a 12-point 34mm socket. To get the alterna- tor belt off, put the transmission in neutral, put the tool in place and start turning slowly. Use a large, flat-bladed screwdriver to push the alternator belt toward the front wheel, and as you’re turning, it will slip
right off the lower pulley. Fish it out (the front shock makes things tight near the upper pulley), and you’re ready to put the new belt on. It wasn’t in terrible shape, but it had some cracks and shiny spots on it—tell- tale signs that an alternator belt needs replacing—and the outer edge of the belt was frayed in several places. It’s a good job to do with a
helper, mainly because it’s difficult to hold tension on the belt with the screwdriver while you also turn the engine. One person can do it; a helper just makes it eas- ier. Using the factory tool to install the new belt means you don’t need an assistant. Four ribs on the belt
The top pulley - connected to the alternator itself - is hard to see. Make sure you get all the ribs in all the grooves and double check before you close everything up.
means four grooves in the pulleys. It takes a little fid- dling to get the belt over the upper pulley, but it goes on easily enough. After I finally got the belt on, I was glad I
checked the belt’s positioning on the top pulley; I had gotten the belt a little cockeyed along the way and had to take it off and put it back on again. The second surprise of this operation
came quickly enough. I couldn’t get the belt all the way on. The engine wouldn’t keep turning. I’d make a certain amount of prog- ress and then encounter stiff resistance from the engine, enough that I was afraid to just power through it. I asked George to double-check what I was doing, and he encountered the same resistance, but he put considerably more effort into overcoming it than I had. He looked at me, then looked at the bike
and said, “Well, that’s not good.” After turn- ing the engine very slowly backwards until it once again stuck fast, we were able to get enough forward turns to get the alternator belt on, but that sticking point was prob- lematic, Out of time for the day, I cleaned the tools and returned them to their draw- ers, wondering if my next tech session would be to start breaking my GS down for parts.
Belt hanging near lower pulley
With the bike in neutral and the spark plugs out, the factory tool makes quick work of getting the new belt on.
April 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS 55
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