Replacing only the pulley, not tensioner?

evo7 · 10-22-2012, 02:48 PM

I have a 2001 330ci. The A/C tensioner is mechanical, the waterpump tensioner is hydraulic. Is it ok to replace only the pulley on the tensioners?

The whole A/C tensioner is $43. The pulley only is $20
I can't find waterpump hydraulic tensioner anywhere, but the I found the pulley only for $30.

Mango · 10-22-2012, 02:52 PM

See sig with professional links. Do it all.

Yes you can do pulleys separate. The pulley you need is branded Dayco. Check my link

Amazon.com - Dayco 89133 Pulley

evo7 · 10-22-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Amazon.com - Dayco 89133 Pulley

Is the same pulley can be used for both the A/C and main tensioner? My main tensioner is hydraulic, does that make a difference?

Zell · 10-22-2012, 03:00 PM

Yep. That's what most people do.

Mango · 10-22-2012, 03:24 PM

Your a/c will be dayco. the other tensioner will be OEM from any vendor site.

Mango · 10-22-2012, 03:24 PM

i need to do a thread on pulleys, don't i

evo7 · 10-22-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Your a/c will be dayco. the other tensioner will be OEM from any vendor site.

Thanks. I just read your thread, and DMAX mentioned the Dayco 89046 for the main tensioner pulley. On pelicanparts.com, it listed this INA pulley. Are they both the same?

Also, correct me if I'm wrong. To remove the tension or to replace the pulley on the main tensioner, I need a T50. Is that the same for the A/C pulley? Im running to the parts store in a bit to grab a T50.

Mango · 10-22-2012, 03:38 PM

Yeah. Just go w/ INA. order it w/ the rest of your cooling parts. Either is fine though.

BMWCaptain · 10-22-2012, 03:42 PM

The pulleys have been what goes bad most of the time. I have yet to see anyone who has a spring tensioner go bad.

It is a lot cheaper to just replace the pulley for $19, than the whole pulley at $50+.

Mango · 10-22-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCaptain

The pulleys have been what goes bad most of the time. I have yet to see anyone who has a spring tensioner go bad.

It is a lot cheaper to just replace the pulley for $19, than the whole pulley at $50+.

I have. Lots of them. I'll post some pictures soon of some broken ones. It's good PM and one of the few things I still need to do!

dmax · 10-22-2012, 05:25 PM

Replace the idler pulley too. If one is bad, they all will be soon.

Autozone has Dayco pulleys, as said, they're OEM...INA.

Mechanical and hydraulic tensioners do take different pulleys...doesn't matter if they're on the AC or ACC belts. If tensioner is different, the pulley will be.

T-50 is it for many pulleys, but some have a different bolt (hex head), and who knows, you're might be something completely different installed by someone at some point. You have to look and feel. A number here have stripped bolt heads, undoubtedly because they didn't look or test.

Easy repair. Don't forget to either get new belts or put your old ones back on in the same direction they're in now.

evo7 · 10-22-2012, 07:11 PM

Thanks alot guys. It stopped raining so I was able to go outside and take a look. The adjusting pulley is a torx bolt, which is a T50 I assume. The a/c side is a hex bolt. Any ideas what size is that hex bolt?

BMWCaptain · 10-22-2012, 07:24 PM

Probably 16mm. I use 16mm to pull back the pulleys when changing the belt.

Alex323Ci · 10-22-2012, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evo7

Thanks alot guys. It stopped raining so I was able to go outside and take a look. The adjusting pulley is a torx bolt, which is a T50 I assume. The a/c side is a hex bolt. Any ideas what size is that hex bolt?

funny because after working on bmws for decades i can usually just go in my garage and look at some parts. so i just did. if you're talking about the mechanical tensioner bolt that holds the pulley on it's also a T50 torx. but bmw may have changed it over the years if yours is a Hex head.

Devious1 · 11-14-2012, 04:43 PM

after reading all these threads, i was still kind of lost... but i did mine over the weekend and the hydraulic tensioner pulley is indeed a hex bolt, but ive been using a T50 to loosen it for quite some time now and it works.

parts needed:
hydraulic tension pulley - dayco 89046
ac pulley- dayco 89133
idle pulley - 89089

* some might get confused on which pulley is for the mech ac and hydraulic tensioner, because i certainly did.

this pulley is for the hydraulic tensioner and used the hex bolt. so naturally, the othe pulley is for the mechanical ac and used the torx bolt.

328iguy24 · 11-14-2012, 04:55 PM

While your at it you might as well just replace the tensioner and water pump along with belts imo.

