[alex sol]

need to manually turn the crankshaft. can i just put a e12 on one of the four bolts that hold the crank pulley or do i need the tool?

i'd like to make my own out of metal plate hex with four holes and turn with 27mm socket.

don't want to spend the money or wait for the shipping.

and want to tackle the cbu clean this weekend

[Yozh]

You can turn via one of the bolts. Just make sure to turn it in the direction of engine rotation.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by alex sol

need to manually turn the crankshaft. can i just put a e12 on one of the four bolts that hold the crank pulley or do i need the tool?

i'd like to make my own out of metal plate hex with four holes and turn with 27mm socket.

don't want to spend the money or wait for the shipping.

and want to tackle the cbu clean this weekend

i had some success using a 1/2" extension in the center of the 4bolts with some paper wrapped around the tip. Ultimately it was an exceptionally frustrating event and I damaged the stretch belt on install,did not survive 50 miles. Ill be ordering the proper tool before I attack the harmonic balancer, so i have better control of the crank hub for stretch belt install.
if you have the means to easily make a tool its probably time not poorly spent.

[alex sol]

thanks for advice. i saw in previous search which direction... from the top facing rear... turn to the right.. i am tempted to back off those e12 torx and replace with 13mm m10 or whatever is behind there... same with any e torx i take off. do i sound crazy??

i will order the proper tool but just want to get the ac belt back on and do the cbu clean this weekend. also getting ambitious and may swap out transmission fluid and diff gear oil..

i have backed off the 3x 13mm bolts on the ac compressor but still struggling a little to get the ac stretch belt on.. going to use the rag around the belt while turning the motor method... my bmw indy suggestions... and order the lisle stretch belt tool while i order the crank tool...

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by alex sol

thanks for advice. i saw in previous search which direction... from the top facing rear... turn to the right.. i am tempted to back off those e12 torx and replace with 13mm m10 or whatever is behind there... same with any e torx i take off. do i sound crazy??

Yes. The bolts in there are stretch bolts. You can certainly replace them with something else, but since those are stretch bolts you need to do your research and get the right material torqued to the right amount to ensure you have adequate tension on the pulley. Or just buy the bolts, they arent that much.

If youre talking about just putting in a dummy bolt for turning the crank and then using a proper bolt went torquing, that sounds like a good idea.

[rulonger]

Originally Posted by alex sol

... and order the lisle stretch belt tool while i order the crank tool...

The Lisle tool makes removing / installing belt MUCH easier.

[335dlci]

The ast tool is even better

[alex sol]

i'll check for the ast stretch tool. thanks. removed the intake for cleaning and will turn the motor manually with just one of the e12 for now.

[alex sol]

i bought the lisle tool and it seems to work but only allows you to turn the main crank counter clockwise which means i need that bgs tool in order to do this. i can turn the crank clockwise but the lisle tool will not work with the a/c stretch belt as the lisle tool needs to go on the inside (closer to the firewall) of the pulley and there is not enough room due to the large chunky 'removal' side.

any idea how much is the ast tool?

https://asttool.com/detail_page.php?...ymanf&manf=BMW

[Hockey13]

Originally Posted by alex sol

i bought the lisle tool and it seems to work but only allows you to turn the main crank counter clockwise which means i need that bgs tool in order to do this. i can turn the crank clockwise but the lisle tool will not work with the a/c stretch belt as the lisle tool needs to go on the inside (closer to the firewall) of the pulley and there is not enough room due to the large chunky 'removal' side.

any idea how much is the ast tool?

https://asttool.com/detail_page.php?...ymanf&manf=BMW

or.... u can use a Allen/hex key that fits into the ps pulley. I've used that and the Leslie tool twice now. yes, you'll be rotating the opposite way the engine runs but it's a short rotation.

[AlpineX]

AST tool is 150-240 depending where you get it. GST has a piece for 105, does not look to have the nice finish of the AST.
GST tool is hard to find on their website for some reason. link here

[alex sol]

@hockey13 that's the 9mm hex that fits into the ps pulley. i don't like that you have to turn the engine counter clockwise to use the Lisle tool. I struggled with the install and will loosen the 3 x 13mm bolts on the a/c compressor and then re attempt.. in the spring. too cold now for garage mechanics in toronto area!

[Owen81]

With the fluidamprs being shipped out, has anyone found a decently priced crankshaft tool? Or is this unnecessary?

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by Owen81

With the fluidamprs being shipped out, has anyone found a decently priced crankshaft tool? Or is this unnecessary?

The crankshaft tool is for removing the belt. If you are going to use a Lisle tool or makeshift method to get the belt on, I would really want it. For removal only, its less necessary.

The issue is getting the belt on. I bought both styles of generic stretch belt tools... After much cursing and wasted time, ended up somehow getting the belt on only to have it get damaged and shred to oblivion in short order.

I bought the GST tool from 3 posts up (not yet recieved). No way Im going to wrestle that belt again for no reason.

I did get the crank tool after that incident:
The opposing bolt holes are about 25mm apart on center
Inner drillings 10 mm (Etorx head)
Outer drillings 15 mm (flange)
External diameter 45mm

[AlpineX]

Belt installation tool arrived. Super happy.
Kommen Tool branded unit, Very nice finish, blue anodized. Looks like can also be found on Kommen's site here

[Adieu]

Originally Posted by rulonger

The Lisle tool makes removing / installing belt MUCH easier.

...yeah, instead of giving up going to the mechanic and watching HIM give up, you can give up take the tool to the mechanic and watch him struggle and curse for a while

[alex sol]

just to circle back, i bought the bgs tool which works but barely and requires removing the rad. easy removal if you have already changed the single use metal bands in favor of clamps on the intake just before the butterfly / throttle body. i had removed to clean the intercooler so loosen two clamps (previously the factory bands) and the throttle body clip. back off one t25 torx that holds some kind of cooler at the driver's side bottom of rad. remove one bolt at the top of the rad on the passenger side (mine was missing from previous owner? and is... still missing, nylon tie wrap instead), slide out the rad and the bgs tool works with a large 1/2" drive ratchet onto the 17mm on the bgs tool. installing the stretch belt still not easy with the Lisle tool as it did not place the belt on the correct spline... in fact was riding on the pulley... a few more turns and it sat nicely in the proper grooves. talk about an adventure just to change an a/c accessory belt. in the m3... simple job with tensioner and hex to back off the tension, slip out the belt and job done... this job is nuts. Hope i'm good for another 100,000 miles but I'm concerned about how much pressure this belts puts on the crank pulley / harmonic balancer...

[alex sol]

@alpineX thanks for the dimensions... not ambitious enough to try to make my own.. though not too happy with the bgs tool as it has it's limitations... cannot work with the radiator in place due to lack of clearance. not fault of bgs... let's go back and blame factory bmw for such incredibly silly design. can you not just put one 19mm hex nut here???

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by alex sol

@alpineX thanks for the dimensions... not ambitious enough to try to make my own.. though not too happy with the bgs tool as it has it's limitations... cannot work with the radiator in place due to lack of clearance. not fault of bgs... let's go back and blame factory bmw for such incredibly silly design. can you not just put one 19mm hex nut here???

The tool pictured above fits all the way within the crank pulley and you have to use a socket to reach it...? Did you get a different tool than pictured?
I am working on X5 so my engine bay is a little different RE rad/fan clearance.

[alex sol]

sorry for slow reply. i got the perfect set up with the bg crank tool and the deep socket 17mm and that seems work just right. rotating the engine in reverse to get the accessory belt on is a must using the lisle belt tool . anyone else complaining about the design of the stretch belt with no tensioner??