Hi all, 1995 525i 5SPD 284k
Just wondering if the sound on the video is the water pump or belt. The belt was replaced last year. I had a 2001 325i auto several years ago and I had the same sound but, it eventually worsened and the water pump snapped in half, and the belt destroyed the fan. I was a mess but, luckily the car didn't over heat. I was 1/4 mile away from home. As you can tell, I'm trying to be proactive.
Thanks in advance.
My $ is on the belt slipping. Spray water on the belt and see if the noise diminishes. Could be just the belt, might have too much drag from worn accessory(alt, idler, tens, PS) or water pump bearings, weak tensioner.
Remove the belt and spin?wiggle everything driven by it. If all are quiet and tight and belt isn't worn or glazed I'd be thinking about the tensioners.
All else seems quiet on the western front.
Last edited by ross1; 05-11-2019 at 04:20 PM.
If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue
Could be a tensioner pulley or an idler pulley.
If belt is slipping and you have hydraulic tensioner, the tensioner assembly could be seized as it isn’t really sealed. Components are available to rebuild tensioner assembly, bearings included if you really wanted to go that far.
These components are made by INA.
Use the last seven of your VIN in www.realoem.com to determine part number requirements.
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 05-11-2019 at 06:42 PM.
I sprayed water on the belt and the sound went away for a second. I pulled on the tensioner to loosen the belt so I can spin the pulleys. I checked the idler pulley and it seems fine. I spun the alternator pulley and that seems fine. I spun the power steering pulley and that seems fine but, I tapped on the tensioner pulley side to side and it has play. I observed the tensioner pulley as the engine was running and I noticed a slight wobble. At first I thought the belt might have been off a hair but, it can't because the other pulleys center the belt, which is why I tapped the pulley from the side to see if there was play. I think that's the culprit.
There are two pulleys. The idler pulley and the belt tensioner pulley. Is this the one I need? I want to make sure I'm not buying the idler pulley.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00449QK98..._t1_B06XDMPJB6
That is the idler pulley…it is not a tensioner pulley.
If there are two tensioner shown, you will need to figure out which one - mechanical (torsion spring) or hydraulic/compression spring - you have.
Use the last seven of your VIN in www.realoem.com to determine part number requirements
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 05-11-2019 at 09:00 PM.
This is the one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view....nav_crt_ewc_hd
Sorry. I copied the link when the item was in my cart. I think my idler pulley is fine but, I wanted to make sure I ordered the right pulley. This is the one I ordered for the belt tensioner pulley, not the idler pulley.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's the belt. Mine made the exact same noise when the belt was fairly worn.
I didn't bother about pulleys or bearings and it's been a year and still no problems. You need to work out if you have a spring mechanical or hydraulic tensioner because I found out the recommended belt size is a little too small for hydraulic. So tight it would damage the tensioner/bearing. But anyway, even with a too small belt when I eventually got it on - unbelievably hard -my hydraulic tensioner, bearing and belt is still fine now.
Be careful ordering pulleys. One, either mechanical or hyd has the pulley available separately, the other not. I forget which is which but have ordered them incorrectly myself more than once.
If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue
The belt is a year old. It's hard to believe the belt is the culprit. I bought the belt from Pelican. Can't remember the name but, I think the belt is a decent belt. I watched the tensioner pulley during idle and it has a slight wobble. The idler, alternator, water pump, and power steering pulleys have no wobble. There is play from side to side on the tensioner pulley
Have you determined which tensioner you have?
If you have the mechanical/spring tensioner, you have to buy the whole assembly.
If you have the more compact hydraulic/spring tensioner you can possibly get by purchasing just the pulley. I recommend taking the assembly apart, inspecting the pivot, and greasing the pivot shaft/bearings.
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 05-12-2019 at 10:29 PM.
So, I looked at the belt orientation this weekend and sure enough, I ran the belt above the idler pulley, rather than below. I've been driving around with not enough tension on the belt. Stupid me. I'm always quick to say, measure twice, cut once but, this time I looked once, installed twice. This is what happens when I rush the job...