10-22-2012, 02:48 PM	#1
evo7 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: TX-CA Posts: 62 My Ride: 2003 330i View My Garage	Replacing only the pulley, not tensioner? I have a 2001 330ci. The A/C tensioner is mechanical, the waterpump tensioner is hydraulic. Is it ok to replace only the pulley on the tensioners? The whole A/C tensioner is $43. The pulley only is $20 I can't find waterpump hydraulic tensioner anywhere, but the I found the pulley only for $30. Last edited by evo7; 10-22-2012 at 02:58 PM.

10-22-2012, 02:52 PM	#2
Mango Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 16,544 My Ride: M54B30 View My Garage	See sig with professional links. Do it all. Yes you can do pulleys separate. The pulley you need is branded Dayco. Check my link Amazon.com - Dayco 89133 Pulley __________________ Cooling \| Maintenance \| Vacuum \| Suspension \| Costs "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." -Steve Jobs Last edited by Mango; 10-22-2012 at 02:53 PM.

10-22-2012, 03:00 PM	#4
Zell Wears carbon fiber boxers Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: In a van down by the river Posts: 3,742 My Ride: 330Ci ZHP 6sp View My Garage	Yep. That's what most people do. __________________ E46Fanatic's resident mathemagician

10-22-2012, 03:24 PM	#5
Mango Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 16,544 My Ride: M54B30 View My Garage	Your a/c will be dayco. the other tensioner will be OEM from any vendor site. __________________ Cooling \| Maintenance \| Vacuum \| Suspension \| Costs "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." -Steve Jobs

10-22-2012, 03:24 PM	#6
Mango Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 16,544 My Ride: M54B30 View My Garage	i need to do a thread on pulleys, don't i __________________ Cooling \| Maintenance \| Vacuum \| Suspension \| Costs "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." -Steve Jobs

10-22-2012, 03:38 PM	#8
Mango Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 16,544 My Ride: M54B30 View My Garage	Yeah. Just go w/ INA. order it w/ the rest of your cooling parts. Either is fine though. __________________ Cooling \| Maintenance \| Vacuum \| Suspension \| Costs "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." -Steve Jobs

10-22-2012, 03:42 PM	#9
BMWCaptain Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: TEXAS - 25X,XXX PLUS MILES CLUB MEMBER Posts: 1,331 My Ride: 03 325iT Sport Wagon View My Garage	The pulleys have been what goes bad most of the time. I have yet to see anyone who has a spring tensioner go bad. It is a lot cheaper to just replace the pulley for $19, than the whole pulley at $50+.

10-22-2012, 05:25 PM	#11
dmax Stay stock my friends! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Unit I Posts: 21,279 My Ride: '99 328i 1.04646 mu View My Garage	Replace the idler pulley too. If one is bad, they all will be soon. Autozone has Dayco pulleys, as said, they're OEM...INA. Mechanical and hydraulic tensioners do take different pulleys...doesn't matter if they're on the AC or ACC belts. If tensioner is different, the pulley will be. T-50 is it for many pulleys, but some have a different bolt (hex head), and who knows, you're might be something completely different installed by someone at some point. You have to look and feel. A number here have stripped bolt heads, undoubtedly because they didn't look or test. Easy repair. Don't forget to either get new belts or put your old ones back on in the same direction they're in now. __________________ The woman in my sig:http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...highlight=dmax

10-22-2012, 07:11 PM	#12
evo7 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: TX-CA Posts: 62 My Ride: 2003 330i View My Garage	Thanks alot guys. It stopped raining so I was able to go outside and take a look. The adjusting pulley is a torx bolt, which is a T50 I assume. The a/c side is a hex bolt. Any ideas what size is that hex bolt?

10-22-2012, 07:24 PM	#13
BMWCaptain Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: TEXAS - 25X,XXX PLUS MILES CLUB MEMBER Posts: 1,331 My Ride: 03 325iT Sport Wagon View My Garage	Probably 16mm. I use 16mm to pull back the pulleys when changing the belt.

11-14-2012, 04:43 PM	#15
Devious1 Invalid User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cerritos, CA Posts: 10,804 My Ride: 330ci View My Garage	after reading all these threads, i was still kind of lost... but i did mine over the weekend and the hydraulic tensioner pulley is indeed a hex bolt, but ive been using a T50 to loosen it for quite some time now and it works. parts needed: hydraulic tension pulley - dayco 89046 ac pulley- dayco 89133 idle pulley - 89089 * some might get confused on which pulley is for the mech ac and hydraulic tensioner, because i certainly did. this pulley is for the hydraulic tensioner and used the hex bolt. so naturally, the othe pulley is for the mechanical ac and used the torx bolt. __________________ Last edited by Devious1; 11-14-2012 at 04:50 PM.

11-14-2012, 04:55 PM	#16
328iguy24 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Poconos Posts: 103 My Ride: e46 328i View My Garage	While your at it you might as well just replace the tensioner and water pump along with belts imo.

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