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View Full Version : Can I start my car without the Main Belt?


Judd 944
12-02-2004, 02:18 PM
I have a 98 540 and in an effort to diagnose the squealing sound comming from my belt/pulleys I would like to run my car for about 30 seconds without the belt on. Only the short belt to the AC would be attached. would this damage anything?
dagoo98
12-02-2004, 03:01 PM
I have a 98 540 and in an effort to diagnose the squealing sound comming from my belt/pulleys I would like to run my car for about 30 seconds without the belt on. Only the short belt to the AC would be attached. would this damage anything?

The squeal is coming from the pulleys, I believe there are 3 pulley maybe 4 they all need to be replaced, I had the same problem. Less than $200 in parts.
Judd 944
12-02-2004, 05:28 PM
I have a new pulley where the waterpump/fan is, the auto tensioner looks like it has 2 pulleys on it plus there is one more pulley near the drive pulley. can I crack one of the pulleys open and repack them with grease or flip the bearing? I popped the cap off of one and there is some kind of bolt. 6 point internal I think. Can I start the car without the belt?
Tahoe M3
12-02-2004, 06:30 PM
If you do the H2O pump won't be pumping so you won't want to run it for long but 30 seconds or so shouldn't hurt. Keep an eye on your temp gauge. Alternator won't be working either so you will be running off the battery but that won't be a problem for a while either.
Judd 944
12-02-2004, 09:50 PM
cool thanks, I will do that this weekend.
dagoo98
12-03-2004, 09:45 AM
servicing the other pulley's will be a short term fix. Tha tsqueaking noise is part of the design in that it tells you its time to change them because of wear and tear. Its kind of like the sensors we have on our brakes or the tell tale tab tha tare on brakes with no sensors. For about $40 each I'm not sure that its worth going through all that trouble especially since your way might force you to do the work twice if servicing them doesn't work.
Judd 944
12-04-2004, 04:26 PM
well the sound was not the tensioner pulleys. It was the waterpump. It has more resistance than I think it should and it has some wobble to it. My bearing is most likely going. It was replaced 6k miles ago (may of this year) by the PO. Does BMW have some kind of warranty on the parts?