power steering belt - HOW TO REPLACE?

[Blink21Me]

I have been searching but couldn't find the answer. I'm working on a 1993 318is. I couldn't figure out how to replace the power steering belt. I was able to release the tension on the alternator belt and AC belt, but I won't be able to replace them either until I get the power steering belt out of the way. I tried turning both pullies it attaches to clockwise and counter-clockwise but it just keeps spinning. I'm wondering if I do have to unbolt the pulley itself, which I don't think is the right way to do it?

belt - number 5 is what I'm referring to as power steering belt


thank you for the help.

[ConvGeorge]

Looks like you loosen bolt 8 (the bolt the pump pivots on,) and nut 13. You may need to loosen bolt 10 a tad to allow part 9 to move around (My Audi 200's alternator belt has a similar set-up.) Then put a wrench on nut 12 and as you turn it either way it will move the pump and loosen and tighten the adjustment on the belt. You want to loosen it enough to get the belt off.

When you go to tighten it, don't put a large amount of force on the wrench, those star nuts (nut 12) tend to strip off the teeth easily. You will have to put force on the wrench on nut 12 while you tighten nut 13. Once the belt is tight, tighten bolts 10 and 8.

[Blink21Me]

I actually never touched any of the bolts and nuts, but I'll check it out. So is loosening the pump really is the only way of doing it, huh? thanks.

[wendall@cmwerks]

i thought we had tensioner pulleys for both belts.

i think it was as simple as find tensioner pulley, remove cap from pulley, attach ratchet to nut/bolt in the center of said pulley, turn clockwise (i think) to release tension, remove belt.

I could be way off here though.

edit:
you owe me a dollar.

[ConvGeorge]

Nope, according to my Bentley manual, v-belts for 4-cyl E36 before 1/94.

[wendall@cmwerks]

Nope, according to my Bentley manual, v-belts for 4-cyl E36 before 1/94.

Damn, I didn't read that part of the post. I looked at the car he has listed by his name. My fault!

Sorry for the misinformation all!

[Blink21Me]

i thought we had tensioner pulleys for both belts.

i think it was as simple as find tensioner pulley, remove cap from pulley, attach ratchet to nut/bolt in the center of said pulley, turn clockwise (i think) to release tension, remove belt.

I could be way off here though.

edit:
you owe me a dollar.

uhhmmm, the car I'm working on is a '93 318is, the diagram above is how it looks like on my M3. The 4-cyl 318 has 3 belts, 1 for the alternator, ac, and power steering. I'm trying to figure out how to remove the power steering belt. There doesn't seem to be a tensioner to be released to loosen the belt, there isn't a cap to be pried out, I also turned the lug clockwise and counter-clockwise that does nothing but to make the pullies rotate. Though I haven't tried taking out some bolts like ConvGeorge suggested.

also, my Bentley manual doesn't say anything about the power steering belt on a 4-cyl 318is...

Has anyone actually worked on replacing this belt on a 4-cyl??

ttt

[blulite]

i changed mine only 2 weeks ago. i have a 1991 318i m40 engine, all you gotta do is:

at the right hand side of the belt there is a tensioner. i think its a 13mm and a 20mm bolt kinda on top of each other. loosen the 13mm then turn the 20mm counter clockwise. this should move the tensioner and loosen the belt.

take off the belt, replace with the new one and re tighten. when you re tighten be sure to do it in stages. tighten the 13mm just enough to allow the tensioner to stay in place as you apply the tension. keep swapping between bolts untill you get it in the correct sitting and finish off by tightening the 13mm.

its just that easy.

i actually only changed mine because i was changing the fan belt and to get the fan belt out i had to remove the powersteering belt.

on your diagram bolt 13 and 12 are the bolts im talking about. and part 9 is just a track the tensioner runs on. once those bolts are loose the belt simply lifts off

[Blink21Me]

Thanks blulite, I was able to take out the power steering belt this morning, thanks to COnvGeorge, I actually also had to take bolt #8 after I took out #12 & 13 in order to release the tension.

Thanks again!

[jamrobin]

Hey, sorry to ressurect an ancient thread but my 1994 318iS (manufacture 11/12/93) is in need of new belts and is the 3 belt system and all three are frayed and/or shiny... I'm having a devil of a time finding out what size belts I need to pick up! Every online ordering system I can find assumes the serpentine system... no use to me.

I tried RealOEM and their diagrams all show the serpentine system no matter what year I tell it.

Can someone please tell me what size belts I need so I don't have to remove, measure, reinstall, pick up, then remove and replace again?