R56 belt change

[Plan B]

I'm planning to change the ancillary drive belt on daughters R56. The car hasn't got a/c so the belt only has 2 pulleys - the crankshaft and alternator pulleys. The workshop manual only deals with a/c cars where there's also a compressor pulley AND a belt tensioner. On our car there's no tensioner pulley and I can't figure out how to get the belt on/off the pulleys. Can anyone help??

[Elliot2000]

Is it a petrol? If so, even the cars without ac still had an ac compressor bolted on, unless ur talking about an r50

[Elliot2000]

Either way the tensioner is near the top of the engine and if it is an r56 petrol then u need to release the jockey wheel for the water pump by pulling out the tab and locking it off and don't forget to reinstate it afterwards.

[Plan B]

It's petrol and R56 (late 2007 hatch) with no air con. It's only got crank and alternator pulleys on a short belt and the friction drive for water pump. No compressor and no tensioner.

[Plan B]

I bought a belt from Euro car parts which is much longer than the existing belt and yes I'm aware of the jockey wheel release tab for the water pump drive. I suspect that non-a/c cars are not the norm as I can't find anything on the web that describes the replacement procedure. I wonder if the alternator is on a spring loaded mount so as to maintain belt tension. Now I've put back the wheel arch liner I need to take that out again to take further look.

[Plan B]

Just bumping this topic again. I still haven't found an easy way to replace the alternator belt on my daughters R56 Mini One. This is a non-a/c car and there's only 2 pulleys - the crank pulley only drives the alternator and there's no tensioner. I've seen reference to a special tool that winds the new belt onto the pulleys but can't find how to source it anywhere. I'm loathed to put the car into a BMW outlet just to replace a belt. Any advice appreciated. Some people haven't believed me when I've said no tensioner - so see photo below

[steve-5snwi]

Is it a stretchy belt ? Personally i'd buy one from BMW as it will be the right one. Sometimes you can cut the old belts off and fit the new ones, not that i'm sure how the Minis fit.

[Plan B]

The only way it can go on is if it’s stretchy. However after having bought a replacement belt from BMW it doesn’t feel very stretchy!! I have just clicked on a generic stretchy belt fitting tool on Amazon - so when it’s delivered in a few days I’m gonna find out how suitable this tool is for a mini and how stretchy the belt really is.........

[peterbarnaby]

resurrecting this old thread. @Plan B - I have the same issue with a non a/c R56. did the generic stretch belt tool work? any advice on which belt / tool to use? thanks

[Plan B]

I ended up buying a wind-on tool that winds the belt onto the pulley. Only BMW appear to sell these at an eye watering price. Crappy design that saves a bit of cost by doing away with a tensioner. Probably cheaper just to hand it over to the BMW workshop.

[peterbarnaby]

thanks for the update @Plan b. Strangely yours was the only reference I could find to removing the belt on a non-aircon R56.

Removing the belt is part of a DIY timing chain repair on my daughters car, so I need to figure out a way to remove / replace it.. feeling like I have fallen at the first hurdle right now.. can you share the part number of the BMW tool? and any other advice.. I may try the generic stretch tool in the meantime.. thanks

[Plan B]

Where are you located? I’ve just moved up to Northumberland so I’m out on a limb a bit but if you’re local to me you could call round and use the tool. Alternatively it’s unlikely I’ll ever have call to use it again so would part with it for half price. Before you answer check out the price- it’s quite expensive for what it would appear. BMW bless em!!!!!

[peterbarnaby]

HI Plan B, I'm down near the south coast. Can you share a pic or part number for the tool, so I can check out the pricing? much appreciated.