So I'm putting my timing cover back on. When I was disassembling everything & pulled the idler pulley, the bottom bolt hole was empty. According to the Bentley manual, the pulley goes in the top hole & the bolt goes in the bottom. However, the vehicle in their pictures doesn't have a recess to the upper hole like mine does. Since the location of the pulley wouldn't be changed that much, wouldn't it make more sense for the bolt to go in the upper hole so that the head would be completely out of the way from the pulley? Maybe this was a change to the '05-'06 models?

 

You've got it wrong. The cap screw goes into the recess

 

So then, is the Bentley wrong, or did the location change at some point? I test fit the pulley in the lower hole & it does place it very close to the AC compressor pulley. However, my pulley being installed in the upper hole would explain why the stock length belt seemed to be too long.

Bentley:

 

Errr. Now I'm not sure. I will look in TIS tomorrow to see if it shows. The Bentley has been wrong before...

 

This picture is from TIS. I think it shows the cap screw in the upper (recessed) hole. I'll keep looking for documentation. Realoem is not clear on this.

 

I also just came across this video that shows a specialty bolt in the upper recessed hole:


This would certainly explain a lot of belt length confusion across the r53 community!

 

My idler has always been in the top hole and the bottom hole never from what could tell had anything in it. The timing cover has a witness mark like it's always had the idler in the top hole. I ordered the cap screw from ECS and screwed it in the lower hole hoping that is was the source of a bit of seepage on the back edge of the oil pan, no dice.

I have no service record of the timing cover ever being removed.

I guess as long as both bolts are tight?

Does anyone know if these go into the crank case? I never really looked.

 

Found the picture I was looking for - TIS shows it the same way as the Bentley manual - the idler pulley in the upper of those two holes. Guess I will have to reverse mine...

 

Hmm, those pictures look to be the exact same ones in the Bentley. I am wondering if this was a change with only the '05-'06 models. I have had issues in the past with belt length, where the advertised "correct" length is usually too long for my car. Tomorrow I'm gonna take a good look at our other r53, an '05 with stock SC pulley. I also have a stock length belt coming in tomorrow, so I'll try moving it down and see how the belt fits. My car has a 16% pulley but have to use a belt intended for very small 19% pulleys & it's still a little big. Will know more after tomorrow!

 

I just worked on a 2003 mini S and it was in the pulley was in the upper hole with no screw in the bottom.

I worked on a 2006 mini S about 6 months ago and it was the same way, no screw in bottom hole and pulley in top hole. The pulley will give enough pressure to keep the seal from leaking.

Both minis have no leak and I replaced the timing cover seal, upper/lower oil seals, and front crank seal. No issues with 2006 after 15k miles. Son's min, he commutes to hayward daily. My 03 I just got it running 2 weeks ago, no leaks as well. (about 600 miles) I use it to commute to Sac daily so my 2012 Mini S JCW can sit more.