Ever since I bought my 2002 Z3 2.2 last year I have been puzzled by a slight sound from the front of the engine. It was a sort of shush-shush noise that was obviously linked to the engine rpm. My garage bloke and I both listened to it but couldn't figure out what it was, so we decided to leave it and see if it developed. It didn't. The noise continued, very quietly in the background but got no worse as the miles clocked up.
I was just idly looking with a torch down the front of the engine (M54) a week or two ago and spotted that the long belt, the one that drives the water pump, alternator and power steering had one or two cracks across the ribbed surface. Nothing remarkable, but I made a mental note to get some new belts. This weekend I changed the belts and look what I found. The long belt has a section where the ribs have disappeared and it was worn thin. It could have snapped at any time.
New belts have gone on (a surprisingly easy job) and what do you know? The noise has gone. I recommend you give your belts a glance now and then and if there any signs of cracks across the ribs, get them changed.
I was just idly looking with a torch down the front of the engine (M54) a week or two ago and spotted that the long belt, the one that drives the water pump, alternator and power steering had one or two cracks across the ribbed surface. Nothing remarkable, but I made a mental note to get some new belts. This weekend I changed the belts and look what I found. The long belt has a section where the ribs have disappeared and it was worn thin. It could have snapped at any time.
New belts have gone on (a surprisingly easy job) and what do you know? The noise has gone. I recommend you give your belts a glance now and then and if there any signs of cracks across the ribs, get them changed.
