Camshaft Tining, intake cam, and weird positions on 2002 X5 with M54

[beamer9]

Hi All,

Can somebody with knowledge about timing the M54 6 cylinder please provide some feedback? I let my X5 sit a year after replacing head gasket last year, due to timing issues. I rented the German auto solutions professional timing kit, after attempting to time it myself with wood tools I built last year to do the job which I likely failed at.

I noticed a couple things that concerned me:

When the exhaust camshaft timing mark on the primary timing chain is lined up with the head aluminum surface top, the bolt holes don't seem to line up right when the timing mark is in correct location. Any suggestion on what isn't lined up right?

Next the intake camshaft is seriously freaking me out because the front 3/4 of the camshaft rotates quite a bit while rear stays stationary, and I am concerned it's not normal.

Lastly the intake camshaft I assumed should be around a 10:30 position on the first little arm that sticks out, and exhaust at about 1:30, but it doesn't, seem toatch up right on other arms when I rotate it to that position. Is it that one is one turn ahead or behind? And should intake cam be wound up clock wise or counterclockwise?



Thanks for any advice you are able to provide!

Sincerely,

Aaron