The right tool for the job...
 

The official BMW pulley puller showed up from CMS today, along w/the crank thread protector (and the new intake btw!) and all I can say is wow! Not only did the shipment arrive in record time (as usual), the tools are absolutely perfect.

I removed the crank pulley to clean off the assembly lube w/absolutely no effort whatsoever. The tools weren't cheap but absolutely worth every penny! Even at twice the price...

Ironically, the local BMW dealership also called today, seems they ordered the exact same tools for me when I asked if they were available last week...so now I have 2!

Henry, you have a package heading your way for your patience and understanding... Did your new tensioner bar show up from CMS yet?

Hi 91eunos,
I just got back from my weekend trip. I will check the mail tomorrow. Henry

the pkg from CMS should be there if their shipping speed to me is an indicator...You'll have another one from me coming in a day or so (however long it takes it to get there MPS from Ramstein).

Thank you!
I will let you know as soon I get it. Henry

HI 91eunos!!
I got the tool from Custom Mini today. Thank you:thumbsup:

Henry

Great! :thumbsup: It's the new design w/the shorter pins (shouldn't bend)...

The pkg I sent to you has 2 tools in it; one is pretty small (thread protector--looks like a bolt) and wrapped in bubble wrap so don't throw it away by accident!

OK, fellas, long story short: about a month back I asked the dealership for an estimate for a tensioner tool and they told be €50! Wow, great price!! They said it would take about a week, ten days and would call once it arrived. I called them yesterday and they told me that the quote was wrong; it would be €120 to order. I knew it was too good to be true. So, where do ya'll recommend that I get this tool? I'm not looking for cheap, Harbor Freight tools but I'm not real keen to pay €120 for an occasional, once a year tool either. Thanks!

Cheers!!

91, the question we're all dying to hear answered --

Did they send you another shirt?

BURN IT! :lol:

Hi 91Eunos!!

I got the second box today. I'm impressed... :nod: Thank you for the Crank pulley tool.
You are the MAN. :thumbsup:

Anybody?

Cheers!!

Hi Poppa Bear!!
Yes, 120 euros it is expensive. You can get it from same place 91Eunos got his CustomMinishop.com or outmotoring.com for about $65.00.
Cooper S Belt Tensioner Tool
$64.95
http://www.outmotoring.com/images/T/FM_tensionersm.jpg

What Henry said... Or come down to my house and we'll do it here w/Henry's old bar that's now welded back together Frankenstien style! Lord knows I have plenty of experience running the belt now...and my 9-year-old son is the master of holding the tension bar whilst I route the belt over the pulleys! :lol:

BTW Henry, do you want the old one back? I owe you big time... I'm glad you like the pulley puller...that thing is a piece of art to me. I can't believe how easy it was to pull the pulley w/that thing. I really like the dished end of the thread protector--machined to take the tip of the puller bolt w/the pressed in self-centering bearing. Noice.

Also did you notice that the puller bolt has a very fine thread pitch to spread the load over more surface area? Nice touch.

The plate w/the holes for the retaining bolts looks like nice quality tool steel too... I'm very impressed w/the overall quality of the tool set; especially for the price. :thumbsup:

Hey thank you again!!
I don't need the old one back. So what do you use to press the crank pulley back in place? Henry

I used some 12mm threaded rod w/a couple of washers and a nut until I could get the pulley on far enough to use the (old) crank bolt. Once I had it tight and confirmed it was aligned w/the other pulleys I took that bolt out, cleaned the threads in the crank nose one last time and then put the new bolt in w/a lot of Locktite Red.

The other tool I got from BMW that bolts to the pulley to use like a wrench made it really easy to torque the crank bolt to 85 ft-lbs.

Great!
Thank you again for the tools. Henry

Henry! Please don't forget to send the specs so I can make my very own Patented, Official Henry Tensioning Tool!!

Cheers!!