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

BTW, if anyone can get the two-piece wrench set shipped to their door for $20, please let me in on the secret because I can't find it at anywhere near that final price (which, by necessity, includes 10% tax and as high as $15 shipping on Ebay).

Originally Posted by xraye39

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.

Did not work on mine. Tried several times and then had to use the tool.

Originally Posted by gtxragtop

Tried several times and then had to use the tool.

Like the home-made subframe & differential bushing tool, this fan-counterhold water pump pulley tool seems easy enough to make and/or buy so I picked up a set of them last week for both the I6 & the V8 (viscous fan only).

This tool has both the 45mm (V6) hole spacing (which was previously measured) and the 38mm (V8) hole spacing (which was never measured before); also, this tool is for "viscous fans" only (I suspect the indented tool pictured in a post above must be for non viscous fans???).

Here are the measurements I made using a variety of calipers, micrometers, and just a plain old steel ruler (marked off in 1/32" increments).

I don't have the skills to do a CAD drawing but hopefully someone else can draw the combined tool so any good DIY'er can drill and saw his own out of steel bar stock.

PS: Why do all the stickers say the tools is for viscous fans only; what happens if you use water pump pulley counterhold tool on a non-viscous fan?

Originally Posted by mmm635

Hello~ mmm635
Thank you for providing this specification of #115030.
I had make one and then find some mistake.

So I modify and then it can be using.



Without your prototype I could not make this,so thank you very much.

Wow.

You guys amaze me.

What DO you use for CAD tools; and what was the problem with the original semicircular cut?

Hi bluebee:
I use a free software to do the CAD and which name is sketchUP.
It's simple for a novice just like me.
You can download the software from google.
http://www.google.com/sketchup/download/
And make this tool just need a driller and a 4" disc grinder.
The problem of the original semicircular cut is that it couldn't be match to the center of water pump pulley.
It is because the gap of red circle is not deep enough .
You can compare below picture to it's modified type,and you'll see where is the difference of them.

3. alternator pulley nut removal tool (BMW 12 7 100)

For cross reference, here is a picture of that "forgotten tool", which was listed in the original post.

From post #80 of this thread, it seems most people don't buy this specific tool to remove the alternator pulley (if their new/rebuilt alternator doesn't come with the pulley attached).

Most people just use an air impact wrench and a 24 mm thin-walled socket.

Originally Posted by Eric Chang

The problem of the original semicircular cut is ... the semicircular gap shown by the red circle is not deep enough

Very interesting Eric Chang ... thanks for cluing us in that the semicircle needs to be a bit deeper than what is shown in the original Google SketchUP CAD diagrams.

I, for one, never made the tool because I ended up buying mine from EBAY so that I could measure the dimensions of both the I6 and V8 for others to benefit (I took one for the team!).

Anyway, I'm happy to report I never needed the BFH (big fine hammer) to remove my fan pulley. Simply scissoring the fan clutch nuts 32mm wrench with the I6 side of the fan hub bolt counterhold tool released my viscous fan (and I'm not all that strong).

Details in this alternator removal thread.

I also haven't needed the tool on my 540. I've always used a big adjustable wrench set to 32mm, a hammer, and my left hand holding the pulley in place. That's it.

Originally Posted by Eric Chang

Hello~ mmm635
Thank you for providing this specification of #115030.
I had make one and then find some mistake.

So I modify and then it can be using.

Without your prototype I could not make this,so thank you very much.

Thanks, but there are no mistakes on those measurements. They are exact and conform to my exact BMW tool. My question is...are you using this tool on an M54 motor, or an M50 motor which is found on the E34 525? If the M50 (2.5), then that is why you had to modify your tool...the measurements I provided are spot on for the M54 motor. Your car needs the 115050 tool, and not the 115030.

Next time verify your measurements and make sure you have the proper applicability before you claim there is a "mistake". Others that have used my measurements on an M54 have had no problems and have reported it works great. Bottom line, if you are using my measurements for an M54 motor then you should have no problems. I could not provide the exact measurements for the 115050 tool because I do not have one, and no longer own an E34. Apparently, the M50 and M54 motors must have a different pulley setup which doe not allow the tool to be compatible with both motors.


Blue...I use Rhinoceros for all of my 3D modeling.

