REPLACING TIMING CHAIN GUIDE RAILS

[Sergei-e]

[QUOTE=Sergei-e;880225]It works!
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I will try to put some information together with pictures and a video later on.
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I do not want to be boring for other members with a long writing or explanations of this repair that has been described on this forum already; however, will be happy to answer any questions.
The main bullet points that may help are:
• For me it was a big DIY job. Altogether (diagnostic, research, ordering alignment tool, taking everything apart, ordering required components, and assembling everything back) it took me about 5 weeks. I was working evenings after work and some weekends. …Sometimes I had to do nothing but wait for the components to arrive (going cheap and leaving the dealership place as the last source).
• Below is the list of the parts that I have replaced. All of them, except the three last items, I have purchased from AutoPartsWay.ca: Auto Parts in Canada! - Canada Auto Parts Online
1. Part Name: Lower Engine Timing Chain Guide; Part Number: OES1664820; Item Price: $128.21
2. Part Name: Lower Engine Timing Chain Guide; Part Number: OES1663935; Item Price: $65.36
3. Part Name: Engine Variable Timing Solenoid Gasket; Part Number: REI1664015; Item Price: $8.46; QTY Required: 2; Item Total: $16.93
4. Part Name: Lower Engine Oil Pan Gasket; Part Number: ELR1665479; Item Price: $19.60
5. Part Name: Engine Water Pump Gasket; Part Number: GOE1641223; Item Price: $5.19
6. Part Name: Right Engine Valve Cover Gasket Set; Part Number: REI1796510; Item Price: $28.11
7. Part Name: Left Engine Valve Cover Gasket Set; Part Number: REI1796509; Item Price: $29.48
8. Part Name: Lower Engine Timing Cover Gasket Set; Part Number: GOE1631041; Item Price: $28.72
9. Part Name: Front Engine Crankshaft Seal; Part Number: PAY1636483; Item Price: $12.37
10. Part Name: Engine Timing Cover Seal Strip; Part Number: REI1663977; Item Price: $10.54
11. Part Name: Engine Timing Cover Seal Strip; Part Number: REI1663978; Item Price: $11.06
12. Part Name: Top Engine Timing Chain Guide; Part Number: OES1663936; Item Price: $8.68; QTY Required: 4; Item Total: $34.74
13. Harmonic Balancer screw; Part Number: 11231736585; Item price: ~$34.00 (from the Dealership)
14. Torx bolt M12 x 1.5 x 85; Part number: 11361432438; Item price:~$16.00 (from the Dealership); QTY Required: 4; Item Total: $32.00
15. Four O-rings for the oil lines going to/from the oil filter – approx. $10.00 total.
The total cost of the project in purchased components: $466.31.
• Expect to remove everything from the front of the engine including power steering pump and expansion tank and the transmission coolant heat exchanger, although you do not have to disconnect the hoses.
• Do not even think twice about removing the coolant radiator. You will have to remove it at one point anyways…and most likely it would be damaged by that time already. I learned it hard way when my coolant pump hub slipped out of my hands and nicked one of the radiator’s fragile tubes.
• Removing the harmonic balancer screw (aka Jesus bolt) was unexpected road block for me. Do some research on this before trying to remove it. I have read some nightmare stories when this bolt would break off with its threaded portion remaining in the crankshaft. This bolt is tightened to torque to yield – past its yield point and into a plastic deformation phase – basically permanently stretched a little inside the crankshaft making even harder the task of removing it. Do not torch it! This not only will expand the bolt increasing its diameter and further jamming it in the crankshaft but also will cause effect of heat treatment making this bolt brittle disallowing it to “stretch and flow out” of the crank shaft thread and almost assuring its breakage. Earlier in this thread I have written my experience of dealing with this bolt after I have snapped the driver of my ½” breaker bar.
• Camshaft Alignment Timing Tool Set – this is a "must to have" tool for the job. I have ordered this set from Tools-World through eBay: BMW M60/M62 Camshaft Alignment VANOS Timing Tool Set (180871524067). After the harmonic balancer bolt is removed rotate the crankshaft clockwise close to TDC of the first cylinder (both intake and exhaust cams of the first cylinder will be facing each other at about 45˚) and insert the locking pin (part of the Alignment Timing Tool Set) into the flywheel through the bell housing – you may need to move the flywheel a little bit to assure that the pin tip will make it into the flywheel hole firmly engaging and assuring no crankshaft movement. When the pin is inserted into the flywheel with both cams facing each other @ 45˚ you would see the flats of the camshafts with markings (A1-4; E1-4; A5-8; E5-8) facing up. Install the camshafts alignment tools – one at a time (you may need to tweak the camshafts with 27 mm open wrench (grind it to fit to prevent damaging the engine head) to align their square ends with the mating slots of the alignment tools). After these tools are installed you are safe to dismount all the chains, tensioners, and sprockets.
• Before tightening the sprockets and camshaft adjuster units to the cam shafts make sure that your torque wrench works (clicks) in both directions. I learned it hard way that my did not… Likely my gut feeling stopped me before I snapped the bolts inside the camshafts. I have unscrewed them and measured – they have started “necking” at the flange and were 0.008” smaller in diameter at the head flange than at the end of the thread. It cost me additional $32.00 (item 14) and extra two days of waiting time (even the Dealership did not have these bolts readily available).

