SnakeyesTx
08-13-2006, 10:50 PM
95 525i M50 (not mine, but Milkboot's). We were driving from Houston to Tomball (about a 40 mile trip). Earlier in the day we drove all the way to Galveston Island and back after taking a few pictures which I'll try to post later. Round trip was about 180 miles. Halfway up to Tomball, he takes off like a bat out of hell and while I'm following behind him in my 5, I smell something like burnt rubber. Naturally I do my "God, I hope that's not mine" chant as I have to do nearly 100mph just to catch up to him. Then I hear my two-way radio kick on with "Uhm, I just got a voltage error and my steering just got really tight. Immediately I'm looking for the nearest exit ramp and say "Watch the temperature gauge and get off as soon as you can." It took nearly a mile before we had an exit and a parking lot to pull in and I catch a view of his temperature gauge just about to hit the red as he shuts it down.
Being really late at night I can clearly see a bright brass colored section above the alternator pulley that couldn't have been more than 2 inches in diameter. There's no belt either. We end up leaving the car overnight.
Today I walked out to look at my engine and noticed my belt isn't looking too hot either but the parts I tried to take mental notes of was the tensioner and idler assemblies. I did the search for this topic and mainly wanted to confirm a few things here in this newer thread since the only definitive result was rather old.
My pulleys are flat faced. I can't see a bolt in the center at all. They also appear to be plastic (which from other vehicles I've had is a REALLY bad idea which is why most aftermarket ones are metal now). From what I understand there's a plastic cover over the face of the pulleys to cover the bolt?
* Also, the idler was clearly gone on his. The inner part where the bearing would ride on the stationary section was the only piece left with a single bolt slightly offset from the center (very high temperature burn marks riding the whole circumfrence of it). I'm assuming this is the only bolt for this smaller assembly? When we get the new one, basically I'll just have to take the pulley off, bolt the new piece on, then bolt the pulley back on?
** Tensioner pulley had melted slightly from the burning belt and is pretty much no good. I believe we can get just the pulley rather than the whole assembly for this part, but to clarify the R&R on this, just pop the cover off, unbolt it and put the new one on? I know this one sounds kind of silly, but I had no clue how to move the tensioner until I read to just turn the bolt clockwise to move it so I figure turn it the same way to tighten it on, then it'll stop turning and eventually the entire assembly will start to pivot itself?
When we got there today to call a flatbed out, we found the belt had wrapped around the fan clutch shaft and was burnt something aweful. Upon initial view, I was a little worried that the radiator and fan would have to come out and I'd be asking how to take the entire tensioner assembly off to replace, but it looks like we'll just be replacing a few pulleys. I'll try to post some pics before we tear it down.
Being really late at night I can clearly see a bright brass colored section above the alternator pulley that couldn't have been more than 2 inches in diameter. There's no belt either. We end up leaving the car overnight.
Today I walked out to look at my engine and noticed my belt isn't looking too hot either but the parts I tried to take mental notes of was the tensioner and idler assemblies. I did the search for this topic and mainly wanted to confirm a few things here in this newer thread since the only definitive result was rather old.
My pulleys are flat faced. I can't see a bolt in the center at all. They also appear to be plastic (which from other vehicles I've had is a REALLY bad idea which is why most aftermarket ones are metal now). From what I understand there's a plastic cover over the face of the pulleys to cover the bolt?
* Also, the idler was clearly gone on his. The inner part where the bearing would ride on the stationary section was the only piece left with a single bolt slightly offset from the center (very high temperature burn marks riding the whole circumfrence of it). I'm assuming this is the only bolt for this smaller assembly? When we get the new one, basically I'll just have to take the pulley off, bolt the new piece on, then bolt the pulley back on?
** Tensioner pulley had melted slightly from the burning belt and is pretty much no good. I believe we can get just the pulley rather than the whole assembly for this part, but to clarify the R&R on this, just pop the cover off, unbolt it and put the new one on? I know this one sounds kind of silly, but I had no clue how to move the tensioner until I read to just turn the bolt clockwise to move it so I figure turn it the same way to tighten it on, then it'll stop turning and eventually the entire assembly will start to pivot itself?
When we got there today to call a flatbed out, we found the belt had wrapped around the fan clutch shaft and was burnt something aweful. Upon initial view, I was a little worried that the radiator and fan would have to come out and I'd be asking how to take the entire tensioner assembly off to replace, but it looks like we'll just be replacing a few pulleys. I'll try to post some pics before we tear it down.