[Will_460cs]

Hi,

I was just buttoning up Rod Bearing changes when I found a small piece of plastic in the oil pan, no clue as to how this got there as everything else looks spot on.



i figured out that it has come of one side of the upper chain guides nearest the crank hub sprocket




As i don't have another guide to examine, I am wondering if anyone has experience as to whether this piece of plastic is critical?

thanks

Will

[GearHead335i]

Just went through rebuilding my engine and to me it may or may not be critical but 100% not worth risking for the $50 section of the timing chain guides. You know what I mean?

[yupetc]

Not critical, but it's an indication of issues ahead. Plastic parts with heat cycling, you'll likely see more plastic parts falling apart until something critical breaks. You're not on borrowed time with that piece right there, but all it takes is the next big crack/failure of a plastic in the right spot to ruin the whole motor. Best get it replaced soon. If it were me, I'd get it done within a month or so. Better safe than sorry.

[Will_460cs]

Chain guides are out…

I've done it with chain in place

[Will_460cs]

Fitting the timing tool was a pain..

I bought a Laser 5740 timing kit, which is very different to the factory and China clone tools..

My difficulty was that I need to rotate the inlet and exhaust cam maybe .5-1 degree in order to fit the tool.

I cannot find any reference be it bmw or others on YouTube that have required this step.

The only reference that was sent to me as pic only was this which looks like it from a BMW repair document but I cannot find it in my version of ISTA

[Will_460cs]

This is the laser timing tool - essentially the bridge are specific so there's one that works n55/s55/n51/52 and a 2nd that works with n53/n54.


Oh and the vanos locking tool is one tool that is reversible and covers all engines..

[Will_460cs]

If anyone has good experience of timing engines is it normal to have to adjust the cam lobes (which's the crank is locked etc) to get the tool to fit? Ie it didn't just slide in..


Also I noticed that the timing chain then became slightly slacker between the vanos gears.. again is that normal?

This is the initial fitment to check timing before the tensioner or cam to vanos gears are released.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by Will_460cs

If anyone has good experience of timing engines is it normal to have to adjust the cam lobes (which's the crank is locked etc) to get the tool to fit? Ie it didn't just slide in..


Also I noticed that the timing chain then became slightly slacker between the vanos gears.. again is that normal?

Not sure if you're operating the pre-tension correctly, as when I timed mine, I didn't have any slack. But knowing how this works, you can actually loosen those VANO's center bolts to let it straighten itself out then tighten it back in. (Be sure to use a new set of bolts because those are stretch to yield ones can can be used only once). And a good tip is I would have the VANO's gears hand tight first, let it slight freedom for rotation so it'll clear however the chain needs to tooth-in. And it wasn't until after I installed the actual timing tensioner that I then tighten up the VANO's gears for good. Without oil pressure in the system, VANO's gears will be sprung back to its original state, so having it loose then retighten it will not get your time off the mark.

When VANO's gears are loose, you will be able to freely turn your cam lobes to fit into the timing tools slots. Though I have not had any experience with that laser tool of yours, I suspect there could be slight issue because on our proverbial clones, there are different configurations for different engines, no matter how similar they all appeared to be. So I'm more puzzled as to how your laser tool can work with all this many series of the N motor without having to make those minute adjustments for the different models.

[Will_460cs]

Originally Posted by yupetc

Not sure if you're operating the pre-tension correctly, as when I timed mine, I didn't have any slack. But knowing how this works, you can actually loosen those VANO's center bolts to let it straighten itself out then tighten it back in. (Be sure to use a new set of bolts because those are stretch to yield ones can can be used only once). And a good tip is I would have the VANO's gears hand tight first, let it slight freedom for rotation so it'll clear however the chain needs to tooth-in. And it wasn't until after I installed the actual timing tensioner that I then tighten up the VANO's gears for good. Without oil pressure in the system, VANO's gears will be sprung back to its original state, so having it loose then retighten it will not get your time off the mark.

When VANO's gears are loose, you will be able to freely turn your cam lobes to fit into the timing tools slots. Though I have not had any experience with that laser tool of yours, I suspect there could be slight issue because on our proverbial clones, there are different configurations for different engines, no matter how similar they all appeared to be. So I'm more puzzled as to how your laser tool can work with all this many series of the N motor without having to make those minute adjustments for the different models.

The comment above was when I installed the the bridge to hold the cams prior to removing the the cameras/adjusters etc ... In effect the procedure for checking timing with everything bolt up (tensioners vans etc...).

I have bought all new bolts for the vaonbis gears and new O rings for vanos etc...


The Laser tools include 2 Bridges so the "fingers" have the two locations - one which covers N51/N52/N55/S55 and 2nd one that covers N53(euro 6 naturally aspirated)/N54... the vanos block is a single reversible toool (see pics above)....

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by Will_460cs

The comment above was when I installed the the bridge to hold the cams prior to removing the the cameras/adjusters etc ... In effect the procedure for checking timing with everything bolt up (tensioners vans etc...).

I have bought all new bolts for the vaonbis gears and new O rings for vanos etc...


The Laser tools include 2 Bridges so the "fingers" have the two locations - one which covers N51/N52/N55/S55 and 2nd one that covers N53(euro 6 naturally aspirated)/N54... the vanos block is a single reversible toool (see pics above)....

Ah I see, that's an interesting tool you have. I shouldn't try to help since I do not have experience using it. I've used the clone BMW tools and turns out just fine.

But that slack between the VANO's gears isn't normal if that's a standing question. Once your camshafts are timed/slotted then all guides and pre-tensioner are in place, you'll need to loose your VANO's bolts to play that slack out. I remember when I did mine, it was perfectly tight everywhere before I tighten the VANO's bolts last. If you have that slack that you're saying, use the VANO's as last tightening piece and work it. Good luck, buddy.