Maintenance Interval Opinions and DIY Log

[M3amigos]

One critical maintenance item thats not emphasized very often is to inspect and replace your belts. It may not be something you easily notice without checking, but after seeing the state of my last belt during my alternator change, I'll certainly be checking at least once a year.

This is my ac/ps belt after about 3 years. I'm amazed it still ran and very lucky it didn't break on me. My other belt was ok, so I'm not sure what caused the excessive wear.

[delirium330]

Originally Posted by M3amigos

One critical maintenance item thats not emphasized very often is to inspect and replace your belts. It may not be something you easily notice without checking, but after seeing the state of my last belt during my alternator change, I'll certainly be checking at least once a year.

This is my ac/ps belt after about 3 years. I'm amazed it still ran and very lucky it didn't break on me. My other belt was ok, so I'm not sure what caused the excessive wear.

Wow, that is some serious wear, to the level of abnormal? Did you inspect your pulleys when you replaced the belt? In my log (post #1) I've got a line item for both of the belts at 60k miles, but definitely inspection dependent.

Also, did you DIY for the belts? How was it? Seems pretty tight from the bottom of the car and impossible from the top of the car.

[M3amigos]

Pulleys all appeared ok, including the idler, so I'm not sure what caused it. I do have an Hpa crank pulley, but no apparent issues there either. I assume The belt started cracking a while ago from these Florida summers, and it rapidly started to deteriorate. I did put on about 40k miles over those three years, and I should have checked it much sooner.

I did do the work myself, its pretty simple actually. Trick is to remove intake airbox and elbow and pull the radiator fan. It looks tricky the first time you do it, but its really just one screw, one plug, and guiding it out carefully. After that, use a long wrench or ratchet to loosen the tensioners and loosen the idler pulley to remove the belt. Probably take me an hour if I did it again.

[delirium330]

Originally Posted by M3amigos

Pulleys all appeared ok, including the idler, so I'm not sure what caused it. I do have an Hpa crank pulley, but no apparent issues there either. I assume The belt started cracking a while ago from these Florida summers, and it rapidly started to deteriorate. I did put on about 40k miles over those three years, and I should have checked it much sooner.

I did do the work myself, its pretty simple actually. Trick is to remove intake airbox and elbow and pull the radiator fan. It looks tricky the first time you do it, but its really just one screw, one plug, and guiding it out carefully. After that, use a long wrench or ratchet to loosen the tensioners and loosen the idler pulley to remove the belt. Probably take me an hour if I did it again.

Nice, sounds pretty straightforward from the top then. Will DIY next time.

[Apex Everything]

Originally Posted by delirium330

Nice, sounds pretty straightforward from the top then. Will DIY next time.

This log is amazing.

[boostu]

Apologies for bumping an old thread but could someone post a copy of this file on Google Docs or something similar? I reached out to delirium but I think a common link here in the thread could help lighten his load of constant requests.

Also if someone wants to send me the file via PM I can, with permission of course, post it here as well.

[M3MPH1S]

Here you go

[delirium330]

Sorry for the late PM replies, thanks for the above attachment post. Should have done that from the start.