[PaulE90]

I've recently bought myself a 59' plate 320D - manufactured Nov 09 so fits in the 'case 2' on the PUMA report about the timing chains. So far I've heard nothing worrying, but have only done 55k miles. Can you folks recommend whether or not it's worth shelling out on bmw warranty to cover the timing chain? I figure that I'm fairly low mileage (~10k/yr) and the bmw named component warranty works out at something like £25/month.

Currently I'm bricking it thinking that my 'bullet-proof' could decide it's had enough at any minute, if I take all the rumours to be true.

Help!

[chrisbmwcy]

Originally Posted by PaulE90

I've recently bought myself a 59' plate 320D - manufactured Nov 09 so fits in the 'case 2' on the PUMA report about the timing chains. So far I've heard nothing worrying, but have only done 55k miles. Can you folks recommend whether or not it's worth shelling out on bmw warranty to cover the timing chain? I figure that I'm fairly low mileage (~10k/yr) and the bmw named component warranty works out at something like £25/month.

Currently I'm bricking it thinking that my 'bullet-proof' could decide it's had enough at any minute, if I take all the rumours to be true.

Help!

Your milage is very low, and since you've heard nothing worrying then forget that such a problem exists. It doesnt appear on every car.

But if you are still worried seek for expert advice by taking it for a 2nd opinion to a BMW dealeship, or for a 3rd opinion to a BMW specialist that dealt with this issue before and knows what he is doing and what to hear.

The forums are here to share experiences, the dealers and the specialists know their stuff, believe me

[cryptomit]

I had N47 before and had the same issue, then my chain failed. I had to replace whole engine, I had 207k km when it happend.

[chrisbmwcy]

Originally Posted by cryptomit

I had N47 before and had the same issue, then my chain failed. I had to replace whole engine, I had 207k km when it happend.

I will post a picture of my timechain when it was removed and you will understand how close to failiure mine was as well

[topmar]

Hi,

My E90 320d is 03/2008 with 50.000 miles and I can't hear any strange noise.......so far....

[zain320DMSPORT]

Bit of a running commentry over the last few weeks from a post i had elsewhere...

I have recently purchased a 2008 320D M Sport with 57k mls on the clock with full BMW service history, really looked after and serviced every 15k mls. I have noticed engine starting to sound a bit rough in 6th gear, then 5th gear and fuel consumption rising.

I put Hibetane fuel additive in 160 mls ago with no improvement, and i have warmed the car before running at 3.5-4k rpm on motorway in 4th gear for a few miles in hope to clean combustion chambers/injectors etc!

Fuel filter and air filter changed during last service as well as the usual oil/filter etc. Comprehensive warantee wont be valid until end of feb. I had diagnostic check today with no probhlem reported, but car has got worse throughout the day. I am thinking of getting oil/filter change done asap and asking about crank breather/filter change too! Comprehensive warantee (when its valid) obviously wont cover existing problems and im hoping to get away with a small bill before anything major goes BANG...

Drove to BMW dealer this morning and mpg dial moves very low even with very few revs whilst driving there so took it real easy. Service manager checked service booklet and said service isn't needed but if I leave car overnight that they would check it. Comprehensive warantee isn't active till Feb though and I'm hesitant to give car to Bmw as this could prove there is an existing fault before warantee is active so it wouldn't be covered. ..

Left car into BMW dealership today for service and later received a call from them stating that the timing chain was eating into the sprockets and it would cost 5k eu to fix, that my warantee wouldn't cover the cost and that he was going to apply to BMW to cover the parts and labour as a good will gesture, even though he admitted it was a known problem with BMW!!! On the way to collect car shortly and to find out my fate...

shitting bricks here. ... When they called, they said to collect car, no point doing service and on a scale of 1-10, it's a 6 on timing chain failure. .. feels like im going to be driving a ticking time bomb. ..

Decided to leave the car with bmw dealer. .. awaiting decision from bmw on if they going to cover the cost of parts and labour, if any at all. ... Anyone else been successful with similar problem, I would like to hear from them. ..

well thats it...new timing chain, upgraded guides, crank etc, full service, and BMW offered to par 50% of parts and labour, so thats 3000 euro for me to pay...

[taranonline]

Hello everyone.

My engine had got noisy and there was rattle on engine start up also the chain noise when revving.

So I decided to change the timing chain from dealer. Cost was total of 1600 usd including 2 timing chains, guides, gaskets, some bolts, engine oil n filter, power steering oil, coolant, gear mounts and engine mounts.

Car runs very smooth and engine sounds like brand new!!

Got it done at 55,000 miles.

They also said bmw has updated the design of guides so it wont get noisy again. Will keep updated.

Also car was out of warranty. They checked the turbo and found some play. It was back and forth not up down so decided to do nothing about it.

[Fille]

I think I also have it...

I've got a 2012 320d/328d with the N47 engine and i've been hearing some scraping noises (like shaking a metal can with something in it) coming from the back of the engine. The sound isn't that intrusive but it is audible at round 1500 RPM and mostly during light throttle and engine breaking. I should mention that I can't really hear the sound in idle, although I hear ticks i'm guessing that's the fuel injection and the famous diesel knock.

I've had it for almost two years now and the warranty is almost expired so I don't want to take any risks. The warrantly is only two years in Sweden ...

