Timing Chain Guides - time to failure

[GT3Jeff]

I am trying to decide when to replace my timing chain guides - the so called weak link of the E53 X5 4.4i.

Please post the mileage at which you had a failure or when you did you preventative maintenance.

My 2002 is currently at 175,000 km.

Thanks!

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by GT3Jeff

I am trying to decide when to replace my timing chain guides - the so called weak link of the E53 X5 4.4i.

Please post the mileage at which you had a failure or when you did you preventative maintenance.

My 2002 is currently at 175,000 km.

Thanks!

Doing mine at 135,000 miles. After taking of the covers, I can see that the rails have not yet disintegrated, but show some chipping. Good time to do the rails now. Also, considering replacing the VANOS seals with the Beisan kit, plus the tensioner and the check valves.

[TerminatorX5]

147000 - epic explosion!!! killed 4.6iS in an instant

[IanP]

80000 miles, as with TerminatorX5, major explosion, every warning light on, including some I did not know I had!!!! And what a noise. Better off doing them early

[bcredliner]

No warning or symtoms before explosion? When you say killed does that mean it destroyed the engine. If the engine 'only' stopped running, did you have other damage?

[diyanich]

When did it happen?
Are you fixing it?

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

147000 - epic explosion!!! killed 4.6iS in an instant

[diyanich]

I would keep my eye on the engine oil level and drive for now.
In theory if that plastic isn't overheated it shouldn't fail that fast.
I discovered that I had a low level,something like 2 liters lower than needed.
Never saw any check control warning or a low pressure light.
My X in 3 years never consumed any significant amount of oil,but once I had an oil separator changed and pipes,hosed declogged...it took me about 15,000kms to get to a low level and they failed out of nowhere.Just started it at work heading for lunch with a lot of noise.No noise was present when I arrived at work 4 hours before that.
But I was getting some weird timing related fault codes which I pulled with my INPA/DIS

Originally Posted by GT3Jeff

I am trying to decide when to replace my timing chain guides - the so called weak link of the E53 X5 4.4i.

Please post the mileage at which you had a failure or when you did you preventative maintenance.

My 2002 is currently at 175,000 km.

Thanks!

[wallyx5]

I am doing my brothers on Friday. It took us 4-5 hours to take everything apart and should not be too difficult to put it back together. It was a fun project and overall not too difficult but just time consuming and tedious.

[TerminatorX5]

Part # 3 broke into 2 pieces (or was it part #1? doesn't matter, there were more pieces than it called for), while numerous other parts got seriously cut inside by chain running wild, some major "unauthorized" grooves, boatload of aluminum shaving, the valves and the pistons made love to each other (and i got f*cked in the process!!!)... as the engine was taken apart slowly, more and more damage was revealed and the only option was to put in a complete replacement engine... a "new" engine would run anywhere from $8K to $13K, i was able to "locate" one in NYC for about $2-3K but the guy had strange requirements to allow viewing of the engine, i was not sure about the donor car, the mileage on the engine, blah, blah, blah... so, i did not get the engine...

I sold the car AS-IS/WHERE-IS for $3100 about a week ago, and was glad it was off my hands...

The car did not give a warning - i heard some hissing, that i thought were a vac leak, and took the family to DC sightseeing, and on the way home, i got the entire cluster light up, and the car sounded like a 1920 John Deere tractor for about 5 minutes before going KAPUT!!!

[diyanich]

Sorry to read that.
Done with BMW now or not?
I am off starting next week and gonna alternate the guides replacement and some in house touch ups after long lasting renovations.
Sometimes I am wondering if I should just sell it AS IS,but I don't want to get a newer X and start all over,so I might just stick with the one I already have.A big DIY toy,if I mess it up,then am gonna part it and sell on eBay or locally.
Time will show.

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

Part # 3 broke into 2 pieces (or was it part #1? doesn't matter, there were more pieces than it called for), while numerous other parts got seriously cut inside by chain running wild, some major "unauthorized" grooves, boatload of aluminum shaving, the valves and the pistons made love to each other (and i got f*cked in the process!!!)... as the engine was taken apart slowly, more and more damage was revealed and the only option was to put in a complete replacement engine... a "new" engine would run anywhere from $8K to $13K, i was able to "locate" one in NYC for about $2-3K but the guy had strange requirements to allow viewing of the engine, i was not sure about the donor car, the mileage on the engine, blah, blah, blah... so, i did not get the engine...

I sold the car AS-IS/WHERE-IS for $3100 about a week ago, and was glad it was off my hands...

The car did not give a warning - i heard some hissing, that i thought were a vac leak, and took the family to DC sightseeing, and on the way home, i got the entire cluster light up, and the car sounded like a 1920 John Deere tractor for about 5 minutes before going KAPUT!!!