#$@& What now?????

[ivo316]

I am changing the timing belt on my 89 325i, was going well till i got here. One bolt left on the lower ting belt cover but cant get to it as it is blocked by the sprockets. I was told i have to remove the crank nut/bolt, which is crazy tight. I put in some pics to show the bolt i cant get to and the crank bolt i have to remove (i think.)
help please! how do i stop it from spinning if there is going to be crazy torque applied to it??

Here's some reading for ya ! ;)

http://hosting.data.bg/bmw/BMW/E-Books/Haynes%20Service%20Manual%20-%20E30%20-%20E28%20-%20E34/02A%20-%20In-car%20engine%20repair%20procedures.pdf

[DaveSmed]

Make the tensioners pivot bolt "almost snug". You want to keep the tensioner square to the block, but allow for free movement, so tight enough it doesn't flop around, but loose enough it doesn't bind. Install the adjustment bolt and leave it loose. The tensioner should be applying spring tension on the belt at this point. Rotate the engine clockwise ONLY until the cam timing marks line up again. (if you overshoot, go around again) Once you have verified the engine turned, everything lined up, and you got all of the slack out of the belt, tighten the adjustment bolt up.

[new2bmw]

im done that

the belt is on just wondering about the tensioner.

[e30frosh]

...ow...my brain hurts. If you're still questioning the lower cover bolt, undo the eight bolts inside/in front of the crank pulley, and remove it. Then remove the balancer (the big guy with lotsa teeth). Installation is the reverse of removal.

[PiercedE30]

That crush washer is like what, M14? M16? something big like that.

[new2bmw]

ok , thanks and one more

Thanks, i used penetrating oil and the thing popped right off with a couple mallet whacks lol.
The bolt for the coolant in the block is supposed to have a crush washer, does anybody know the size offhand?
also, when i did the timing belt, i am not sure if i tensioned the belt, tightened the tensioner bolts and then rotated the engine or if i tensioned the belt, rotated the engine and then tightened the tensioner bolts. Does it matter or is the tightening of the tensioner bolts at the right time a major issue?
thanks
Larry

[SchnellerVert]

yeah beat up on the newbie day. where's the biff boom and pow emoticon.

I thought we were supposed to help out newbies so that they can fix their cars but guess the day of sharing is dead.

[atomic]

you might want to get some of this to help brake it loose !!
Blaster PB Penetrating Catalyst

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BLR&MfrPartNumber=16PB&CategoryCode=3244A

[Rigmaster]

ok, i am really confused,99% of the people are telling me its one peice and to just tap the thing off. the other 1 % is saying its 2 peice and the bolt must be removed. how do i tell, i dont want to waste an afternoon banging on the thing thinking it will pop off and then find out that the bolt needs to be removed. what years had 1 piece and what had 2 piece?

You got that backwards- the one piece needs to have the crank nut removed in order to get it off (only on the EARLY M20's- like 84-85)- your '89 has the two-piece so you DO NOT need to remove the crank nut to get the pulley off. It looks like it's rusted a bit- try to spray some PB BLaster or other good lube in there and let it sit, then tap it and it will come loose. It's a somewhat tight fit around the crank nut hub, so it will be even tighter with rust. Don't pry on it too much with a screwdriver- but a little side to side action will help loosen it. Once you see how it comes off, it will all be clear... ;)


Bret.


EDIT: Is anyone READING this guys posts?? He asks specific questions and gets generic answers- are you guys high or what????? He does NOT need to remove the crank nut, so he does NOT need impact tools. He's trying to do this and asking for help from people who should know better...........

[SchnellerVert]

Rubber mallet and if that doesn't work a common hammer. Light tap to break the rust bond loose. The slowly work it off. Easy job.

[Turf1600]

Buy an impact. when I do car work, i spend half the money on parts and half the money on tools. the tools last longer.

[new2bmw]

crank bolt

ok, i am really confused,99% of the people are telling me its one peice and to just tap the thing off. the other 1 % is saying its 2 peice and the bolt must be removed. how do i tell, i dont want to waste an afternoon banging on the thing thinking it will pop off and then find out that the bolt needs to be removed. what years had 1 piece and what had 2 piece?

[Fanzotti]

When I was doing my timing belt I had trouble getting that big ass bolt undone also. I don't remember if you need to get it off to do the timing belt but I was replacing the front seals at the same time so I had to. If you need to get it off here's what I did. Tried everything. Put it in gear/parking brake and the car started slowly moving. It was on way tight. Read up and someone mentioned using a breaker bar. What you do is grab a 22mm? socket, put it on the breaker bar, put that breaker bar on the (I believe)
driver's side? frame rail/something SOLID. Put a piece of wood in between the bar and the car so shit doesn't get smashed. Take the spark plug wires off so the car doesn't start. Then turn over the car for a split second and it should break it loose. Don't know if this is a good way to get it off and I'm sure there's alot of people that will tell you trying this is idiotic but it worked for me.

[Teaguer]

Thats the two-piece .

As far as what to do to keep the crank from spinning , just put the car into a gear and pull the e-brake .

Or you can take off the flywheel inspection plate and jam a large screwdriver or pry-bar into the flywheel's teeth to keep it from turning .

Ideally you'd want to use a impact gun on bolts like that , or at the very least use quick fast movements on the ratchet as opposed to trying to gradually brake it loose .

[new2bmw]

thanks guys

hey, glad to see some people have a little blind faith in me lol. and hey noob, you wasting all your cash to the man at the shop? if you arent that must mean you did a few thing the first time also. if all else fails read the instructions. so with this wheel, brute force and ignorance or is there anything i need to watch for when it comes to breakage? also, i am being told that the crank bolt there, came two different ways, a one peice and a two piece, any idea from the pic what i have? i think it was the two peice that you had to remove that bolt for. any info on this?
cheers
Larry