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

Ocd?

Wow. Edjack's V8 38mm-offset recessed counterhold tool sure looks complicated.

All the others I've seen are muuuuuch simpler (i.e., flatter). What I don't understand is whether the 38mm offset tools that are made out of flat stock are 'equivalent'.

I "see" that they're physically different (the recessed groove and holes being a big difference) ... but they sell the flat ones (presumably in droves) so I wonder if the complex Edjack tool is as necessary as it might seem.

Luckily for me, I have the 45mm offset which seems simpler so this question is for you V8 guys.

PS: I do see, on Ebay, the two headed tool - which might make sense for those of you with multiple BMWs.

The flat tool will simply not fit the V8 pulley. You need to get under the hood to see why. The V8 pump pulley recesses the nuts, so they don't protrude to get ahold of them.

I have brass bar stock and a cheapo drill press (HarborFreight) with krap drill bits..... I'll have to at least give this a shot..... great diagrams above!

That Ebay tool almost doubles from $19 to $32 with tax & shipping.
$18.99 + 1.85 California 9.75% tax + 11.16 shipping = $32.00

How about a short movie...haha:

http://www.youtube.com/v/_59F3_kOQRY

Barbaric!

I have the JTC "flat" tool and have used it on a 540i with no issues. It will work.

I used a adjustable crescent wrench that I already had, 0$.

Originally Posted by shenecke

I used a adjustable crescent wrench that I already had, 0$.

Oh my! The force in that video is humongous! I would think an adjustable crescent wrench would shatter with all that force applied!

I'm curious why he used the open ended part of the 32mm wrench; wouldn't you have used the box part of the open-end wrench so as to distribute the 3lb hammer forces on the nut?

BTW, in the video, the 'brute' said 32mm is the same as 1 1/4 inches. Doing the math, 32mm is close to 1 1/4 inches (1.26").

When I order the wrench, if I order a 1 1/4 instead, do you think the extra tenth of an inch matters?

I went to Northern Tools to get the 8mm thick, 14-point 32mm combination wrench but they're backordered for 30 or more days!



I think these are the 8mm thick (BMW 88 88 6 11 5 040) 14-point 32mm (1 1/4") crescent wrenches available.

Let me know if there are other good suppliers:
BMW Tools: 88 88 6 115 040 $94.50
Wrench Fan clutch, thin head, 32mm, 3/8" drive, torque limited to 40Nm and 30Nm

Pelican Parts: PEL-TOL-1032T $32.70
Fan Clutch Wrench, 32mm x 36mm, BMW All Models, Each (BMW Service Tool Reference #11-5-040)

Pelican Parts: PEL-TOL-103236T $37.70
Fan Clutch Long Thin Spanner Wrench (32mm open end, 8mm thickness), BMW All Models, Each (BMW Service Tool Reference #11-5-040)

Northern Tools: $8.29 (backordered for 30 or more days)

I'm still looking for a good supplier for the 32mm wrench (preferably 32mm on one side and 36mm on the other) ...

I think the price ($130) on this wrench below shows that the real 'striking wrench' needs to be a box wrench (and not an open-end wrench) ...

You can't use a BOX WRENCH! You can't get it over the nut!

Note that the BMW tool is marked with the additive effect of the tool: 30 Nm at the torque wrench relates to 40 Nm at the nut. Those Krauts think of everything.

Originally Posted by edjack

You can't use a BOX WRENCH! You can't get it over the nut!

Oh. Well. That solves that then. It has to be an open-ended wrench.

Originally Posted by edjack

Nm at the torque wrench relates to 40 Nm at the nut

I was wondering what those numbers meant. But what is the welded on hole for? Is there a special BMW torque wrench that gets bolted onto the end of that wrench?

I'm confused HOW you'd get ANY torque wrench on that end (all my torque wrenches are 3/8" or 1/2" square tips)...

Originally Posted by bluebee

Oh my! The force in that video is humongous! I would think an adjustable crescent wrench would shatter with all that force applied!

I'm curious why he used the open ended part of the 32mm wrench; wouldn't you have used the box part of the open-end wrench so as to distribute the 3lb hammer forces on the nut?

BTW, in the video, the 'brute' said 32mm is the same as 1 1/4 inches. Doing the math, 32mm is close to 1 1/4 inches (1.26").

When I order the wrench, if I order a 1 1/4 instead, do you think the extra tenth of an inch matters?

Any wrench that fits around the nut will do. The amount of force required is simply not that great, a quick sharp wrap with a regular hammer is sufficient to break nut free.

If you can't find the 32mm wrench at Northern then try Harbor Freight, no need to pay top dollar for this item.

You have to use the open end of wrench because how in the world are you going to get the box end on the nut with the fan clutch in the way????

Originally Posted by xraye39

You have to use the open end of wrench because how in the world are you going to get the box end on the nut with the fan clutch in the way????

I didn't realize the fan clutch is in the way. My bad.

But what is that welded-on nut for in the BMW special purpose tool?

[QUOTE=bluebee;5285625] But what is that welded-on nut for in the BMW special purpose tool?

Bluebee, Isn't that what receives your 3/8" drive torque wrench?

the amount of discussion regarding a wrench that is $20 on ebay is just stupid.

Great work depicting how to build one of these tools for the cooling system--I'm adding this little tip
though--once you finish all the work your doing--have available in your list of itmes at hand a can
of Dry Teflon Spay Wax--this can be purchased at Lowes. When putting the fan back on the water pump
spray some of the lube on the water pump nut and also on the nut on the fan. When you get it back on and then tightened, the next time you remove the fan, you can just use the wrench--there will be no need
for the tool anymore.

Originally Posted by frhsfootball80

the amount of discussion regarding a wrench that is $20 on ebay is just stupid.

First off, this is a thread about how to make your own tools; so, one reasonably would expect a detailed discussion on how to make your own tool irrespective of the price.

Secondly, if you think you can get the two-piece wrench set shipped to your door for $20 on Ebay, then you're either a financial whiz kid or you know something the rest of us don't know (shipping alone, for the Ebay bids I looked at, were $15, and tax in California is 10%).

Please let us in on the secret.

Originally Posted by phnman

Q: But what is that welded-on nut for in the BMW special purpose tool?"
A: Isn't that what receives your 3/8" drive torque wrench?

Hmmmm.... oh .... ok. ummmmm... I guess.

I've always used my 3/8" drive torque wrench on sockets!

The socket is in the same line as the 3/8ths inch square on the torque wrench which is inline with the center of the nut or bolt to be removed.

This "hole" is neither a socket nor inline with the bolt to be removed.
So, it never occurred to me that that hole was for the torque wrench.

I guess that's why they have the multiplication force stamped on the handle ... because the lever action (I'm guessing) is additive to the torque wrench.

Is that what is happening?

I learn something new everyday from you guys!
(I'm curious ... based on the decidedly not curious comments from the football guy...)
Did everyone here already know those two things about that wrench?
a) What the hole was for
b) What the multiplication factor was all about

Originally Posted by poolman

spray some of the lube on the water pump nut and also on the nut on the fan.

Hi Poolman,
As always, thanks for the added information and hints (we all learn from each other here).

I'm curious why use the wax when anti-seize is designed for this purpose?

Just works well for me and was at hand--teflon is real slicky also