RE: Timing belt replacement interval

["Fadeev, Alex" <alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aaron Ness [mailto:aaron@domain.elided] wrote:
> 
> I just purchased my first BMW - a 1987 528e in great shape 
> with 149k miles. The timing belt was replaced at 68k. My
> owner's manual doesn't give an interval for this, and I have
> not yet purchased a service manual. I'm going to try to find
> time to replace it next week. What is the recommended interval
> for the timing belt?

Timing belts should be replace every 4 years or 60K miles per BMW. Most
people recommend dropping the mileage interval to 50K miles. 

> If anyone has had one snap, after how many miles did
> this occur?

Aaron, you are either well overdue for a new t-belt and are playing Russian
roulette with your engine, or the last t-belt replacement at around 120K
miles was not recorded. If I were you I would start installing a new t-belt
NOW.

> Are there other parts that I must replace at the same time, 
> or will replacing them just save me headaches later?  

If the 'eta' engine is the same as regular M20B25, you would also want to
replace the t-belt tensioner, water pump, thermostat and auxiliary belts all
of which either come out for this job or a close by. All the above parts
should run you around $100. You can pay a mechanic for 2-3 hours of labor to
do this job, or you can do it yourself in 3-5 hours first item around.

alex f

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