I ordered a mechanical belt tensioner and it will be here tomorrow but, I just noticed, as removing the old belt tensioner, I have the hydraulic one. Are they interchangeable? I want to confirm before the new one gets here so I can put the car back together. I’ve heard of people upgrading from mechanical to hydraulic, which tells me they’re interchangeable.
It looks a sif I can't get those cylinder studs that the tensioner slides into, off. I'm trying to put back the original tensioner but, the top bolt that slides into the stud won't fasten all of a sudden. Seems like it won't grip, as if the threads don't match. I was careful in removing the bolt so, I know I didn't strip it. It's very odd it won't catch.
So, I looked in the cylindrical shaft the tensioner slides onto and it looks like the hole is not centered, thus the bolt can't fasten. I'm at a loss here. Even the lower cylindrical shaft seems off. I tried bolting on both bolts without the tensioner in place and none of the bolts will fasten. The bolts came off smoothly so, I can't see what might be going wrong. Can those cylindrical shafts come off, or are they fixed on the block? I won't bew ableto drive the car tomorrow since I can't get the original tensioner on..
The two are interchangeable, though different attach fasteners and belt may be different.
Look at the Hydraulic/Spring Tensioner diagram -
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_6046
#3 needs to be in the pivot body #2 and Hydraulic/Spring Assembly #8 after starting fastener #9.
You may have to use a large C-Clamp to compress the Hydraulic/Spring Assembly to align #3.
Using the correct fasteners (#10, #11, #13), the tensioner assembly bolts right up…though can be tricky. Look at the image for orientation.
Start fasteners using you fingers, three-four threads minimum, then use tools.
Here is the build up of the spring tensioner, uses two #8’s for attachment. Spring Tensioner Assembly most likely does not use the Idler Pulley, different length belt -
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_6061
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 06-10-2019 at 01:25 AM.
#2, the base plate, the top Bush (no number) and lower Bush #3 are what I'm referring to. I tried to fasten the bolt, #11 and bolt #10 to the top and bottom Bush without the tensioner and they won't fasten. As if the top Bush bent and the bolt doesn't align with the hole in the base plate. The bolts are not stripped.
Try running in the bolts by hand without the Tensioner Assembly.
Did you release tension on the belt prior to removal of Tensioner Assembly attach fasteners?
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How many bolts hold the base plate on? I want to pull off the base plate to further examine it.
Can you post a picture of what you are trying to do here? The mechanical tensioner, which I'm pretty sure you have, attaches with two bolts
If this is the belt for the alternator the piece it attaches to is the oil filter housing, six bolts and unless it is leaking(probably is) you don't want to be removing this to install a belt.
If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue
I replaced the OFHG last year. The tensioner I bought is the mechanical tensioner. I realized I have the hydraulic tensioner (#20). I don't want to install the mechanical tensioner because I will need a new belt, which I do not have. I want to put back the original hydraulic tensioner so that the car is driveable until I order a new hydraulic tensioner.
I must have shifted the Bush (long neck on #2) the tensioner slides onto during the removal process because when I try to fasten the bolt (#11) without the tensioner in place, the bolt will not catch and fasten, as if the threaded hole is not aligned with the Bush. So, when I slide the bolt into the Bush, it will not fasten in the threaded hole inside. What I want to do is, remove the base plate to examine the alignment of the bush to the internal threaded hole to see why the long bolt (#11) doesn't catch on the threaded hole. According to the diagram, I don't see a bolt fastening the base plate to the OFH so, I'm wondering how is the base plate being held in place when the tensioner is not installed. I believe in order for me to use the mechanical tensioner, I would have to remove the base plate so that the mechanical tensioner fits flush with the OFH. I tried pulling on the base plate but, it does not budge, in which I'm assuming it's bolted onto the OFH. I'm in the process of looking for another hydraulic tensioner.
Last edited by drewusmaximus; 06-11-2019 at 10:08 AM.
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