I made this tool from scratch using a 1/4" thick steel bar... At the end i barely used it.

i sprayed the fan clutch nut with WD-40 24 hours in advance... then i came back a day later & sprayed it every 15-30 min for like a hour or two. then i got my handy dandy avg size hammer combined with 32mm wrench and tried this method:



worked like a charm

I bought this set of special tool on ebay when working on my cooling fan last year. After many days trying several different ways (dead blow hammer, PB blaster, WD-40 ... ), I almost broke 1 of the 4 water pump mounting hex bolts.

But then I drove the car to a local auto shop and they removed it for me for $20. I didn't see the tool they used but they told me it's a type of air impact wrench. This method is cheap and much safer for a tough clutch nut. I guess the fan clutch on my car was not removed for many years before that (bought in summer 2009). I put on anti seize compound to ease future removal.

Originally Posted by mmm635

I could not provide the exact measurements for the 115050 tool because I do not have one, and no longer own an E34.

Hi Michel,

To help out, on purpose, I bought the tool that had both the 45mm (I6) and 38mm (V8) bolt hole spacing (and I used it this week for the first time, and it worked fine on the M54).

I have plenty of (SAE) calipers and micrometers ... so if you, or anyone needs anything precisely measured either for a CAD diagram or to make their own tool, just ask and I'll make the measurements for you.

Originally Posted by mmm635

I use Rhinoceros for all of my 3D modeling.

OMG. $995 USD. Whoooooooeeeeeee! You must be a pro!

Originally Posted by bluebee

Hi Michel,

To help out, on purpose, I bought the tool that had both the 45mm (I6) and 38mm (V8) bolt hole spacing (and I used it this week for the first time, and it worked fine on the M54).

I have plenty of (SAE) calipers and micrometers ... so if you, or anyone needs anything precisely measured either for a CAD diagram or to make their own tool, just ask and I'll make the measurements for you.



OMG. $995 USD. Whoooooooeeeeeee! You must be a pro!

I have been using Autocad and other modeling programs for years. Rhino is the best of the lot and probably why NASA and Saleen use it, as well as many architects/engineers that need more intuitive 3D Modeling.

Yes, it is expensive, but the capabilities are amazing. You should go back to their website and download the Demo - you will be impressed!

If you can get me the measurements in a similar fashion to mine, then I can make another model and update the drawing.

Originally Posted by mmm635

If you can get me the measurements in a similar fashion to mine, then I can make another model and update the drawing.

I don't have metric calipers or dial gauges. All mine are SAE (English).

Should I convert the inches to metric or supply the inches (SAE) measurements?

Originally Posted by bluebee

I don't have metric calipers or dial gauges. All mine are SAE (English).

Should I convert the inches to metric or supply the inches (SAE) measurements?

I can easily do the conversions once I have the measurements.

Hi mmm635:
I saw the tool picture and application form here:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/cata...TOLtol_pg3.htm
and here
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...5030-tool.html
Yes,I know BMW service manual Page 170-12 was wrote "11 5 050 for M50/M60 engine".
Because I just could find 11 5 030 cad form google from you,so I think that is 11 5 030 really also could application M50(According to the www.pelicanparts.com)?
And after I make a prototype according to your cad,I found the difference between your cad and others.

So I make a modified type like 11 5 030 on other pictures,and then I find that it's really 11 5 030 can work with E34 M50.

I am sorry for let you feel I claim your cad,I should use "Question".
Mmm.because my english is not good as you,sometime,it is maybe look like impolite,forgive me and I'll try to be better.

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

I never did understand this post ...

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

mw

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."

To continue with the lessons learned, apparently 1.5mm is too thin.
(For comparison, mine are 3/8ths inch thick.)

"Fudman fabricated his own using the dims posted here on a thread, it was 1.5mm thick stamped steel (pretty light duty), the 2nd revision started life as the hardened steel bar stock from a garage door opener (that part with all the holes drilled in it that the door quick disconnect attaches to), it was much closer to the 4mm thickness of those "beautiful" tools in your photo (need me some of those), have you used them yet for your cooling system or VANOS? ... and yes geezer, us east coast nuts are VERY hard to crack and on the equipment!"

Hi Bluebee,

Just a side note. That small font size (size 1), is not cool. There is a reason people don't read the small print in contracts. It's because they are small print.

I simply skip all the small print in your resent posts. I guess you put it in so small because it is not that important.

(By the way, since you've wondered before what is the use for a PM. This is one I would have rather send you a PM for, instead of advertising my voice for all to see.)

I mean this in the most respectful way.

mw