How to make your own BMW special cooling system & drive belt counterhold tools

Are these Bentley-specified special tools really needed for an overhaul of the BMW 525i E39 cooling system and belt-drive components?
1. cooling fan counterhold tool BMW 11 5 030 (I6) & BMW 11 5 040 (V8) [Note: This tool is described with many names!]
2. cooling fan 32 mm wrench (BMW 11 5 040)
3. 24mm hollow thin socket alternator pulley nut removal tool (BMW 12 7 100)

Does anyone have a drawing of the (1) water-pump-pully-counterhold tool dimensions?

REFERENCES:
Bentley pages 020-16, 110-2, 121-2, 170-15, & 170-23.
http://www.samstagsales.com/bmwtools.htm
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/cata...TOLtol_pg3.htm
http://www.germanpartsonline.com/bmw...m54-from-1992/
http://www.magnum1.com/BMW-740/740_P...-Pump-740.html

Bloobs, you're definitely the tool master.

Originally Posted by AnotherGeezer

Bloobs, you're definitely the tool master.

I never did understand this post ...

As a cross reference, while looking up a reference for a newbie, I found this thread showing LEVERAGE when it comes to removing the fan clutch nut!

Originally Posted by bluebee

Now that is how to reap the benefits of mechanical advantage!!

Originally Posted by bluebee

As a cross reference, while looking up a reference for a newbie, I found this thread showing LEVERAGE when it comes to removing the fan clutch nut!

Shoot the last time I used that much leverage was to crack the crankshaft pulley bolt on my Acura, tightening torque was 180 foot lbs.

Looks look who ever was trying to loosen that nut was rotating the wrong way.

To keep the combined knowledge and experience of this group in one thread, please see this Fudman/Hooray! post where the first home-made counterhold tool broke due (most likely) to the steel and thickness used.

Here's the post mortem tribal knowledge learned:

"My original fan clutch "tool" was jury rigged from the flat metal bar stock that was used to lock my tool chest. It was a few mm thick and of relatively soft steel. I had the shop boys at work drill the holes for me and figured it was strong enough. NOT! The small section between the curved arc cutout and the oval hole snapped as soon as we torqued the 32mm wrench. Sorry, no picture as I left the "tool" at the machine shop.


Plan B was to borrow Chris' (Neversaynever) tool but he wasn't home. Plan C was to modify an old section of garage door holder I had saved after installing a new garage door opener. This piece of flat stock was about 3X thicker and of harder steel. We were very lucky to find a machinest willing to do the work on a late SAT AM. The machinest drilled the holes and I carved out the arc using a grinder. Now this one is a TOOL. There is NO WAY this tool will break."

Originally Posted by bluebee

I never did understand this post ...

I don't know why, but these posts cracked me up!

mw

Originally Posted by bluebee

Are these special tools really needed for an overhaul of the BMW 525i E39 cooling system and belt-drive components?
1. cooling fan counterhold tool (BMW 11 5 030) aka "fan pulley holder"
2. cooling fan 32 mm wrench (BMW 11 5 040)
3. alternator pulley nut removal tool (BMW 12 7 100)

Are they all needed, no.... much of this depends on your skill level.....they might help some people.

1. I just a use a hammer and 32mm wrench to loosen nut on fan clutch, everytime, all the time, on time.....for me the tool is a waste of money.

2. Yes, you will need a 32mm wrench. Northern tools wrench plenty good enough for this purpose.

3. Not need for cooling system overhaul. I just use my impact to loosen alternator pulley nuts.

Originally Posted by xraye39

Are they all needed, no.... much of this depends on your skill level.....they might help some people.

1. I just a use a hammer and 32mm wrench to loosen nut on fan clutch, everytime, all the time, on time.....for me the tool is a waste of money.

2. Yes, you will need a 32mm wrench. Northern tools wrench plenty good enough for this purpose.

3. Not need for cooling system overhaul. I just use my impact to loosen alternator pulley nuts.

So what's your technique for the fan clutch? I have tried hammer and wrench, screwdriver on pulley and wrench and could not loosen without the flat tool made for that purpose. Got the tool and had it loose in 30 seconds or less.

The tool shown will work on the six, but not the V8, since the nuts are recessed. If you can't get it loose with a hammer, you need the tool.

Ask me how I know.

Originally Posted by occhis

So what's your technique for the fan clutch? I have tried hammer and wrench, screwdriver on pulley and wrench and could not loosen without the flat tool made for that purpose. Got the tool and had it loose in 30 seconds or less.

Just put wrench on collar of nut, then 1 short, sharp rap with hammer and voila....done.

Takes me about 10 seconds if even to loosen nut then just spin fan off.

This of course is with the belt on which provides more than enough friction to do this.

I'm with you! wrench on nut, slight tap with lead hammer and done. I did the cooling system rebuild without any special tools!

Here's the V8 tool, from AST, BMW 2260. Not simple, probably worth buying. Seems I paid $45 for it several years ago.

The tool is 432 mm long, 8 mm thick, and 25 mm wide. The pulley recess is 5 mm, and nut recesses are each 4 mm.

Have fun in your metalworking shop.

Originally Posted by shenecke

I'm with you! wrench on nut, slight tap with lead hammer and done. I did the cooling system rebuild without any special tools!

Amen brother, I am just not following this obsession tools that are not required. I propose the KISS method. These cars are pretty darn easy to wrench on. Going to do another Besian Vanos seal install next week for my sister, yea I am little OCD with the engine maintenance.

