How To Maintenance :: Girl's Guide to Changing Serpentine Belt
#1
04-26-2010, 12:56 AM
Maintenance :: Girl's Guide to Changing Serpentine Belt
I have a 2005 MCS Convertible, just over 50K miles, with many JCW mods. Not long ago, I called the owner of Way Motor Works to order a ITG foam air filter for my JCW airbox. In the course of discussing my mods, I began to realize that the serpentine belt may have never been replaced. Although I had an Alta 15% supercharger pulley installed at one of Randy Webb's "pulley parties" a few years back, I didn't recall seeing him change the belt. So, I ordered one from Way for about $20, one that is made for engines with the 15% reduction-pulley, being slightly shorter than the stock belt.
The serpentine belt is nothing more that a large rubber belt, which wends its way around the tension pulley, the supercharger pulley, the idler, generator, AC compression pulleys, and finally, the crankshaft pulley. If it goes, your Mini will die, and you risk damaging the engine!!!
This is a schematic of how the serpentine belt winds around the various pulleys:
I wanted to remove it without taking out the engine. And, I didn't have the belt tensioner tool (which admittedly, would have made the job a lot easier) - I wanted to use what I had already at hand. With a few tips from the Mini2 forum, I figured out a way to do it!
TOOLS AND THINGS NEEDED:
1) Car jack and jack stand.
2) New serpentine belt.
3) Belt tensioner tool, or something else that can act like one...I used
a 16 - 20 inch ratchet clamp (the type used in woodworking). It is
a flat metal bar, just under 1/4 inch in thickness, about 3/4 of an inch
wide, and looks like this:
4) Two screwdrivers - one slotted head and one Phillips head.
5) A 16mm socket.
6) A piece of long wire - I clipped off a 10 inch piece of wire from one of
the legs of one a cone-shaped wire tomato cage - and bent it
slightly near one end, for just the right angle.
7) Flashlight(s)
8) Torque wrench.
9) Unless you are SUPER strong, you will need a helper for a very brief,
but crucial, point during this project.
10) Your favorite after-the-job-pat myself-on-the-back vice, handy for
celebration afterwards!
Oh, and for those of you "****" folks who want the underside of their Mini as clean as the chassis - close your eyes
STEP ONE:
Jack up the passenger's side of the car, and place a jack stand securely under the factory jack point, located at the front passenger side, under the door frame. Remove the front passenger side tire.
STEP TWO:
You will now need to remove the plastic wheel well. This is not as daunting as it seems. I chose to remove only those screws holding the front portion of the wheel well to the car, and then carefully bent it away from the car, thereby exposing and gaining access to the lower pulleys.
There are (if I recall correctly!) 7 screws, two are just plastic screws, and the others are a plastic screw inside a plastic expander. It is very, very easy to cam out (strip) the heads on these. I found the best way to remove the plastic screw/expander ones was to start unscrewing the screw ("lefty loosie, righty tighty") and then carefully start to pry out the expander with the slotted screwdriver tip - you should then be able to grasp the screw with your fingers and unscrew and remove it by hand.
Here is a photo of one of the plastic screw/expander things:
On the photo below, both the top screw (a plastic screw only) and the lower left plastic screw/expander have been removed. Another screw/expander is still in place on the lower right.
You will need to remove all of these screws, at the front of the wheel well:
Finally, you will need to remove one plastic screw from under the front of the car - it holds the bottom of the front part of the wheel well in place and you cannot pull away the well from the car unless you remove it:
At this point, you should be able to carefully pull the front part of the plastic wheel well away from the car, thereby exposing and gaining access to the lower pulleys:
STEP THREE:
Now the hardest (physically speaking) part of the project. You can either use a belt tensioner tool (as directed), or make do with what you have. I first placed a 16mm socket over the engine bolt (it will act as a fulcrum):
Next, use the tensioner tool, or the metal bar of the clamp as I did, and, rest the edge of the metal clamp on the socket, with the lower end of the metal bar against the edge of the tensioner, close to the tension pulley:
Now, with your helper standing by with the wire, slowly but firmly pull back on the bar. This will compress the tension spring, and in so doing, first one hole, then two, will be visible in the strip of metal at the top of the mechanism. Have your helper place the end of the wire in the SECOND hole. (Note, this requires some strength to do, and when using the "tool" I did instead of the proper belt tensioner tool the bar will occasionally slip as you are pulling back, and you may tumble backwards!) Work cautiously and pull firmly, yet in a slow and gradual manner. Once your assistant is able to slip the end of the wire into the second hole, you are practically home free!
STEP FOUR:
After carefully noting the arrangement of the serpentine belt on the pulleys, carefully remove the old belt. I was lucky, mine was not badly worn at all!
