On to my next project. Anybody know what size wrench it takes to move the idler pullys for a belt change? Thanks Bud
I want to say 19, but it could be 18 or 17. I hate getting older. There are different stlyes of tensioners, BTW. Some you have to loosen a 13mm bolt to realease the tension, then you use the wrench to tension the pulley and lock it down with the 13. Some (the mechanical ones with no damper) you just use the wrench to release tension and the pulley will spring back when you let off. Be careful you don't get your fingers caught, because without hte belt, the pulley springs back further than with.
Belts Thanks Paul Looks like I have to loosen the mount bolt then put a wrench on the tensioner to pull it back. I'll watch those fingers. A/C compresor to go. Bud
You shouldnt have to loosen anything. Just pop the cover off the center of the tensioner pulley and put the proper size hex(allen) socket in there and pull it back. It's probably a 7mm or 8mm.
I havent seen an E36M3 with anything but the hydraulic tensioner (you refer to it as springloaded). Maybe his would have been my first. EDIT: Had to add the quote so you could tell I was responding to a post made in the "future".
Reply to jeron's post from "the past": I must be thinking of the regular E36s. They could come with spring or hydraulic tensioners for sure, and it looks like the hydraulic tensioner design changed in 9/94, so all the M3s should have that later one like yours. Also, the type I was talking about where you ahve to release preload tansion may have been on a different car. It gets confusing working on lots of different models.
It depends on the type of tensioner, Jeron. The purely mechanical (spring loaded) tensioners you do not need to loosen anything. The hydraulic tensionsers are preloaded mecahnically. you must loosen an M6 bolt and the center pivot bolt on the preload mechanism to release it enough to pull the belt. Otherwise, no joy. The tensioner type depends on the alternator, I believe. Realoem shows the different styles.
