Hi All,

Thanks to all who replied to my previous thread about noise from the passenger side. Your analysis was correct - there is a chunk missing from the serpentine belt.

But I've run into a snag and can't seem to find anyone who has reported it or the solution, if there is one, other than part replacement.

My friction wheel (FW) tab releases about 1 inch and stops hard. All the videos I've seen show it coming out about 3 inches and moving the wheel down. In my case the wheel doesn't move. I tried some WD40 into the tab hole - no joy.

Anyone with any ideas?

I can see all 3 bolts that hold the FW in place although not sure I can get a wrench on the back one. Has anyone got it off from below? Moreover once off can the replacement be put back on readily. Looks from this video, linked below, that there's a wired connection into it. Did this guy do it all from below without dropping the engine a bit?


Otherwise looks like I'm going in from the top and removing the motor mount. Question: how much up-down movement can the engine take (supported by jack from below)?

I have a new friction wheel and tensioner on order but would be happy to save these for next time if I can get the belt changed. I succumbed and bought the MINI specific belt tool as I wasn't sure my newly acquired box wrench could give enough leverage from above. The existing tensioner seems to spin smoothly.

cheers
MacMini34

PS I have no jack pads on the back but one on each side at the front. Is this normal?

PPS Does this peculiar design allow the water pump to be turned on and off via movement of the friction wheel? If so, why?

PPPS Next house, even if it's a dilapidated shed I'm getting a lift. Too damn old to be lying on hot asphalt.

 

I suggest to go in from the side and from the top. Lowering the engine a few inches as well as raising is not a big thing.

The friction wheel tab has a small hole in it where you can clip it in. But doesn't sound like you can get that far. I think I lowered the engine back then and used some pliers to pull (I changed that thing anyways). If you're at it, sometimes the bearings in it go bad. So while you're at it... (And replacements are not too expensive. Don't buy the Mini labeled thing). And do the water pump pulley if the rubber is cracking on it.

The US minis don't have a temperature activated water pump. I think that's Europe only.

 

Oh, and the jack pads can fall off. I bought cheap ones on eBay. Last time I had tires changed at the shop, two were MIA...

 

Thanks, Yes several videos show the tab coming out and being hooked on the clip. Mine definitely doesn't make it out far enough. I was hoping someone else had seen this and there was a simple solution not involving replacement. There's not even enough room there to try the old age trick of giving it a good smack, although being plasticky probably not a great idea. I have a Dayco on order, Febi unavailable and unsure of the URO brand.

So there's no plug on mine as in the video - interesting - I wonder why the difference.

I'll start disassembly of the top this weekend in anticipation of a Monday delivery of a new part.

cheers
MacMini34

 

As cpmetz stated, best to go in from above and below. I did mine on jackstands. Removed RF wheel and fender liner, then supported engine oil pan with jack and piece of wood. Removed right side engine mount, then it was easy (well, relatively easy) to get to the water pump pulley and friction wheel by lowering the jack supporting the engine. If I were you, I would replace all at once. You might even consider replacing the water pump if your car has more than 70 or 80k miles. I used one with a metal impeller, versus the stock plastic. The brand I used was Graf.

 

Whether the water pump is driven permanently or not has no effect on whether or how much the release tab extends. The release function is needed in both cases in order to be able to replace the serpentine belt without removing the friction wheel assembly. And even if it magically does work again, it should still be replaced since you sprayed WD40 into it.

I managed to remove the friction wheel assembly by both lowering and raising the engine by about an inch or so in either direction while using the very low profile socket (the one mentioned in newtis: 10mm WERA 8790 FA) along with an 11mm ratchet wrench. However, I have since seen pictures of engines that were lowered way more than that and allowed for all three bolts to be removed from below (i.e. through the right wheel) with a standard sized 10mm socket and ratchet.

 

Working on in preparation for the part arriving.

I assume the intercooler(?) pipe either needs to come out or be released near the cabin and swung out the way if it's flexible enough. I've undone the clamp and have tried to get the wiring connector off by poking around with a screwdriver in the small hole feeling for a tab but so far no luck. I aim to be very careful with these bits as breaking them creates great problems so some guidance on how it releases is appreciated. There looks like another clamp down by the radiator and a bracket that has a screw(?) in it. Stubbie screwdriver time?

I'm at nearly 61k miles. I thought about adding the water pump to the list but was aiming to keep it simple to get a feel for how to work on the car. If I'm successful here then at least I know what's needed next. Yes, I saw water pumps with metal impellers and thought those a better option. The lack of a temperature gauge is unforgivable in my opinion and those aftermarket ones are quite pricey.

cheers
MacMini34

 

I did my passenger side motor mount yesterday which also involves raising the engine. You can get along without removing the hole piping, but it's tight. I unmounted the charge pipe holding bolt at the radiator and released the clamp from the throttle body hose, and then just pushed it around (I also removed the headlights and the big U shaped bracket obviously). This allowed me to remove the engine mount bracket that connects to the engine mount and adapter plate.

Quick tip: if you want to remove the torx bolt of the charge pipe without putting the front in service position, a 1/4 air ratchet from harbor freight fits wonderfully.

 

 

No comments on the state of the old belt?

Also, what irony, the old friction wheel releases fully now out of the car.

But on to the upside of putting everything back. For the engine bracket Newtis gives torque numbers for the main 18mm nut as 100Nm but has 2 values of 38Nm and 56Nm for the 13mm bolts but which is which?

What about the engine mount itself? I can't see any values on Newtis for the 2 x 13mm and 1 x 16mm that hold it in. Someone on Pelican suggested these should be replaced when it comes out. I haven't taken the mount out yes as I was able to remove the last FW bolt with a 10mm wrench albeit very slowly. I may have to remove the mount to get the new FW bolt back in.

Oh, and I couldn't get the headlight off - the usual rusted lower outside connection and spinning bolt.

For me, this has been an order of magnitude more difficult than expected.

cheers
MacMini34

 

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r...unting/5eAHohm

Engine mount to body for the engine mount to the body.

for the different values:
The two values depend on the bolt that was used by the factory. Check the top of your bolt, it has numbers on it that will make sense when you see the table.

 

it works!

Thanks cpmetz for pointing out that there are different bolts and therefore differing torque values

cheers
MacMini34

(hopefully short video of functional belt)