How much does it cost to replace a belt?
 

Hey all--

Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come.

Just got my car inspected today and it passed with flying colors of course.

On the way home I started getting this crunching sound. Oh great...

Almost home (I live 2 miles from work), the battery light comes on and the power steering goes out. Obviously, this is a belt issue.

Look under the hood, belt is off.

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come, I've only had this thing for a week and I just don't want to have to deal with bs all the time.

The dealership says their 30 day warranty covers "internal engine and drivertrain parts only" so no help there. I did buy the extended warranty but it sure would be nice if it wasn't anything major.

I have been smelling a mystery oil burning smell and it looks like there is some oil on the belt. We will see what the diagnosis is, but assuming (and hoping) that the only problem is that the belt slipped off the pulleys (bad tensioner or just plain fell off or whatever), how much does it usually cost to replace a belt?

Would you have it towed to the dealer or have a local shop fix it for you?

I'm pretty pissed off. I just want someone to hold me and tell me it's going to be ok. And then have it be ok.

:(

Oh and it doesn't help that I just wrote a $600 check for sales tax as well... FML

i know the feeling just got my truck last week and up in nyc we have a lot of snow and o see some green fluid under the truck but is looks like someone change the rad and i am hoping that is from when they changed it and jus did not clean it all

I just took another look and it looks like there is a little silver cylindrical piece sitting on the undertray. This doesn't look good.

Uhhh ... it wouldn't happen to be freezing temps there now would it?

If so, might want to check the oil separator. Do a search on it and the "cheese". Look under the oil cap or on the dipstick for the cheese. Frozen condensate can block the oil separator and oil will come out through the valve covers and/or dipstick. The oil separator hoses may be bad too. Condensate can collect in the separator if you do short trips in cold weather (doesn't allow enough time to dissipate the moisture). Then it freezes and clogs the passage ways.

Not trying to scare you but a good precaution to check it out.

It is 27 degrees right now... wonderful.

Might not be the oil separator or could be a combo of things. Here's some threads with pics:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...iller-cap.html

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-pictures.html

See post #13 here:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...perator-2.html

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...under-cpo.html

I have the cheese, I figured I would since I live so close to work. The question is, does that have anything to do with my belt coming off?

Maybe not at all. I was latching onto the smell of oil comment you made. Like I said its a good thing to check in your situation.

Maybe you just have a bad tensioner or bad belt and has nothing to do with the belt coming off. Finding pieces on the tray is not good - as you mentioned earlier.

Its just one little piece. If it needs a new motor, it need a new motor, so be it. I hope that it's nothing hard core like that. I just can't decide whether to have it towed all the way to the dealership or not.

The oil leak is minor, so I am hoping that it's nothing huge. I may cry if it's out of commission for a while.

Best case scenario is that the belt slipped off because of the minor oil leak that got all over the belt and I can drive it and change the oil enough that I can stretch the oil separator for a few paychecks before I replace it.

Thanks for the advice.

Ben

If the dealership is not too far I assume it wouldn't harm anything unless your battery is too low already.

Otherwise, myself I would use my AAA premier membership to tow it to the dealer. If you don't have something like this, then I guess you have no choice but to tow it out of pocket. I assume your going to the delaership because it would be covered. Me I'd just go to my indy - I have no warranty or service plan.

I read you can actually clean out the oil separator but it depends on the age/condition. Myself I would lean towards replacing it if it looks like the original and make sure you get the updated version.

Yeah, I hope the belt thing is not too costly. Haven't had belt problems so ... I hope its not a seized accessory that caused the belt to come-off or break.

Good luck! :thumbup:

Chansces are that little cylindrical piece is part of you water pump bearing which have just exploded. Check and see if the radiator fan feels loose and wobbly. The belts never just fall off. Either the WP or one of the plastic pulleys has failed. Let us know what you find. ~Ben

FYI if it is the oil seperator, you can buy all the parts from a dealership (including hoses) for <$200. However the labor (from a dealership) is rather intensive and may set you back the remaining $800 or so to bring you to that traditional BMW $1k mark.

-Cyrus

I will agree on this, the belts don't just fall off. If you have AAA have it towed and looked at by the dealer. If you don't have AAA now is the time to get it. Or call this dealer and ask them to pick it up.

Also it would help if you told us a little about your X. Year, engine, and mileage is good info when asking for repair help.

Did you buy this from a BMW dealer?

If this is a BMW dealership and you have had this for just a week, then you need to get them to accept some liability here and fix the issues that where missed in an inspection. In my experience BMW dealership service advisors and management don't hear you until you make it clear that you mean business.

It's a 2001 3.0i, 87k, I've had it for a whole 8 days. Obviously, there's no law that says that they are obligated to fix anything, regardless of how soon after I buy it the car breaks, so that's pretty weak.

I did call the local independent BMW dealer/repair shop (Bimmers R Us) and talked to their service guy/owner, he said he'd save me over whatever the dealer charges even if they "helped me out with labor" like they claimed they were going to.

fingers still crossed....

Just now going thru replacing deflector pully and adjustment pully. Go to youtube look up bmw idle pulley diy. There are a few vids about these pulleys with some instruction on how to know if they are bad. My adjustment pulley would free spin and make the marbley noise indicating the grease was gone and bearings about to fail. The deflector on top was almost seized. The car was making a lot of noise and i caught it before it thru the belt. Maybe this is your prob. Replacement parts not that bad, see my post mechanical vs hydraulic pulley, and my indie was going to do it for $100. But i decided to do it my self. I am no mechanic but found it very easy to do. Getting the fan off was the worst prob and with all the instruction on this site, that was not a big deal.
The crankcase vent valve i did also. Little bit bigger job but again great instruction here and there is also a guy that videoed the whole process on youtube! I love these two sites, saved me a LOT of money.
Let me know if i can help but there are a lot of more knowledgable people here.

If it comes down to it, the oil separator valve will be an in house job, I just have to find the time and a place to do so. If I didn't have to work, I would've/could've done this myself. Live and learn.

Had the exact same issue last night on mine.

What did u end up doing to get yours fixed justBen?

I"m at the same place u were few months ago. Plz advise.

Well, It happened to me once.(that was only time when car stopped on me) The tensioner holding bolt (1/3 I think) Broke off somehow and took the belt out. Gladly broken bolt inside got off easily and we installed new bolt along with new belt and finished fine.