I havn't really noticed such a noise before but that could be because I almost never drive without music on. So when I pointed out the sound to my rear passenger they said they also heard it.

So now i'm sort of freaked out and i'm probably going to take it in to have it checked out but I don't exactly have high hopes for BMW Sweden.

[taranonline]

Yes 1500+ rpm is the sweet spot to hear timing chain noise. You should also hear it with door open and starting the engine. It will come from under the floor.

[chrisbmwcy]

Originally Posted by Fille

I think I also have it...

I've got a 2012 320d/328d with the N47 engine and i've been hearing some scraping noises (like shaking a metal can with something in it) coming from the back of the engine. The sound isn't that intrusive but it is audible at round 1500 RPM and mostly during light throttle and engine breaking. I should mention that I can't really hear the sound in idle, although I hear ticks i'm guessing that's the fuel injection and the famous diesel knock.

I've had it for almost two years now and the warranty is almost expired so I don't want to take any risks. The warrantly is only two years in Sweden ...

I havn't really noticed such a noise before but that could be because I almost never drive without music on. So when I pointed out the sound to my rear passenger they said they also heard it.

So now i'm sort of freaked out and i'm probably going to take it in to have it checked out but I don't exactly have high hopes for BMW Sweden.

Some noise "from what i was told" is ok to be heard.

The noise on mine was heard across the whole rpm range!

Since the 80.000 miles i got the car untill the 100.000 miles i had the chains replaced.

The noise on 100.000 miles was very noticeable and louder.
From the chain we took out there was missing connection on the one halve at some point. It was a matter of hours to fail.

The guides where broken in 2 pieces! And yes the car was running.

Now its being 6.000 miles since the replacement, the engine runs smoother than ever and the noise is totally gone! Hopefully for ever..

[DrBob737]

I spoke to Bruce Lynton BMW largest dealer in Gold Coast Queensland Australia and the senior BMW mechanic, after I mentioned to him all the alerts on N47 engines worldwide expressed that he had not experienced the problem here in Gold Coast. Bruce Lynton is a large dealership and I would suspect they turn over about 20 plus BMW's a month and so during the 2008-2011 period there would have been a considerable amount of N47 engines in the 1,3 and 5 series yet the gentlemen expressed he had "not heard of the problem". They were happy to charge me $222/hr to do a diagnostic check of my engine to see if it had worn or there was any metal ticking contact noise to the guide rails. My BMW 320D has done just 63,000 km. (39,146 miles)

He claimed I should see warning lights of engine in balance. I am unsure what warning lamps he is talking about

[DrBob737]

Mine is a 2008 N47 BMW 320D March build. I have only 63,000 km and no issue but I spoke to BMW Australia and they have never heard of the problem. They said if there is nothing wrong with your car now then there is nothing to fix. I told them about a thing called preventative maiontenance but I guess that can only happen if BMW admit liability.
I am worried someone is maybe not telling the truth. I have asked them to read all the forum info including videos of N47 engines pulled apart due to snaped chains and the fact there is a new P/N for all N47: 2007 -2010 cars for the upper and lower chain which tells me there is a manufacturing update.

No one from BMW has come back to me after a week.

[MikeinPoland]

I have a 2009 e90 LCI 318D and it's approaching 190k km. It's been fully serviced over the last 4.5 years but on my last long drive back from Warsaw I noticed the engine sounded a little gruff between 3.5 to 4.5k revs in 3rd and 4th Gear pulling out of the garage. Not sure if this is the dreaded timing chain or not???

I'm in a fortunate position that my firm will pay for whatever repairs deemed necessary and then at the end of the year I can buy the car off them at a discounted price.

Should I go with getting the timing chain replaced or the camshaft?

Any thoughts appreciated...

[chrisbmwcy]

And here comes the recall!
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1082340

[topmar]

Thank you for the information mate! !

I spoke to my city BMW Dealer, he checked my car VIN and I have to go there for repair. ....

[topmar]

Hi, I have my car fixed last week in the dealer, by changing only the chain tensioner, as the timing chain was in perfect condition.

This is a picture of my car chain tensioner that was changed.

[Jackwag]

i have a 2007 manufactured august 2007, 110,000 miles and no chain issues or noise so far...i fear im approaching the day

[topmar]

Originally Posted by Jackwag

i have a 2007 manufactured august 2007, 110,000 miles and no chain issues or noise so far...i fear im approaching the day

Don't delay not even a day more, go to the local dealer and check it with the car VIN number, and change it asap!

[Jackwag]

have they done a warranty/recall on this? or will i have to endure the full cost myself?

[topmar]

Originally Posted by Jackwag

have they done a warranty/recall on this? or will i have to endure the full cost myself?

Read a couple of posts before, there's a free recall on this issue by BMW.. .

[Jackwag]

UPDATE getting a full replacement done free of charge from BMW after being told there is a quality enhancement available for my car, happy days

[swagon]

Good for ya. Mine is a 320d LCI, 10/2008, 100,xxx km on the clock and the timing chain noise became hearable around 98 thousands. Went to a local BMW dealership and was told that as the car was not bought in the country I live in and that has never been serviced at an official BMW dealership, theres is no chance of doing the repair for free.

I have not done anything yet to the motor. It's time to do so, though.