I've changed a lot on my car but this is my first time actually changing the belt. Doing it while putting on a new crank pulley. Its crazy tight and looking for any words of wisdom from you MINI experts about the best way to do this, last pulley to wrap around, etc.

Its a NAPA #060535 belt, the same that came off and its a 15% SC pulley. Standard ATI crank pulley just installed, not the 2% one. I have read on other posts that 60535 belt is tight and I agree!

In Picture: Doing the crank pulley last, this is all the slack I have pulled tight and the tension pulley is pulled up with a pin in the 2nd hole. I've been trying to pry some with screwdrivers but can't get it much further than the picture. Any ideas I'm missing?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevcyn/10226070835/

 

If the pin is locking the tensioner, it is not fully compressed.....you can try a second person...pulling back on the tensioner tool...will get you another bit of compression...

 

Thanks for the reply Zippy! I did have to get a second person involved. Don't know how in the world you could do it alone but I know people do. Maybe NAPA made this one a little shorter accidentally lol

 

yes a 2nd person helps for a really tight belt I had the same problem haha

 

Put the belt around the SC pulley first and then work your way down. Leave the idler pulley for last, since this pulley is smooth it will be easier to slide the belt. Hopes this helps

 

Thanks BMX. I did end up making it work by using the Idler last. It was still way too tight to do by myself without an extra set of hands and using a screwdriver to pull it over that one.

 

Just put on 532 belt, now that's tight. Idler pulley last works best for me.