[old grey steve]

I don't want to scare anyone who owns one of these engines but in some cases we have seen some isuses that do require some immediate attention and as you'll see from the story below this engine had gone too far

As stated we've seen a fair few of these engine over the past few years, many with timing chain esq. issues, usually you may see a 2A99 type code combined with even oil pressure type code therefore if you see a 30C1 oil pressure static code (seen a amber or dare I say it red oil light- please stay tuned)

Logic after some basic investigation may say if there is an isuse it may be timing chain guide related as this is well versed if so and you have to do some work and the chain guides have broken you replace the guides do the chain replace the various bolts that are required to be changed and that is it which is what so I'm informed happens at the main dealer as the parts department issue the repair kits accordingly and that's it which you can clearly see here http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E9...ing_chain_top/. Right!

If this is all you think you need to do then think again here's why. First of all if you own one it sounds a tad noisy on start up then seems to quieten down after 10-30 seconds then is everything OK is this a charactoristic of the engine. Truth is they aren't the quietest of units so it can be difficult to tell the difference but there is a simple check if you like that you can do and its as simple as removing the oil filler cap peering in to locate the timing chain if you have something like a small hook to hand see if the chain can be lifted slightly if its feel like it won't move upwards then chances are (though not confirmed) everything is as it should b, but if you can "lift the chain slightly"



then we are talking further investigation time. But if you have this issue you could be looking at having the rocker cover off to inspect for damaged guides

If the guides break you repalce the guides right! Thing is where do the broken guides go when they seperate? Well here's where they go and what can happpen if left unattended.

The folllowing N43 powered car came in to us with a reported issue regarding a vast loss of oil. What you are about to see is something we weren't quite expecting

Once the bottom coves were removed we noted quite quickly that we were greeted with a considerable loss of oil as this picture kind of demonstrates



however as the covers were laid down this sight kind of said game over for this engine






we could see clearly that what we were looking at was a mixture of conrod smashed bearing shells and bits of the block so what had caused this issue

Well a closer look at the block helped us a little from a distance



and getting a little closer you can peer right in for a closer look




So what had caused this. Firstly we decided to remove the sump for a closer look and this is what greeted us hence what was said above




you are looking at smashed timing chain guides sitting at the bottom of the sump in plain view thing is if this is on bottom of the sump where's the rest of the guides gone? More to the point what's caused the block to let go

Well a quick inspection of the oil supply kind of solved this mystery



the oil pump's simply in this case been starved of oil as the oil pump's vital suction pump supply tube bloked with smashed timing chain guide debris picture below shows the pick up in relation to the oil pump



thing is the whole sorry story started elsewhere sometime before. When inspected the timing chain tensioner No7 in the diagram below was weak and shall I say finger tight



so logic says that the engine demise may well of been a poor performing chain tensioner when this goes slack things can happen elsewhere the chain can be compromissed and as we have seen on a good few cars now the chain when measured can become stressed and will stretch the gudes in many cases can as you can see below can fracture/break




when held together by hand they kind of look like this



picture below shows you the general layout of the timing chain as well as the all important guides



Next move was to look at removing rocker cover (we'd normally do this first but we were interested in what had gone on re the crank and block) and we were expecting timing issues as confirmed once the tools were quickly lined up



but a quick scout of the cams and surrounding area revealed this little lot



a broken follower that was sitting at the base of the head under one of the cams and this wonderful bit of seismic cam shifting (cam with the force has been shunted back slightly as you can see from the pictures of the effected cams)




So if you have a timing chain or guide issue then as I hope you can see above its a bit more work than just replacing the headline timing chain and guides. My advise seriously is you have to ask yourself if the guides have broken then where the debris gone? It can only go in one place and thats down below and it'll all end up in the sump area.

I mentioned a possible issue re oil pressure re these cars usually a code like 30C1 oil pressure static can be seen again don't ignore this



No8 is the oil presure swich these can be effected and should ideally be changed the interesting part is No12 and the all important o ring No13, this is a tensioned hydraulic valve if these become weak they can create oil presure issues and I've seen a couple that were finger tight or even come away in 2 pieces again not ideal and this can cause oil pressure issues.

Pictures below are of a car that again sufferd a timing chain related issue but this car come into us running rough but came in under its own steam, like the above same basic issue re guides breaking up and a weak tensioner but image our surprise when we look after removing inspecting the oil suction pipe we discoverd this once in full view




plus part of the guide for the oil pump was sitting in this cars sump



a smashed oil pump chain guide plus this ones chain was also stretched pictures below will help you re what I'm talking about



In most cases with this engine when inspected we have also discoverd contaminated solenoid valves usually due to carbonised oil debris as you can see from the pictures below





To sum up there are loads of these engines going about on the roads simply loads, however they aren't the strongest of engine due to design as we have discoverd. When we see issues like the oil pressure code or a cam/crankshaft corrolation type code nigh on everycase we have seen once the rocker cover is removed and inspected and we discover there is an issue re giudes everytime the sumps removed, which is now standard practice for us we are seeing clearly chain guide debris living in the sump, and this debris is causing oil pressure issues. Pleae therefore seriously look at not only replaicing guides but also seriously consider removing the sump to check to see where the broken guides lie.

Taking this extra care could just in the long run save your engine.

[Jamie_E92]

good advice Steve, a true abomination of an engine from bmw, not to mention the fact that they wouldn't pull you out of bed

[Jeff123]

Great write up - when do you find time to sleep?

[Dormermike]

None of this relates to the n53 though is that correct?

Great write up Steve!

[DriverLDN]

Amazing write up Steve!

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Jamie_E92

good advice Steve, a true abomination of an engine from bmw, not to mention the fact that they wouldn't pull you out of bed

Its not BMW's finest hour this engine it would seem but as stated there are loads on the roads going great guns, but for me it doesn't excuse this sort of issue that is very repetitive in terms of what we are getting to see. Thing is for me at least is when this sort of thing takes place parts are easily and are readilly available and if they are that availalbe what does this tell you?????

Originally Posted by Jeff123

Great write up - when do you find time to sleep?

if something is worth mentioning its worth mentioning otherwise now as I've stated elsewhere I will no longer be posting reguarly and to be fair this sort of thing doesn't take that long to compile

Originally Posted by Dormermike

None of this relates to the n53 though is that correct?

Great write up Steve!

Thanks Dormermike your right to a degree this sort of thing doesn't really seem to effect the N53's those have their own little issues

Originally Posted by DriverLDN

Amazing write up Steve!

[Big13]

Old grey Steve can I ask where your workshop is or contact details please

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Big13

Old grey Steve can I ask where your workshop is or contact details please

Stevenage Herts email a1bnspecialist@btconnect.com

[gfwilliams]

How hard is it to remove the sump on these and check? When I got mine I'm pretty sure the chain guide had been done (I replaced it anyway), but I occasionally get oil pressure warnings and I wonder if they ever cleared the sump out.

From everything I can see online it looks like the subframe has to be removed which seems like a non-driveway job - or is the N43 short enough compared to the 6 cylinder engines that you can do it without that?