For a 15% pulley the belt from Napa is K060535, Gates-K060535, Dayco-5060535 and Goodyear-4060535. Most auto parts stores charge around $20.00 and my mechanic charged $40.00 to change it.

 

If you are mechanically inclined and plan on keeping your MINI for at least a few years, I'd recommend you buy yourself a belt tensioner tool and a new belt. Together they will cost you significantly less than it costs to get your belt changed once at the dealership, and you will then be able to change your belt whenever you want/need to. When the day comes you decide to sell your MINI and you don't need the tensioner tool anymore, then you can easily sell it here or on ebay or elsewhere.

 

I got a response back from Dinan saying I could buy the belt directly from their website here.

Of course it's $79 on their site. I Googled the item code they had (6pk1365) and it comes up as a BANDO belt that I can buy from Amazon for ~$14 or from Napa.

Where can I pick up a belt tensioner tool?

 

I found this site for the tool. $59.95. Is that the best price?

http://www.promini.com/product-exec/...earch_model/99

 

I paid about $60 for mine (brand new).

 

$60 is a good price for new. I bought mine used for $50.

 

I got mine from Promini but it had been used and had some scaling and rust on it. It works fine, though.

 

The Gator Back belts DO make noise! They have segments in the groves, that makes a (Louder on some than others) slight whining noise at lower RPM. It still makes the noise at higher RPM it's just not as noticable. Some people like the aditional sound, some dont, it's just a matter of how much you can tollerate. I personally like it, it kinda adds that old school blower noise to your S/C MINI.

This is a Gatorback belt. (Please note this belt has FAILED! If your belt ever looks anything like this... YOU HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS!)

 

dam Pro mini doesn't have them in stock right now. 2-3 more weeks.

Regarding the noise from the Gatorback I'm confused on this. There is already the supercharger whine and so this creates another whine noise? It can be heard over the supercharger?

 

You can get the tool here...
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...oner_tool.html

Dinan must be really proud of that belt to sell it at that price. What a ripoff!

As for the noise, I have run a Gator in the past and it was no louder (let me use the term negligible) on my MINI over a regular belt. On that note, we also had a a guy with a new Gator belt installed snap, so I tend to avoid them now. NAPA has been working just fine for the last few years and they are cheap.

 

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions so far. I'm going to try and tackle this myself. I love to work on my cars if I can and I might as well start working on the Mini.

While I'm in there should I install the Alta tensioner stop? Looks like a nice preventative device.

 

Must be a HD tool for $90. I paid $20 at Princess Auto and I attached some photos of the tool

 

Tensioner stop is always a nice little safety feature. Although I don't have one installed.

 

So this tool works just the same as the one selling at the dealership for $135? What is this called at the auto parts store? Maybe I can find one tonight.

 

Its called a serpentine Belt Removal Tool.Its available from Princess auto or Harbour Freight for $17.99.
Go online to see it. http://www.harborfreight.com/serpent...kit-66344.html

 

I'd be careful with that tool, they are not that strong and do break rather easy.

 

No disrespect but I have used this tool for 4 years on all my cars. Never felt flimsy or weak. Heck, you would have a tough time breaking the 3/16" thick steel even if you beat it with a sledge hammer. Plus the special tool for the mini appears to be of the same basic design and steel thickness. Plus, its only $20 and it does not take that much force to turn the tensioner.
Anyway, I have attached a photo of the MC tensioner that I replaced last year showing the square hole where the tool fits into and turn to relieve spring tension so you can R&R the belt. Simple enough.
You can also use a ratchet and square head socket as was previously suggested if you can fit it in there and it would avoid having to buy a special tool. Your choice.

Update, I went online to see if the tensioner for the S is different than the MC. It is. see attached photo.
Based on this design, I cannot see how the tool discussed above will work unless you can make something to fit into the two holes to enable to turn it. Sorry, you will have to look for an alternative such as the specially designed "Cooper S" tool at a greater cost. daflake posted a good source. Still cheaper than paying someone else do it for you and you will own the tool for future use. I say go for it.

 

Thanks for the backup . I love the belt noise, but it does fade over time.

 

Don't know about the one you have but I have seen the Harbor Freight tool and it isn't the same quality as the MINI one. The sockets were also cheap and known to break and even the reviews on their site claim it breaks. The one that I have seen was pretty cheap.

As you pointed out it won't work anyway, so it is moot.

 

ok tonight I took a closer look at the belt to get the number off it. Besides the fraying there appears to be a chunk of the belt missing.

So the number on the belt was 25-060535. I called the local NAPA store and they guy was kind of in disbelief that I was putting this on a Mini. Why? Too long? Anyway they didn't have the belt in stock.

So I called O'Reilly and they have 2 brands. A Gates for $19.99 and a Masterpro for $12.95.

Has anyone used these brands? Should I just wait fir the NAPA part to come in?

 

Gates is good... Not heard of the other. Change that belt fast or you'll be looking at a hefty repair if it snaps.

 

For a good tensioner stop I used the Detroit tuned with good luck, in fact a fellow NAMer has it on his car now.

For the belts, with a 15% as long as the tensioner is in good shape, you can use a JCW sized belt. (JCW pullies are between 11-12% reduction, so it wont be loose at all as long as the tensioner works.)

Gatorback belts work pretty decent but do need replaced more often. The noise they make is mainly noticable when you are decelerating in gear next to a fence or wall. Its just a medium tone hum or whine, totaly different than the S/C whine.

The factory belt tensioner tool is a little over priced, but it's the ONLY tool designed specifically for MINI's. Some of the FleaBay, and Harbor S***Brakes tools will work, but I trust them as far as I can throw them.

 

May be why I have never heard it.

 

well well........... I was looking around on the Detroit Tuned site and I found THIS PAGE for their belts and belt #2 on their list for the 15 or 17% pulley has a SKU number of K060535. And the one at DT is a Gates so that's exactly what O'Reilly has. Of course O'Reilly quoted me $15 and the one on DT is $30 . So now I know I can get the correct belt now can I get the correct tool?

Well maybe I will give it a shot tomorrow without the tool.

Oh and when I was checking the belt earlier I noticed that the hole in the tensioner is not visible and I believe the first hole should be visible.

 

Yep your belt is pretty worn then. On a correctly sized fresh belt the 1st hole shuld be fully exposed. (with some "JCW" sized belts with a 15% pulley you will only see 1/2-3/4 of the 1st hole.)

As a side note the correct belt size for a 15% will come up in O'riley, NAPA, and (insert your auto parts chain of choice) as the serpentine belt for the old 1.9L FORD ESCORT. Thats probably the guy looked at you funny when you gave him the part number.

If you want the belt tensioner tool, WAY normaly has them in stock with fast shiping or overnight if needed.