Well that sucks! Odd that the belt shredded but not totally uncommon if you search the forums. Other than throwing codes, you should be ok with a new belt unless the pulley has come off. Another possibility is that the pulley is not aligned correctly thus causing the wear. Sorry to hear that this has happened.

 

Oh, man. I would hope, though, that if you really were Johnny On The Spot in shutting her down, she'll be fine -- I would hope. Glad it didn't cause a wreck -- it could always be worse.

I'm still blaming carma and that Custom Mini Shop t-shirt....

 

Yeah, I've found that. Didn't look like any damage to the pulley but it was dark. I'm sure that the install went well as I'd gone almost 300k's before the belt failed. Again, the only thing I can think of was the tensioner. I mean, Henry did a real pro job with both installs and 91's is doing fine now. Tomorrow will tell. Not really looking forward to the bills...

Thanks, dude!! Splash damage on carma!!! And I wasn't even there for the first one and have not done business (yet) with these guys!!

Cheers!!

 

OH MY GOD.... My Heart is pumping heavily. Poppa Bear you could use at least a big screwdriver to put the old belt back. I’m passing list in my mind trying to figure out what went wrong. The only possible: pulley came loose or bad belt… the only thing that I can recall was the belt looked kind of thin. Did you check the pulley with the flash light to see the alignment? Please keep us inform about the outcome. Henry

 

More than likely it is just a thrown belt. I would recommend the Gates (NAPA) belt as a replacement.

 

OMG, you know there is a tool to take that off easily and doesn't destroy the pulley.

Steve

 

Which pulley did you install? And there was no prybar used in the removal or the OEM pulley, I hope. The tee-shirt should of brought you good karma if you had bought your parts from us. Hopefully, it is only a bad belt. Make sure you can see some of the hole on the end of the tensioner stop when the belt is installed.

Steve

 

Oh yeah... We tried not one, not two but three different pulley pullers and finally even tried welding the center of my personal puller to the pulley to try to back it out. That dman thing was on there so tight that it snapped the welds!

There really was something wrong w/that stock dampener/pulley...I've pulled literally hundreds in my time and have never had so much trouble.

And yes we were pushing against the crank through the hole, not the metal piece in the middle of the pulley!

 

Roger that... Get the NAPA belt from CMS...no issues w/mine at all. I had some minor squeeking this morning w/the cold but it went away after a few seconds.

I did multiple runs up to 140+ MPH last night and today w/no issues. If you want me to send teh bar to you to put on a new belt lemme know, then you can send it along to Henry. I'm sending some $$ to Chris to buy the guys in the shop some adult beverages for staying open late.

 

FWIW, I've done the belt tensioner using a socket on the bolt as a fulcrum and a long screwdriver or prybar as a lever (maybe with a small allen wrench in the hole to push against) and worked fine - when we didn't have a tensioner tool...

 

I've had a few that I thought were going to break the puller, but yours takes the cake. That one took some determination by the looks of it.

Steve

 

Alright, fellas, here’s the rest of the story.

Apparently, either the belt failed then the tensioner or the tensioner went first. (Part number 1 on this diagram.) I’m thinking the tensioner failed first because of the time and distance traveled, problem free, with this new belt. Just guessing on my part. Regardless, it won’t be as simple as replacing the belt. On the tensioner, there is the spring that we all know and love so well. However, there is also a hydraulic rod, not unlike the lift rods for the hood, on the back of the tensioner. I’m guessing that that rod is to prevent over extension of the tension arm. When the belt failed, this rod subsequently failed causing the tensioner wheel to become forced onto the flywheel, yet another part near to our heart. The tensioner wheel was ground down about a quarter inch causing deformities in the grooves of the flywheel. So, that’s three things needing replacement: belt, tensioner assembly and flywheel. All in all, about €550 in pats and labor plus the €150 for the towing. And, of course, none of this is under warranty because of tuning parts (Alta pulley). Maggie should be all better come Friday and I’ll pass along snaps and such later.

So, there ya go. All the grisly details. Sorry that I forgot to bring my camera, however, I will ask to keep the parts for show and tell later. What is the lesson from this? Stuff happens. That’s just how it goes sometimes.

