with ours.

The DIY link above as a diagram of the custom tool to hold the WP pulley - 1/3 way down the page.

Thanks for the link dgz32.
Although the pic of the tool on that link is missing 2 notches if I remember correctly. The post I'm looking for is a template that looks like it was done with CAD. If you could find that, then that'd be great.

For my '01 530 the tensioner used a T-50. I bought a complete set of sockets at Harbor Freight for $8 - 1/2" drive.

Which pulley & tensioner would you guys recommend that I replace while I'm changing my Alternator/Water pump belt & AC Belt?
bump for this question.

bump for this question.

You should only need to replace the pulleys if they are making noise, or once you get the belt off, spin each pulley and see if it operates smoothly.