V-belt inspection, four-cylinder exhaust engines up to August 1993
Required special tool:
- At BMW workshops, V-belts are checked on special machines. If special equipment is not available, test "finger".
Required wear parts:
- V-belts of appropriate sizes. It is recommended that all V-belts be replaced at once, even if only one of them is worn. The dimensions of the V-belts are indicated in the instruction manual.
The condition and tension of the V-belts of the generator, the power steering pump, and the air conditioning compressor are checked. Insufficient tension accelerates wear or failure of the V-belt. If the tension is too high, the bearings in the respective units may be destroyed.
*Replacement of the V-belt is carried out in case of: severe wear, fraying of the sides, traces of oil, cracking, transverse breaks.
Check the tension of all V-belts, namely, strongly press the belt with your finger in the middle between the two pulleys located at the greatest distance. In this case, the V-belt must bend from 5 to 10 mm.
To replace the alternator V-belt, see section "Engine".
To replace the power steering pump V-belt, see relevant section.
Refer to A/C Compressor V-Belt Tension relevant section.
Models 316t, 318f produced before August 1993 (M40 engine). Toothed belt replacement
The toothed belt is replaced as part of the BMW maintenance schedule for safety reasons every 80,000 km. Since errors in this work can lead to severe engine damage, the work must be done very carefully. To replace the alternator timing belt, see "Engine".