Now, place the new belt onto the pulleys. Take care to match the grooves in the belt to the grooves on the pulleys (I think the only pulley that did not have such grooves was the idler pulley). After some tugging ang straining, I figured that the "easiest" way to do this was to start at the top of the pulley arrangement - I started with the tension pulley and the SC pulley, then wound the belt over the generator, the AC compressor, and the crank pullies, leaving the idler pulley last. Part of the reason for this is that I could readily see that pulley by sitting inside the wheel well, and since some tugging is required (the belt is tight even without the tension on it!), it was easier for me to tease the last slack part of the belt onto the idler pulley. In used the large slotted screwdriver to CAREFULLY ease the belt onto the edge of the pulley, and then worked it in.
STEP FIVE:
After double-checking the placement of the belt on all of the pulleys, and verifying that the grooves in the belt are in the grooves of the pulleys, call your helper back and have them remove the wire as you once again use the metal bar/tensioner tool to push the spring.
STEP FIVE:
Replace the wheel well, replace the wheel, remove the jack stand and lower the car to the ground. Torque the lug bolts (torque opposite side to opposite side - i.e. North-South-East-West) to 88.5 ft-lbs.
STEP SIX:
Celebrate the completion of yet another Mini project!!
The serpentine belt is nothing more that a large rubber belt, which wends its way around the tension pulley, the supercharger pulley, the idler, generator, AC compression pulleys, and finally, the crankshaft pulley. If it goes, your Mini will die, and you risk damaging the engine!!!
This is a schematic of how the serpentine belt winds around the various pulleys:
I wanted to remove it without taking out the engine. And, I didn't have the belt tensioner tool (which admittedly, would have made the job a lot easier) - I wanted to use what I had already at hand. With a few tips from the Mini2 forum, I figured out a way to do it!
TOOLS AND THINGS NEEDED:
1) Car jack and jack stand.
2) New serpentine belt.
3) Belt tensioner tool, or something else that can act like one...I used
a 16 - 20 inch ratchet clamp (the type used in woodworking). It is
a flat metal bar, just under 1/4 inch in thickness, about 3/4 of an inch
wide, and looks like this:
4) Two screwdrivers - one slotted head and one Phillips head.
5) A 16mm socket.
6) A piece of long wire - I clipped off a 10 inch piece of wire from one of
the legs of one a cone-shaped wire tomato cage - and bent it
slightly near one end, for just the right angle.
7) Flashlight(s)
8) Torque wrench.
9) Unless you are SUPER strong, you will need a helper for a very brief,
but crucial, point during this project.
10) Your favorite after-the-job-pat myself-on-the-back vice, handy for
celebration afterwards!
Oh, and for those of you "****" folks who want the underside of their Mini as clean as the chassis - close your eyes
STEP ONE:
Jack up the passenger's side of the car, and place a jack stand securely under the factory jack point, located at the front passenger side, under the door frame. Remove the front passenger side tire.
STEP TWO:
You will now need to remove the plastic wheel well. This is not as daunting as it seems. I chose to remove only those screws holding the front portion of the wheel well to the car, and then carefully bent it away from the car, thereby exposing and gaining access to the lower pulleys.
There are (if I recall correctly!) 7 screws, two are just plastic screws, and the others are a plastic screw inside a plastic expander. It is very, very easy to cam out (strip) the heads on these. I found the best way to remove the plastic screw/expander ones was to start unscrewing the screw ("lefty loosie, righty tighty") and then carefully start to pry out the expander with the slotted screwdriver tip - you should then be able to grasp the screw with your fingers and unscrew and remove it by hand.
Here is a photo of one of the plastic screw/expander things:
On the photo below, both the top screw (a plastic screw only) and the lower left plastic screw/expander have been removed. Another screw/expander is still in place on the lower right.
You will need to remove all of these screws, at the front of the wheel well:
Finally, you will need to remove one plastic screw from under the front of the car - it holds the bottom of the front part of the wheel well in place and you cannot pull away the well from the car unless you remove it:
At this point, you should be able to carefully pull the front part of the plastic wheel well away from the car, thereby exposing and gaining access to the lower pulleys:
STEP THREE:
Now the hardest (physically speaking) part of the project. You can either use a belt tensioner tool (as directed), or make do with what you have. I first placed a 16mm socket over the engine bolt (it will act as a fulcrum):
Next, use the tensioner tool, or the metal bar of the clamp as I did, and, rest the edge of the metal clamp on the socket, with the lower end of the metal bar against the edge of the tensioner, close to the tension pulley:
Now, with your helper standing by with the wire, slowly but firmly pull back on the bar. This will compress the tension spring, and in so doing, first one hole, then two, will be visible in the strip of metal at the top of the mechanism. Have your helper place the end of the wire in the SECOND hole. (Note, this requires some strength to do, and when using the "tool" I did instead of the proper belt tensioner tool the bar will occasionally slip as you are pulling back, and you may tumble backwards!) Work cautiously and pull firmly, yet in a slow and gradual manner. Once your assistant is able to slip the end of the wire into the second hole, you are practically home free!