...There were a couple of "sidetrack" projects on my way: like one morning my hood would not open and I had to open up the wheel well to reach that "junction box" where two cables meet each other to open the hood and fix the hood lock.

[J.Belknap]

Sergei,

Once things appear normal with respect to the visible debris, Blackstone Labs can provide oil analysis services to help you determine if any small stuff is circulating through the filter or not.

[IanP]

Its looking good!! But just wondering, didnt you change the camchains while you were in there?

[Sergei-e]

Originally Posted by IanP

Its looking good!! But just wondering, didnt you change the camchains while you were in there?

Hi IanP,
No, I have not replaced any of the chains.
I thought if my plastic lining pieces lasted for 270,000 km then a steel chain will last at least another 270,000 km and I will replace it next time with the next chain guides repair.
To be serious, I have not heard about catastrophic failures of these chains and if it happens to me this Forum would be the first to know about it. I have carefully inspected every single link of the long chain and did not find absolutely any signs of wear or tear – no flats or worn out spots on the rolls, almost no play on the pins, nor even slight wear on either of the staked sides. I always prefer keeping sound original components in my vehicle – this not only brings the cost of the repair down but also keeps original BMW parts made by high standards and workmanship, now proven by time, in place (otherwise at this mileage I would have to keep replacing everything). In my opinion, another advantage of using the original chain is that this chain has been stretched already and will not affect my timing alignment down the road, whereas a new chain will stretch after some time and may affect the timing (it might be just another piece of mind for me to justify not spending extra $150.00 on the chain.)

[Sergei-e]

Originally Posted by m5james

Congrats Sergei-e, that's awesome. Sorry I hadn't replied more, I've been preoccupied w/ my bike and another vehicle purchase, a 2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson...that after 2 weeks of ownership will need a new transmission - it's like reliving the new ownership of my 740iL all over again Anyways, once again, congrats!!

Thank you m5james,

I am sorry to hear about your truck... It reminds me my story with the X5 when I found out that I had to repair the transmission (was slipping in reverse) shortly after registering the vehicle. I was able to stretch it over that summer season, though, - from May all the way into fall and fixed the transmission in October (well, October-November).
Good luck to you - I hope your transmission is repairable - should not be a big deal for you to fix it.

[Sergei-e]

...1700 km after the repair. Everything seems to be OK. I have changed the oil filter after 1000 km but kept the same oil in the engine.
Sergei-e

[J.Belknap]

Good to hear.

[Sergei-e]

Thank you J.Belknap,
At 3,000 km after the repair the vehicle stopped counting…but keeps driving.
Now I have another issue with the vehicle – my DSC unit had started malfunctioning lighting up my dashboard with warning lights, switching the transmission into fail safe mode, and making the temperature gauge go crazy. So I removed the DSC and sent it out for repair. I keep driving the car with four warning lights on and speedometer disabled (use the GPS as the speed indicator), but the tranny behaves now (does not go to the failsafe mode) and the temperature gauge is back to normal. I think I killed the DSC by jump-starting the vehicle after I had drained the battery at my last camping/fishing outing.
…Almost started forgetting to pay extra attention to the oil pressure gauge. The pressure, however, is fine – the warning light goes out right after the engine cranks and never goes up even at idling.

[2001SilverX5&MR2owner]

My indie replaced my DSC after BMW dealership dx it as the problem. Unfortunately, he is still getting the warning lights, speedometer. All codes have been cleared and have not returned. Anybody have any ideas what is going on here?

[TerminatorX5]

left rear speed sensor? can be checked with a diode checker right on the ABS plug, I can't remember off the top of my head, pins 11 and 12?
each of the 4 speed sensors is responsible for for additional tasks and I think, that rear left has to do with the speedo needle...