Serpentine belt for 318 ti 1997

[hellocorne]

Hi everybody.
Can anybody tell me how to replace the serpentine belt on my 318 ti 1997 ? Yesterday I replaced the AC belt which was pretty easy but I got stocked with serpentine belt. Any help is welcome .Thanks.

[jmo69]

Before you take the old one off draw a diagram of the routing. Find the tensioner and move it to release the tension. Remove old belt, installation should be the reverse.
Found this

svart
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atlanta GA
Cars: 328I
Posts: 375
iTrader: (3)


The serpentine? You have to find your belt tensioner, pop the cover off of it, hook a socket and ratchet to it and move it to release the tension off of the belt. While you are holding the belt tensioner, you can slip the belt off of one of the pulleys and then release the tensioner.

[spugeddy]

it is a little mentally tricky.... but do take a pic, or draw it out if you don't have a bentley,

you shouldn't have to take the fan off, but you have to snake it in and out passed the fan...

take you time and pay attention to how it comes off... that will save you time. It may take 2 people ... one to hold off the tension and one to fit it over the last pulley....

[hellocorne]

Thank you so much . I will try as you told me.

[amancuso]

FYI guys M44's do not have a mechanical engine driven fan

[CirrusSR22]

The A/C belt needs to come off before you can remove the serpentine belt. And yes, your car should not have a mechanical fan, so it's easy. Here's a pic of the routing. The red arrow is where the tensioner is. You wrench counter-clockwise on that with a large ratchet. There's a cap on it that needs to be pryed off first with a flathead screwdriver.

[spugeddy]

oh yeah, he's right the A/c belt has to come off the center pulley. I don't think you have to completely remove it though... is that right guys.