STEP FOUR:
After carefully noting the arrangement of the serpentine belt on the pulleys, carefully remove the old belt. I was lucky, mine was not badly worn at all!
Now, place the new belt onto the pulleys. Take care to match the grooves in the belt to the grooves on the pulleys (I think the only pulley that did not have such grooves was the idler pulley). After some tugging ang straining, I figured that the "easiest" way to do this was to start at the top of the pulley arrangement - I started with the tension pulley and the SC pulley, then wound the belt over the generator, the AC compressor, and the crank pullies, leaving the idler pulley last. Part of the reason for this is that I could readily see that pulley by sitting inside the wheel well, and since some tugging is required (the belt is tight even without the tension on it!), it was easier for me to tease the last slack part of the belt onto the idler pulley. In used the large slotted screwdriver to CAREFULLY ease the belt onto the edge of the pulley, and then worked it in.
STEP FIVE:
After double-checking the placement of the belt on all of the pulleys, and verifying that the grooves in the belt are in the grooves of the pulleys, call your helper back and have them remove the wire as you once again use the metal bar/tensioner tool to push the spring.
STEP FIVE:
Replace the wheel well, replace the wheel, remove the jack stand and lower the car to the ground. Torque the lug bolts (torque opposite side to opposite side - i.e. North-South-East-West) to 88.5 ft-lbs.
STEP SIX:
Celebrate the completion of yet another Mini project!!
#2
05-30-2010, 10:11 PM
Outstanding job!
Its hard to keep up with you. Everytime I look into tinkering around my Mini, I find that you have done it already and have posted great instructions. Its hard to keep up with you.
Nevertheless, I am close behind you. Keep up the good work. I have lots of things to do and your instructions keep my head above water.
Its hard to keep up with you. Everytime I look into tinkering around my Mini, I find that you have done it already and have posted great instructions. Its hard to keep up with you.
Nevertheless, I am close behind you. Keep up the good work. I have lots of things to do and your instructions keep my head above water.
#3
05-31-2010, 08:48 AM
I understand the "use what you have" mentality, but that bar you're using to pull the tensioner back scares the bejebus out of me, I'm very afraid that those who may not be as comfortable with tools may hurt themselves.
Our local MINI club purchased a factory belt tensioner tool with club funds for anyone in the club to use. If you're in the KC area please contact me to arrange to borrow the tool.
Safety first!
Well done on the tutorial too!
Our local MINI club purchased a factory belt tensioner tool with club funds for anyone in the club to use. If you're in the KC area please contact me to arrange to borrow the tool.
Safety first!
Well done on the tutorial too!
#4
05-31-2010, 10:23 AM
LOL - however, you are absolutely correct - it was a bit scary!!! I would definitely concur with you as far as using the tensioner if I had to do it again, and would definitely recommend anyone taking on this task to try and obtain a tensioner if at all possible - buy one, rent one, borrow one - it will make the job easier and safer!!!
Cheers!
#6
08-10-2010, 06:39 PM
That's a nice DIY in changing the Serpentine Belt or the accessory belt tensioner. The pictures and instructions does help the girls to really understood and how to change in for the mini. Great work here!
#7
09-26-2010, 09:36 PM
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Just thought I'd post up my version of the belt tension tool. I didn't care for the slipping hazard with a bar interfacing to the round casting shoulder. I bought a piece of the "weldable steel" at Lowes, 1in x 3/16in x 3ft, cost a bit over four bucks. I drilled a hole at one end and put a 5mm bolt/nut combo on there to fit into the tensioner holes where the factory tool fits. I used the same fulcrum technique with the socket, but I put a little tape inside the socket to make the fit tighter so it stayed on a bit better. Worked great! I used one hand to push down and the other to guide the bar and keep it straight. No slipping at all, I pulled the tensioner back in one shot and my lovely assistant slipped the wire in the hole. Easy peasy.
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#9
11-11-2010, 10:05 AM
Great set of instructions and pictures. However, if you do not have access to a tensioner tool, here's another suggestion. Put some blocks of wood or bricks under the engine. Position a pry-bar between the tensioner and the wood/bricks. Lower the car with the jack until the second hole is visible on the tensioner spring. Insert the wire, raise the car and get the jack stand back in it's proper position.
