Auxiliary drive belt tensioner bracket

Guys
I have broken the drive belt tensioner bracket as pic how do You remove replace?

Is that the tensioner? What model is it? In any case it's the allen bolt you need to undo. Looks about 10 or 12 mm from here and judging by the teeth marks on it someone has had a molegrip on it before. Once it's off you'll probably find a nut on the back of the bolt you tried to slacken when you fractured the casting.

Its the Range rover 2.5 DSE BMW engine Are you sure that it just unbolts with the allen key? I have attached another pic that shows it more in detail
John

yes, it does just unbolt on that hex key. I broke mine a couple of months ago and had to replace.
Its straightforward. mine cost approx £40 from BMW.

Thanks Jon
Is it a normal sided thread and do you just remove the pulley wheels before unscrewing out of the head? I take it that you dont have to have the head to pieces?
Thanks

yes, it does just unbolt on that hex key. and the hole thing comes of with the pulley on normal sided thread you mite have to yous sum molegrip or stilsons on it it looks like so one as to titen it

yup -thats right - don't have to take anything apart - just get a spanner on the tensioner and take that bolt out (back of the pivot is threaded, so no nut to loose).
then get that hex key on the centre of the pivot.
the bit with the hex hole is effectively a cap that threads onto a tube , retaining the pivot on the tube.
the other end of the tube is threaded (with an oil seal) and threads into the head.

when you undo the hex nut there, either the cap could come off and allow you to slide the broken pivot off, OR the tube could come out of the head with broken pivot attached (which happened on mine)
I think either is fine, as long as you have clearance.

you can see how it all fits together here:
Belt Drive Water Pump/Alternator BMW 3' E36, 325td (M51) — BMW parts catalog

When fitting your new part it is a good idea to drill and tap the housing and fit a grease nipple and at every service give it a little grease and your tentioner will never seize onto the front of the engine as they have a habit of doing so also your belt will never be too tight or too loose as the tentioner is free to move as it should

I've just taken mine off 2 hours ago, its a 17mm hex head to take off the cap. I welded a few nuts on to a bolt to make a handy removal tool. Mine was bloody tight!

Now that you know how to replace it. Tell us HOW the hell did you manage to break it?

Looks like a socket and a long bar on that nut on the left and ------------ HEAVE!

hippolover said:

Looks like a socket and a long bar on that nut on the left and ------------ HEAVE!

Click to expand...

I would be greatly surprised if the bolt on the left holding the tensioner plunger in place was anything like tight enough to do that. But it seems the only explination.

Nope, how you do it is put a bar in the slot between the damper mount and the tensioner mount and push down like hell.
If its hot you'll rotate the damper like you're supposed to, if its cold it'll snap every time

Guys
Thanks very much for youe help really appreciated
John

Mine broke last year. let clutch out to move off without enough revs and when engine judderd i heard a clunk and the idler pulley was laid in bottom of fan cowl. The legs on the alloy tensioner were very thin and the casting was poor with a large air hole in the metal. Went to the local main stealer as i needed the vehicle and they had one in stock. Parts man said they had sold a few due to same problem over the years thats why they had one. Personaly i think it was due to my damper being weak allowing the tensioner to flick back over centre as i had this happen several times previous to the tensioner letting go. Since replacing the damper all has been ok.

Thanks for your help it is now fixed. Was really on tight though.
John