Hello from Washington!

[Ike M]

Hey, my name is Ike and this is my 1998 Boston Green BMW Z3 2.8. I bought this car about 5 month ago and at the time it was actually the first car I ever purchased! The car has around 78,000 miles and it needs a lot of love but I like learning about/working on cars and so it will be a great project! I noticed the car was overheating (the temp gauge is broken but every time I shut the car off I could hear a whistling noise from the front of the engine) so I purchased a cooling system kit and started to remove the old system. When I took the old thermostat out it appeared that the bridge was broken so I'm guessing that could have been the problem. I'm currently stuck after searching for a way to loosen the belts. The videos and forum posts about the tensioners all say to loosen the bolts however my car doesn't appear to have these. Looks like a star bit on one of the tensioners but if anyone has information on what tools/sockets I should use that would be greatly appreciated! I will include photos of the tensioners below. Other parts I have sitting around for the car include suspension components (polyurethane control arm bushings and bc coilovers) as well as some miscellaneous interior parts (seat tilt mod, glove box bracket, etc. etc.). After the summer I want to invest in a subframe reinforcement kit and a new set of wheels.

I'm excited to be a part of this forum and I hope you all have a great day!

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

Hi Ike, and welcome from me in Cardiff.

 

[Zephyr]

Hi and welcome. No idea about the tensioners, but surely someone will chime in pretty soon.

 

[t-tony]

Hi there Ike, welcome from me too near Lincoln, UK. The belt tensioners are spring loaded. In picture no.5 you see a 17mm hex. cast in the aluminium. You use this and a socket (turning clockwise) to release the spring tension but first you have to loosen the locking bolt (13mm.) which you can’t see in the picture. The lower belt has a similar type of arrangement.
If you have a look on RealOEM.com and put in your car details you will find exploded views of all the components.

Tony.

 

[Shelly]

 

[Delk]

What part of Washington? I'm originally from Steilacoom but now live in the UK.

As mentioned you turn the tensioner with a wrench or socket on the base side not where the roller is. It's spring loaded and you just slip the belt off

 

[hard top]

to the Forum.

 

[Ian&Sue]

from North Yorkshire UK.

Sue & Ian.

 

[Mus Musculus]

Welcome to the forum from Cambridgeshire, UK.

 

[Mint]

Hi Ike and to the forum from me too in Stafford, England.
I've just done this job, a 17mm socket on the cast nut is required. The tensioner is sprung loaded, just take the pressure off and the belt comes off.