#10
01-01-2011, 02:51 PM
Happy New Year and thank you for your excellent explanation. I used the 20" rachet clamp bar along with the 16mm socket that I had to grind down to clear the chassis. I stuck a small bolt into the dowl hole to use as a pry point.....WOW, your trick worked perfect!!!!!!! No need to buy the tool!
Also the bushing was blown out of the tensioner damper. I was able to make one out of a hard piece of bushing rubber. It will be interesting to see how it lasts.
Now I need to change my crank pulley damper. Its cracked and failing.
Thanks again for your great tip!
Also the bushing was blown out of the tensioner damper. I was able to make one out of a hard piece of bushing rubber. It will be interesting to see how it lasts.
Now I need to change my crank pulley damper. Its cracked and failing.
Thanks again for your great tip!
#11
02-20-2011, 04:46 PM
#12
02-22-2011, 11:29 AM
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Just did this today, thanks for the great writeup. Personally, i put the belt onto the crank pulley last. I put it onto the smaller, outer part of the crank and made sure every other pulley had the correct wrap, and then stretched it over the larger part of the crank pulley. Made a nice snap noise as it popped into place.
#13
03-23-2011, 03:50 PM
Greast write up! This saved me a bunch of time, expense and grief. Thanks for all the suggestions and information. The only thing that bothered me was the belt went on easily. No stretching at all. I used a large welding rod, about 1/8th inch diameter in the hole to hold back the tensioner. Hope the belt is the right one. its the 54 inch belt and I have the stock pully on the SC. Seems like if you are having to stretch it to get it on, using a larger object to put into the tensioner hole will give you more slack in the belt.
#14
03-30-2011, 02:18 PM
the pictures doesn't show up... i'm fixing to replace my belt sometime this week when the weather here cooperate. is there another DIY with pictures you guys could give me the link.
#16
09-03-2011, 03:17 PM
Hey Gerldoc, THANKS!!! My serpentine belt broke at 11pm last night, the Friday night before Labor Day weekend. I had the option of either being without my car until next Wednesday or attempting this repair myself. Your step by step instructions made this job a cinch, with no special tools!!! I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW EASY AND QUICK THIS JOB WAS!!! I'm sure I saved about $400. Thanks again!
I do have one addition to the write up:
You can buy the replacement belt at NAPA:
Stock Supercharger Pulley: NAPA or Gates Part #060547
15% Reduction Pulley (1385mm): NAP or Gates Part #060539 (this belt cost me $22.95)
I do have one addition to the write up:
You can buy the replacement belt at NAPA:
Stock Supercharger Pulley: NAPA or Gates Part #060547
15% Reduction Pulley (1385mm): NAP or Gates Part #060539 (this belt cost me $22.95)
#17
10-07-2011, 07:34 PM
Gerldoc, thanks for this post! I am by no means a mechanic savy person. But I like to do my own work on my mini. I bought the car at 74,000 , it needed a change ... I did this in about 45 minutes with no problems. I was able to take the iPad to the garage and just followed the steps. I did buy a tensioner tool instead of the bar clamp... lol. Thanks, it was kinda fun!
Last edited by Eddiea54; 10-07-2011 at 07:36 PM. Reason: mis wrote
#18
11-06-2011, 04:03 PM
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#20
05-26-2013, 03:25 PM
#21
01-24-2015, 01:10 PM
I wanted to say thanks for this great write up! I know its old, but still very relevant.
I also wanted to share what tools I used as I didn't have access to a proper belt tool.
The bent screw driver with a flat end was perfect to get leverage on the tensioner by inserting it into the bottom hole. No chance of slipping when using the gorilla club and did it by myself! Also it ended up being easiest to put the belt over the idler last.
Anyone ever in CO that needs help, hit me up, bet we could do it in 30 min.
I also wanted to share what tools I used as I didn't have access to a proper belt tool.
The bent screw driver with a flat end was perfect to get leverage on the tensioner by inserting it into the bottom hole. No chance of slipping when using the gorilla club and did it by myself! Also it ended up being easiest to put the belt over the idler last.
Anyone ever in CO that needs help, hit me up, bet we could do it in 30 min.
#22
08-20-2015, 09:13 AM
I was able to replicate the same procedure with an angled prybar, placing a screwdriver through an access hole to hold the 16mm socket in place, and using a small drift punch to hold the tensioner in place!
Ill be honest, owning an 08, the belt tensioner design is an improvement, but still 'requires' a special tool. Being a full time mechanic, i understand how important special tools are, but for a drive belt?! Thanks for the improvisational tips!!
cheers!!
Ill be honest, owning an 08, the belt tensioner design is an improvement, but still 'requires' a special tool. Being a full time mechanic, i understand how important special tools are, but for a drive belt?! Thanks for the improvisational tips!!
cheers!!
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