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Fan and misc. engine problem help

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  chris0611 
#1 ·
during 2009 my 1999 BMW 323i's Idler pulley shattered and I lost the belt. when it started running hot i pulled over. I also tried to make it back home not knowing what was wrong then the alternator died about a 1/2 mile or so later.
I had it towed, and my usual mechanic said it was the tensioner pulley and was...I can't remember, but it was between $540 to $580 or so dollars to fix, with $300 plus dollars in parts..The economy was killing me as most people and I was almost completely broke. so the mechanic was good enough to have the car towed home at his expense a week later, when things went worse for me money wise.

Well I attempted about a year ago to get prices for the parts.. mechanical tensioner pulley $99 from the cheap stores, plus belts etc. and I had someone making me believe it broke because the design was bad and bmw switched to the hydraulic, and that i needed that. the kit was $220 alone, and I still coldn't do it.
a week and a half ago i called again after watching some interesting youtube videos and seeing how easy it really was to change.
I called and the prices for whatever reson were a lot cheaper now even from the quality places.
I ended up replacing the Idler pulley cause I found it was it that shattered not the tensioner. bought it for $54, and the 2 tensioners cause they were $37 and $54.

I did the repairs myself, and spent less than $200 to get her running and a little more to be safe on the other tensioner. thanks to all forums and members who post DIY help.

Now here's my problem.
1. I have noticed the fan seems to turn slower than fans on vehicles do, and at one point it even stopped and started back quickly.
The car had been sitting a year and a half without being started.
What is causing this?
there is no squeeking from belts everything saeems to turn fine.

2. I also need to keep check because the engine is smoking somewhere under the top cover, not sure if it is just oil burning off or what.
the engine is not running hot after i figured out to bleed the air out thru the bleed screw. but the guage is in the middle?? is this normal or am i running hotter than normal because of the fan?

3. I didn't drain the gas tank just added 4 gallons and have been running it in my yard and test run short distance.
Do I need to drain or just run fuel cleaner, don't know if anything builds up in tank just sitting like in our old mits. eclipse.

Just trying to get her on the road again soon. Thanks, everyone.
Chris.
 
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