ok here are the new guides
and here are the old guides:
this all plastic guide is the one on the right. it is barely even worn
it has slight grooves where the chain links ride
this is the metal and plastic guide on the left and once again barely even grooved at all
and here is the middle U-shaped rail. i pulled the plastic peice off the metal body and snapped the plastic in half to give you a cross-section of the middle of the U-rail.
notice how deeply grooved it is. you can clearly see where the links and rollers of the chain ride. the U-shaped rail is between the cylinder banks and is pulled against very tightly. this is the peice that cracks in half of most people with failed guides.
as you can see even though the side rails looked brand new the middle was nearing the end of its life. the side rails only guide the chain and stop it from slapping. the U-shaped rail is pulled against in a way comparable to an idler pulley except this pulley doesnt turn so it gets rubbed against.
i think this proves that checking your guides with a spaghetti camera or even pulling the upper chain case covers and using a flashlight and mirror is not sufficient to determine chain guide condition. neither off these methods allow you to inspect the U-shaped rail while the chain is still in place.
i had no plastic in my oil pan at all. but as you saw the middle rail was almost worn through and could have snapped at any time.
you do not want to wait for the rails to fail before fixing them or you risk blowing you motor. if the chain skips a tooth and the piston hits the valves your engine is scrap. it is actually cheaper to put a new motor in than to have the existing motor repaired.
Last edited by topaz540i; 12-25-2011 at 09:22 AM.
~2001 540i/6speed~
Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.
What oil weight do you use? Always the same?
Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.
dude
After watching you pictures I cant even thing about having 540i in my garage
Be strong and ya ... GOOD JOB
Last edited by champaign777; 12-25-2011 at 03:56 PM.
Yeah definitely not looking forward to doing this... even tho my 540i just turned 54,000 miles... its going to have to be done sometime. Any thing to be listening out for other than chain slap?
I bought the car at 106k so i dont know what oil was used but the insides were very sludge free so i assume synthetic. I only use mobil1 w/e the recomended weight is. I forget. I going with 0w40 for the winter.
Im not sure that the ticking noise is the chain like everyone thinks. The start up rattle is more likely the vanos check valves failing and letting the vanos go dry while the motor is off.
After rebuilding the vanos with beisan systems new seals i realized how many parts in the vanos are capable of making the starting rattle and diesel ticking.
But anyway, if you have the stock hydraulic chain tensioner buy a new one. They updated the spring to give it better cold starting when the oil drains out. This might give it more life. Most damage to engines occur on cold startup when all the oil is in the lower end. That is why its better to buy a car with highway miles than one with an equal amount of in town miles. In town miles means it was started and stopped way more times for the same mileage.
~2001 540i/6speed~
Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.
good info!
bop citttttttttttttttttty bump bump!
all the tools needed to time your engine and vanos.
2 style flywheel pins
cam tensioner clips
cam shaft locks and adjusting key
vanos solenoid thin wall socket
vanos timing special socket
chain tensioning tool
mounting block for chain tensioning tool
vanos timing wheel positiong jigs
machined 22mm wrench for turning cams
ask me if there is anything on the list you dont see i may have forgotten to write it down
the crank holder is mandatory if you plan to remove the crank shaft harmonic resonator bolt to do the timing chain guides.
pm me for fair prices
Last edited by topaz540i; 12-26-2011 at 12:08 PM.
~2001 540i/6speed~
Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.
@Topaz: How is your car running now? Very curious( as is my mechanic ) if your motor is now quiet and running correctly. I am considering this job on my '99. Car is running fine; just annoying me with all the noise! Thanx!
it seemed to have moved the torque curve sooner. the car has more punch around 2k now. i thinks its alot quieter because i cant hear it from the cabin anymore. i have a loud belt pulley i need to fix so its hard to tell because the pulley noise is also dependant on rpm so its hard to isolate. taking the belt off require pulley the fan for clearance and i dont have the fan tools here at the moment. but when i do, 4 new idler pulleys, 1 chain tensioner, and 2 belts should have this thing whisper quiet.
~2001 540i/6speed~
Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.
Topaz, is the shaved wrench a 22mm or 27mm? I've seen one write-up for the m62TU use a 27mm.
2000 BMW 740iL | 225,XXX miles | VW MAF | Bavarian Auto Coils | Timing Chain and Guides DIY Complete | M60 Manifold | BDC Polished Throttle Body| Custom Tuned | Performance Gearing 3.46 LSD| Magnaflow mufflers |
|1997 ///M3/2/5 | 104,XXX miles | Boston Green Metallic|2006 X3 3.0 SAV|121,XXX miles| Silver|
27mm and it is not really necessary to 'shave' it. I've done with a regular craftsman 27mm wrench.
----- NervoS aka Nervous -----
2000 BMW 740iL | 225,XXX miles | VW MAF | Bavarian Auto Coils | Timing Chain and Guides DIY Complete | M60 Manifold | BDC Polished Throttle Body| Custom Tuned | Performance Gearing 3.46 LSD| Magnaflow mufflers |
|1997 ///M3/2/5 | 104,XXX miles | Boston Green Metallic|2006 X3 3.0 SAV|121,XXX miles| Silver|
I fabricated my own crankshaft holder tool:
It required a lot of force to undo the j-bolt, I even bent the holder. Moreover, I broke it completely during the tightening process...
Sorry, I can't participate in your fun, I have a lot of stuff to do on my own....
----- NervoS aka Nervous -----
How did you torque the bolt down? Did you use the angle method?
2000 BMW 740iL | 225,XXX miles | VW MAF | Bavarian Auto Coils | Timing Chain and Guides DIY Complete | M60 Manifold | BDC Polished Throttle Body| Custom Tuned | Performance Gearing 3.46 LSD| Magnaflow mufflers |
|1997 ///M3/2/5 | 104,XXX miles | Boston Green Metallic|2006 X3 3.0 SAV|121,XXX miles| Silver|
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