when i replaced my belts, i bought aftermarket at advance auto. the big main belt went on ok, and works good. the ac belt i bought looked thicker than the original, and when i tired putting it on, i snapped it, lol. so i just put the original back on, since my main goal was just to change the main belt.
my advice is to get a bmw ac belt.

 

http://www.autohausaz.com/

somewhere in Az If they are not down the street you should be able to get it in one day if you order before 12.

from the website they appear to be in Phoenix.

I have ordered a lot from them.

 

So I got the one from the dealership. But I can not get the damn thing on. I made the "special tool" but i just don't know if I'm just not understanding how to use it or what. any more in depth instructions anywhere?

 

are you manually turning the motor over with a breaker bar, on the main shaft of the engine?

 

Yes Im just confused at how that clamp tool works

 

Sorry I do not have pictures of the process as it goes on so quickly as soon as you get the tool on. If I can remember?

Put the belt on the crankshaft pulley in the correct groove for the compressor

Put the tool onto the compressor to hold belt ?partially ?onto the compressor. Put the belt and tool in the 6-7 O?clock position.



Sorry this picture is after the belt is already on but shows the tool on the compressor pulley.




Put a tool (socket, short extension, and ratchet) onto the crankshaft to turn crank

Put left hand on tool and help it rotate clockwise as you turn the crank clockwise too. If you were trained as a mechanic this will seem weird as you are basically rolling a serpentine belt onto the pulley (a big no no in tech school when we were trained) but this belt is made to stretch in this situation.

After the belt is completely on, remove the tool.

Check to see that the belt is fully in the 'groove' on both the compressor and the crankshaft the full circumference of where the belt is riding.

Pay attention!!!

If it is not fully in the groove, you will have to do this again with a new belt sometime within the next couple hours of run time.

If the belt is not fully in the grooves ?guide the belt into place as you turn the crankshaft again with your large ratchet.

Turn one full revolution again to make sure the belt is fully in place on both pulleys.

Keep doing this until the belt is fully in the grooves.

 

That aluminum bracket on the bottom of the compressor, do I take that off or do I have to make that tool fit under it? Also the tensioner pulley bolt got stripped. Where can I get that t50 bolt?

In your picture it looks like you removed that bracket

 

Yes I pulled off the bracket ( use 13 mm socket). Use the large pulley bolt to turn the crank. Sorry I do not remember the size.

T50 bolt?

Local hardware will have regular metric bolts the same thread but not with a T50 head. I would recommend a dealer or yard that services BMW

 

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I can't get the belt to hold tension. It just continuously spins. I have done everything and I am just getting frustrated with it. I noticed there is a little buildup from an oil leak I had that i tried to clean as well as I could, is that my problem?

 

Hold tension?

Belt is on?

The tool clamps itself to the compressor pulley so it will keep the belt from falling off when you turn the crank. You may have to help the belt on by rotating the pulley with your hand as you turn the crank pulley.

Are you using the factory style belt or a equivalent sized belt? Do not use the equivalent as it will not stretch!

as for the oil leak this is most likely your cause for the belt failing. and if it is from above it is most likely from either the oil pressure switch or the vacuum pump.

and here is the factory install for the belt if you did not see the link.


http://forums.5serie...attach_id=60548