12 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHBelt squel?
Leading reported evidence
Replace after 6 years
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Leading evidence: 'Replace after 6 years' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check accessory drives' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suggestion
Check the old belt for sharp edges -- a sign it is rubbing and thus tracking wrong due to an accessory drive that has excessive bearing/shaft play.
Check idler roller bearings and tensioner roller bearing
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Suggestion
Check the idler roller bearings and tensioner roller bearing for any excessive play, roughness, drag or signs the seals (inside and outside) are going.
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Suggestion
You should just jump in and replace the belt and check the other pulleys.
Check idler roller bearings and tensioner roller bearing
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Suggestion
Check the idler roller bearings and tensioner roller bearing for any excessive play, roughness, drag or signs the seals (inside and outside) are going.
Check water pump, alternator, idlers, power steering pump, etc.
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
The rest is pretty straight forward...remove the belt (might as well put a new one on), check water pump, alternator, idlers, power steering pump, etc., for free movement, no binding or sloppiness in turning them over.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
12 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T181445Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
This morning it was in the mid-40s and until the temp gauge started rising there was a squeal from the engine when idling. The noise would go away as soon as the RPMs got around 2k and once the engine started to warm up it went away for rest rest of my commute and all seemed fine otherwise.
Am I correct in suspecting the belts are just getting old and slipping a bit or is there something else more critical it is trying to tell me?
There is no reason for the serpentine belt to squeal unless there is a problem. When was the last time you changed out the belt? If it was damp it could be condensation formed on the belt overnight if it was parked outside. Old dried out belt might do that if there is any moisture on it. A new belt would probably stop that. They are very inexpensive and worth the peace of mind. The rest is pretty straight forward...remove the belt (might as well put a new one on), check water pump, alternator, idlers, power steering pump, etc., for free movement, no binding or sloppiness in turning them over.
Unless they replaced it during one of the RMS repairs, it looks like its the original (2001) belt and we're at 65k right now.
Worst case and the belt snaps, what would we be looking at? Not that we'll put it off long but the BMW engines really crap themselves when the timing belt goes.
theres a great youtube vid here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXxYDJ4Rfa4
Before you actually take off the belt. Take a photo of it with your phone then you will have no trouble putting the new belt over the correct pullies in the correct way. BTW its a real easy DIY and the first one that I did on my 1999 996. Have fun.
It is a drive belt not a timing belt! But if it breaks you are dead in the water anyway. If you run the engine without it you will experience engine failure due to lack of coolant circulating. You should just jump in and replace the belt and check the other pulleys. You will be amazed at how simple a job this is (see the video).
Not going to put it off, just needed to know the risks of driving it much more. Not cooling properly is survivable as long as you pay attention to your cluster. In the BMWs the TB drives the water pump/alternator/power steering as well, but since its an interference engine you get all kinds on bent and broken internals when it goes.
Thanks for the info everyone. I'll look at the link tonight when I get home.
Uh, no. You can look at the instrument cluster until the cows come home, but if the belt snaps the water pump stops pumping coolant. There is no coolant flowing past the sensor so the coolant temp looks ok until it is not.
If you have not already done so replace the serpentine belt. If it is not due on miles it is due on time. Tires are due to be replaced after 6 years. I would think a serpentine belt would be due after that much time as well.
Check the old belt for sharp edges -- a sign it is rubbing and thus tracking wrong due to an accessory drive that has excessive bearing/shaft play.
Check all accessory drives for any play.
Check the idler roller bearings and tensioner roller bearing for any excessive play, roughness, drag or signs the seals (inside and outside) are going.
Sincerely,
Macster.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