FIRST....make it out of cardboard using scissors, see that the cardboard version fits your vehicle, then just trace/transfer the measurements to steel...EASY! (Thanks to Mr. Gilkey, 7th grade metal shop teacher!)

Here's a quick price survey from an Internet search for the commercial versions of our home-made water-pump pulley holder.

I could only find three suppliers, which is surprising.

Please add any missing suppliers!

11.5.030 (45mm offset):
Pelican Parts: PEL-TOL-3038 $36.10 + CA 10% tax + shipping
Samstag Sales: 88.88.6.115.030 $56.99 + CA 10% tax + shipping
Technitool: 115-030 $36 + CA 10% tax + shipping

11.5.050 (38mm offset):
Pelican Parts: PEL-TOL-3037 $36.10 + CA 10% tax + shipping
Samstag Sales: 88.88.6.115.050 $58.00 + CA 10% tax + shipping
Technitool: 115-050/M $41 + CA 10% tax + shipping

Originally Posted by bluebee

Are these special tools really needed for an overhaul of the BMW 525i E39 cooling system and belt-drive components?
1. cooling fan counterhold tool (BMW 11 5 030) aka "fan pulley holder"
2. cooling fan 32 mm wrench (BMW 11 5 040)
3. alternator pulley nut removal tool (BMW 12 7 100)

Making your own tool (which confusingly seems to go by various names) is discussed here (for the 740 anyway).

I have a friend who said he'd make whatever special tool I needed out of stock steel if I could provide a full-sized PDF drawing of the part by email & it's thickness.

Do you have a PDF drawing (or a trace of the business end) of the tool dimensions & thickness?

REFERENCES:
Bentley pages 020-16, 110-2, 121-2, 170-15, & 170-23.
http://www.samstagsales.com/bmwtools.htm
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/cata...TOLtol_pg3.htm
http://www.germanpartsonline.com/bmw...m54-from-1992/

Originally Posted by mmm635

Wow. Did you draw those perfect diagrams yourself? They are wonderful!

It looks like we can craft the necessary BMW 11.5.030 M54-engine cooling fan counterhold tool out of 5/32" thick steel stock, about 16 inches long and roughly 1 3/16" wide.

We can drill a 15/32" hole centered 11/32" from the end of the tool and then two more for the slot and then jig saw out the hollow.

I'll try to get this done and then post pictures. If anyone else tries it, please post pictures of your handiwork.

Any idea where best to get the stock steel?

I'm pretty sure the tool above from mmm635's original wonderful thread (which I just found doing this research) will fit my M54 engine but I'm still looking for the dimensions for the others (with the V8, for example).

We should probably mention the bolt spacing for the BMW E39 "holder wrench for fan hub" tool is different depending on what engine you have (according to this incomplete reference and this more complete reference).

- Holder wrench for fan hub bolt spacing 45mm. Applicable on the following engines: M10, M20, M30, M50, M51, M52, M52TU, M54, M56, M70, M73, S14, S38, S50B30, S50B32, & S54; 394mm in length. Old BMW P/N 88.88.6.115.030; new BMW P/N 83.30.0.491.046

- Holder wrench for fan hub bolt spacing 38mm. Applicable on the following engines: M40, M41, M42, M43, M44, M60, M62, N62, & S62; 400mm in length. Old BMW P/N 88.88.6.115.050; new BMW P/N 83.30.0.491.048

For the record, here is a documented attempt at making the BMW 11.5.050 tool to hold the V8 water pump pully in this drive-belt-replacement thread for the 740i (M62 Engine, E38).

This guy got his steel stock from Lowes 1/8" thick, 1" wide, and 2+ feet long.

I made one as per the dimensions on the diagram, works a treat, cheers to OP.

Originally Posted by bluebee

Wow. Did you draw those perfect diagrams yourself? They are wonderful!

It looks like we can craft the necessary BMW 11.5.030 M54-engine cooling fan counterhold tool out of 5/32" thick steel stock, about 16 inches long and roughly 1 3/16" wide.

We can drill a 15/32" hole centered 11/32" from the end of the tool and then two more for the slot and then jig saw out the hollow.

I'll try to get this done and then post pictures. If anyone else tries it, please post pictures of your handiwork.

Any idea where best to get the stock steel?

Yeah, I got carried away on my modeling program one day and figured it would help others out.

Originally Posted by mmm635

Yeah, I got carried away on my modeling program one day and figured it would help others out.

You did a great service to the rest of us. I hadn't seen your post about it until I started digging further. I'm amazed all measurements are in whole numbers (in metric).

Wondering about the two sizes (45mm and 38mm hole offset), I "designed" in MS Paint a new hypothetical tool that handled all engines!

Originally Posted by bluebee

You did a great service to the rest of us. I hadn't seen your post about it until I started digging further. I'm amazed all measurements are in whole numbers (in metric).

Wondering about the two sizes (45mm and 38mm hole offset), I "designed" in MS Paint a new hypothetical tool that handled all engines!

The Germans like to be precise when machining is involved.

If I could just get someone to take measurements of the V8 tool with a digital micrometer, then I could add it in my model. I would just take my original tool and modify the end with the covering/handle to test it out. Once I can get the drawing done, it will be easy to fabricate such a tool with a scaled drawing, as well as the 32mm wrench necessary.