Cheers!!

 

Wow... Poppa Bear

So the belt snapped and the tensioner slammed in to the crank pulley and the flywheel. So what they said about the Alta pulley? It is out of alignment, broken, bent? Do they have to replace the pulley also? Henry

 

Poppa Bear,
I found this information in one of the forums. I just ordered this adapter to prevent the tensioner to slamm on the crank when the belt snap.

Improved belt tensioner
I am currently running the 19% pulley and am on my 3rd belt. Each time the belt breaks the belt tensioner slams into the crank pulley...destroying it (3rd crank pulley too). I am going to install the mymini tensioner limit stop tomorrow as well as a new belt tensioner assembly but I was wondering if anyone has seen any product to replace this poorly designed belt tensioner. If you have seen Ryephile's belt tensioner on his turbo only setup this is kinda what I am looking for.

 

Henry,

The pulley looked fine to me this morning. All they did was identify it as aftermarket and not under warranty. Didn't seem like they would have any problems working around it and won't have to replace it. Eyeballing it looks like everything is straight and fine. We'll see later. While I understand what the bar is doing in your next thread, however, I cannot figure out what a hydraulic rod would be doing in this assembly. I'll back from Rammstein on Wednesday and Kohl will have Maggie ready to go on Thursday. After I pay them off, naturlich!!

Cheers!!

 

Fellas, this one length of bar would've made the difference between a $17 belt replacement vs. a €550 maintenance fee. Of course, even with it, I would've choked down the €150 towing fee.

Now, Henry, where did you get yours from and how much? Cheap at the cost, for sure!!

Cheers!!

 

I ordered one today, from this web site. $28 and $7 for shipping so $35 total for this little bar. Henry
http://www.minspeed.net/TSB.htm

 

Sounds like we're going to have a "Improved belt tensioner party", which doesn't sound anywhere near as good as "pulley party" if you ask me.

Ordered mine -- and an extra, 'cause I know loesches is going to want / need to do it when he gets back.....

 

Well... the only way that I see to install this little bar on the tensioner. Will be, prepping the car for a pulley like job. Henry

 

Abu, thanks for hooking a brother up!

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I might be getting to deliver it to you, before you come home -- Big Army hates me. Fochers.

 

Damn! That sucks!

Well let me know what the deal is and maybe we can meet up down here. I will buy the lunch!

 

Maggie's back!!!

Unfortunately, I'm not smart enough to figure out linking photos into the forum from the my gallery, however, Maggie seems to be doing fine. The dealership went ahead and used my previous belt but had to replace the crank pulley and tension arm. I was mistaken when I said that the tensioner wheel made contact with the flywheel; obviously it was the tension arm itself. Remember, all of this damage occurred in less than 30 seconds from failure to motor stop!! I'm still trying to figure out how a hydraulic arm would be preferred as a final stop instead of the solid bar, per Henry's suggestion. Once my new new Gatorback belt comes in and the stop bar, I'll be sorting all of that out, again!

On that, I was looking at Henry's suggestion for a retention stop bar and had a question about it. In the snap on that page, it shows the bar being held in place by two bolts, one each top and bottom. If the top bolt was to be tightened too tight, that would prevent the tension arm from any travel. So, my question is how do I secure that arm but still allow it to be loose enough to move with the tension arm?

Cheers!!

 

Poppa Bear!!
So, how is the car handling? Do you plan to get another gatorback belt? You best bet is the NAPA or the BMW. I'm still waiting for the tensioner stop bar from the mail to figure out how to install it. According to the picture is mounted on top of the hydraulic arm and it will have enough free play. Well, I will research more and hopefully I will get mine tomorrow. Only need my tensioner tool back to be able to install it. Henry

 

To be honest, I'm a bit leery of "testing" Maggie's new toy. Still trying to get my head 'round the previous failure. Dunno why or wherefore. Just dreading if/when it fails again. Perhaps after the retainer arrives I'll be confident to let her run!! So, when is the Tension Arm Retention Bar Party?!?!

Cheers!!