ASAP alternator pulley replacement?

335xMD · 08-19-2015, 05:27 PM

So my alternator clutch pulley is wobbly as F... I put this job off and had planned to replace all pulleys & belt myself, but within the past week it's gotten audibly/visibly worse and I have to drive ~300 miles on Friday.

Is this a quick job to have done? As in, would it be asinine to stop at the dealer tomorrow for an oil change and ask to have the pulley replaced too?

Sorry if a this is a stupid question, it's just that time is limited & I REALLY don't want to end up on the side of the road

ucdbiendog · 08-19-2015, 06:07 PM

or end up with a bricked motor (see threads on failed belt tensioner/idler pulleys). whether or not they can do it tomorrow probably depends on if they have the pully readily available.

335xMD · 08-19-2015, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucdbiendog

or end up with a bricked motor (see threads on failed belt tensioner/idler pulleys). whether or not they can do it tomorrow probably depends on if they have the pully readily available.

I'm going to try to swing by the BMW dealership and buy one to have on hand. I get my oil changed at a Ford dealership where I bought my car... gonna call them and ask

and definitely don't want to end up with a bricked motor

kkasson · 08-19-2015, 07:42 PM

Be careful-the alternator pulley requires a special tool to remove which the Ford dealership may not have.

Also keep in mind that the alternator bolts are single-use, so if they remove the alternator to change the pulley you'll need to pick up new bolts as well.

slimxb8 · 08-20-2015, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucdbiendog

or end up with a bricked motor (see threads on failed belt tensioner/idler pulleys). whether or not they can do it tomorrow probably depends on if they have the pully readily available.

why would it brick the motor?

Blackhawk36 · 08-20-2015, 09:54 AM

You can change it on the car but you need the special tools. There is a splined socket and a Torx. The motor can be "bricked" if the belt comes off of the pulley and gets wrapped around the crank pulley. That destroys the crank seal and bits of belt and seal get into the crankcase potentially clogging the oil pump but it usually just causes a massive oil leak. Just FYI on the part, when I needed one I had to special order it. I couldn't find any dealers that had it in stock.

Efthreeoh · 08-22-2015, 06:13 AM

OP, nothing against Ford (owned many), but don't get your oil changed at a Ford dealership. They are not using the correct oil and oil filter element. Find a BMW independent mechanics shop in your area and have the maintenance done there.

Rollo` · 08-22-2015, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

OP, nothing against Ford (owned many), but don't get your oil changed at a Ford dealership. They are not using the correct oil and oil filter element. Find a BMW interdependent mechanics shop in your area and have the maintenance done there.

This man knows of what he speaks. Go to bmwvalueservice.com and find your local dealership--most have a 79.95 oil change coupon on there. Good luck!

08-19-2015, 05:27 PM	#1
335xMD N54 Crew 16 Rep 88 Posts Drives: 2008 335xi 6MT Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: In the hospital iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 335xi [0.00]	ASAP alternator pulley replacement? So my alternator clutch pulley is wobbly as F... I put this job off and had planned to replace all pulleys & belt myself, but within the past week it's gotten audibly/visibly worse and I have to drive ~300 miles on Friday. Is this a quick job to have done? As in, would it be asinine to stop at the dealer tomorrow for an oil change and ask to have the pulley replaced too? Sorry if a this is a stupid question, it's just that time is limited & I REALLY don't want to end up on the side of the road __________________ '08 335xi 6MT \| JB4 D5 ISO + MHD/BB E85 Flash \| Fuel-it! Stage 2 LPFP \| BMS DCI \| BMS CP w/ Turbosmart Kompact Dual Port \| Cyba scoops \| E60
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08-19-2015, 06:07 PM	#2
ucdbiendog Captain 91 Rep 610 Posts Drives: 2008 335xi E90 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Reno, NV iTrader: (0)	or end up with a bricked motor (see threads on failed belt tensioner/idler pulleys). whether or not they can do it tomorrow probably depends on if they have the pully readily available.
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08-19-2015, 07:42 PM	#4
kkasson Lieutenant 187 Rep 589 Posts Drives: 07 BMW 328i, 08 BMW 528i Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Be careful-the alternator pulley requires a special tool to remove which the Ford dealership may not have. Also keep in mind that the alternator bolts are single-use, so if they remove the alternator to change the pulley you'll need to pick up new bolts as well. Last edited by kkasson; 08-19-2015 at 10:00 PM..
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08-20-2015, 09:54 AM	#6
Blackhawk36 Captain 31 Rep 644 Posts Drives: 2007 335i 6MT No iDrive Join Date: May 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (0)	You can change it on the car but you need the special tools. There is a splined socket and a Torx. The motor can be "bricked" if the belt comes off of the pulley and gets wrapped around the crank pulley. That destroys the crank seal and bits of belt and seal get into the crankcase potentially clogging the oil pump but it usually just causes a massive oil leak. Just FYI on the part, when I needed one I had to special order it. I couldn't find any dealers that had it in stock.
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08-22-2015, 06:13 AM	#7
Efthreeoh General 17473 Rep 18,821 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	OP, nothing against Ford (owned many), but don't get your oil changed at a Ford dealership. They are not using the correct oil and oil filter element. Find a BMW independent mechanics shop in your area and have the maintenance done there. __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission." Last edited by Efthreeoh; 08-23-2015 at 08:20 PM..
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