[HDdave]

Okay... I have read, re read... Looked at diagrams you name it. I feel like a damn moron- but I cannot for the life of me figure out whats going on here.. My car is March of 08 production date (according to ISTA), the door say 4/08.. But has had a questionable maintenance history.. I am pretty sure the engine is the original and not a replacement at least..

So I noticed some squealing and choppy steering at low speeds especially when starting the car and moving it out of the garage.. Along with another laundry list of stuff I was planning to attack. So I ordered the belt and pulleys for pre 5/15/08. It also appeared to me those were the parts on the car.

Well, if you can see by the pictures of how the idler pulley was attached with a non factory bolt, and two washers tucked behind it to keep it from hitting the water pump pulley (washers also dont appear factory, nor something BMW would do).. So I am wondering... did someone possibly convert my car to the newer pump at some point... As you can see from my pics, the belt was routed for a clockwise pump.. BUT- could this all have been converted and the last person that tried to fix this didnt realize and forced it to work with what they had??? I mean would the power steering pumo even work though? To me it seems like that idler pulley is veyr much installed backwards... Which begs my question- are the oil filter housings different? I dont see how they would not be.. The bolt I recieved with my new idler pulley and belts wont even come close to grabbing threads.. I tried to get a picture of the part # for off the power steering pump- but its hard to see 7693 974 121 is one of the numbers but I cant get it to generate anything online..

Anyone have thoughts on this..? I did order the post 5/08 belt and pulley kit too and express shipped it..