help me decide how old this timing belt is (pic)

[ForcedFirebird]

2.5-12, are you stable? Here I thought you were against changing this belt and now you are asking advice on changing it? Am i misguided?

[2.5-12]

2.5-12, are you stable? Here I thought you were against changing this belt and now you are asking advice on changing it? Am i misguided?

nope, mental

side note: changing the belt and swapping to M/T on my 87 convertible during the nights, the new beater 525i (this whole thread) needs to wait.

[Jparkr]

Are you going to answer my question?

[2.5-12]

Are you going to answer my question?

oh, lol -- I didn't see your post

no, this isnt the factory original belt (obviously) I know sarcasm doesnt transfer through text very well.

[Jparkr]

ok, glad to see you were being sarcastic.

Just change the belt, then you have the piece of mind and unless you plan on doing an engine swap and making you're E34 FuRaze like Whatt18yahoo, It's just one less thing you need to do later on.

Besides they are easy as hell with a little practice. I changed a Timing belt and Water pump in 35 minutes at the 2008 Portland 12 hour race. Would have had the belt done in 20 but they sprung the water pump on me when they got back from the drivers meeting as I was buttoning everything back up.

[2.5-12]

ok, glad to see you were being sarcastic.

Just change the belt, then you have the piece of mind and unless you plan on doing an engine swap and making you're E34 FuRaze like Whatt18yahoo, It's just one less thing you need to do later on.

Besides they are easy as hell with a little practice. I changed a Timing belt and Water pump in 35 minutes at the 2008 Portland 12 hour race. Would have had the belt done in 20 but they sprung the water pump on me when they got back from the drivers meeting as I was buttoning everything back up.

I'm sure its like any other project on these, once you have done it once, it gets 3x quicker the 2nd and subsequent times.

proper tools help mucho, I need that somewhat illusive 32mm wrench for the backwards thread fan clutch

[Jparkr]

I'm sure its like any other project on these, once you have done it once, it gets 3x quicker the 2nd and subsequent times.

proper tools help mucho, I need that somewhat illusive 32mm wrench for the backwards thread fan clutch

Oh for sure. I did my first Timing belt when I was 19 and it took 4 hours.

The 35 minute one was also on a race car. The hood came off with two cotter clips and everything was already very clean and leak free. There was water in the radiator, nothing striped thread wise, and I had a friend handing me tools/taking parts. Not real world conditions at all.

If you cant afford the "special" BMW fan clutch tool. Just go to sears/harbor fright Buy a 32mm wrench and just take a bench grinder to the front and back for width. Should run 30 bucks or so.

[Fidhle007]

I'm sure its like any other project on these, once you have done it once, it gets 3x quicker the 2nd and subsequent times.

proper tools help mucho, I need that somewhat illusive 32mm wrench for the backwards thread fan clutch

Why are you still here?

[dnova89]

Wow, I think that belt looks brand spankin' new! keep drivin. ;)




Why is this thread 6 pages long? OP just make up you're mind. Do you want to work on this car or not, it's not a very hard decision. IMO It looks old enough to warrant a replacement, when I replaced my old timing belt it looked like the one in your picture, and I don't know how many miles were on it. My car had 122k on it, but I don't know how many of those miles went on the belt I replaced.


If you want to pay for shipping I can ship you my old belt so you can compare, rofl.


PS: For the 32mm wrench for the fan clutch, just go to a bike shop and ask for a spanner wrench. The bike shops have a different name for it I forgot what they call it, but it cost me $10. If they ask for a description just say it's a long and very thin wrench.

[2.5-12]

I used a nifty Park Tool bicycle wrench (Essentially the same thing) worked quite well.

it took us 3 hours start to finish. first time timing belt job (also happen to be 19 atm)

I'll post up the startup vid soon. getting rather late here and I work in about 5 hours :D

[2.5-12]

Why are you still here?

just because

Wow, I think that belt looks brand spankin' new! keep drivin. ;)




Why is this thread 6 pages long? OP just make up you're mind. Do you want to work on this car or not, it's not a very hard decision. IMO It looks old enough to warrant a replacement, when I replaced my old timing belt it looked like the one in your picture, and I don't know how many miles were on it. My car had 122k on it, but I don't know how many of those miles went on the belt I replaced.


If you want to pay for shipping I can ship you my old belt so you can compare, rofl.


PS: For the 32mm wrench for the fan clutch, just go to a bike shop and ask for a spanner wrench. The bike shops have a different name for it I forgot what they call it, but it cost me $10. If they ask for a description just say it's a long and very thin wrench.

skimmed your post, just re read the pages, I have decided it will get a new belt in late july when I get a scheduling opening at work, till' then.... fingers crossed

also, I had a park tool 32mm bike wrench by chance, worked quite well with the screw driver jammed in the 10mm water pump bolts.

finished the 325i (the car I care about more) in 3 hours tonight. the 525 can wait.

[JGood]

These timing belts didn't show any excessive signs of wear either...

[2.5-12]

I beg to differ

[jlevie]

I beg to differ

I think the point of those pictures is that unless you pull the timing covers off and inspect all of the belt you can't say anything about its condition. At that point, you are most of the way into a belt change.

[2.5-12]

I think the point of those pictures is that unless you pull the timing covers off and inspect all of the belt you can't say anything about its condition. At that point, you are most of the way into a belt change.

and I think we've already been over that with an actual M20 (thanks to Siggie) in this thread.