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Thread: Vanos and Timing chain guide replacement from a novice point of view

  1. #1
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    Vanos and Timing chain guide replacement from a novice point of view

    Hi There:

    My car is up and running again with no engine lights on I though to share some of my experiences in hope of it to come handy for somebody else like me who is doing this job for the first time.
    Fist thing first: Thanks to everybody on this board who helped me out through the process. There are so much to read about this repair/maintenance but still when you get to it you see there are so many more little other things that you wish you would have read about it somewhere!
    There were 4 little things that I just either read them somewhere or I just figured them along the way.
    1- Order an alternator gasket if you have water cooled alternator. I don't think I saw this was mentioned anywhere. I had to wait extra few days for this one part to arrive when I started putting things back together.
    2- There is a little allen screw on the main u shape timing chain guide which needs to be transferred to the new one. It holds the oil separator valve in place. This was written only in one place.
    3- Although it has been mentioned in few places that oil separator valve is not a part which goes bad and doesn't need to be changed, a section of it which connects its body to its 90 degree neck is made of plastic. This section of mine shattered (it was dried up) as soon as I touched it. It worth changing it while you are in there.
    4- When you take the power steering pump off, measure its back distance to the block because that ecrew on the back is adjustable to line power steering pulley with the rest of pulleys. This was written only in one place that I read.
    5- And finally be ready to use a huge cheater bar, I used 5 feet pipe, and a very heavy duty breaker bar, I broke two cheap one!, to remove and install the crank bolt and also to press the vanos if you are rebuilding it.

    At the end, ask questions. This board is very helpful. Thanks again

    Now up to next project!
    1979 Chevy Camaro Z28
    2000 BMW 540i, 6speed
    2005 Chevy 2500 Duramax 4x4

  2. #2
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    Congrats! It's an amazing feeling of accomplishment when you can finish a timing chain guide job and start up the car with no error lights. Even though I've done 7 chain guide jobs, I still feel that huge rush of pride after finishing each one.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  3. #3
    JimLev's Avatar
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    Congrats on finishing the job without any CEL/SES lights.
    Another rookie becomes a pro.

  4. #4
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    Good tips. The alt seal is actually an o-ring and if it's recent (like mine) it's 100% reusable but otherwise agreed good idea.

    The PS screw is funny, I don't think it really tweaks the alignment as the PS pump is fairly rigidly held by other bolts. I do think it provides extra strut support though. I was worried about it at first so I ziptied it in place before removing but once I understood it I realized it's not really an alignment adjuster so much as a support strut.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
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    JimLev's Avatar
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    Correct GG, the two bottom tabs on the PS pump are what sets its pulley position relative to the other pulleys.
    The top threaded stud with the knurled wheel and nut just lock the top on the pump in place.

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    congrats on getting the job done! I do feel like your top 3 gripes are user error and luck of the draw, like how did you come up with your parts list? forum, buddy or maybe a best guess? when I did mine I googled " 2000 540i timing kit " and the 1st page had stores (such as ess) with full parts and tools needed, at the end of doing the job i had no left over parts nor in need of one. I feel your second issue was lack of a good mechanics habit, which is to investigate any part, bolt, nut and screw you remove, this is to keep you from doing what you did (realize the set screw must be transferred), look for damage, possible failure AND to get familiar with the object. last one is a hard one, I say this because my plastic elbow was in great shape for having 170k on it and i probably would of re-installed if i did not have the new part. I think missing/needing parts should be a high possibility when doing a large job using a minimalist parts kit.

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    JimLev's Avatar
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    Pretty sure this was the first time he tore into a 540 engine, we all need to start somewhere, gotta cut him some slack.

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    geargrinder's Avatar
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    That's a big damn job too. Even for a veteran. Even my pro tech buddy hates to do them.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
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    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder View Post
    That's a big damn job too. Even for a veteran. Even my pro tech buddy hates to do them.
    So if I've done 7 (and currently doing an 8th) what does that make me? Insane?
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    So if I've done 7 (and currently doing an 8th) what does that make me? Insane?
    A glutton for punishment.
    I actually enjoy doing them if the engine isn't covered in oil, grease, and dirt.
    So I guess that rules out most cars, except for us wack jobs that keep them clean.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JimLev View Post
    A glutton for punishment.
    I actually enjoy doing them if the engine isn't covered in oil, grease, and dirt.
    So I guess that rules out most cars, except for us wack jobs that keep them clean.
    The only car I've worked on where the engine was clean was my 2003 540i M-Sport, where the owner maintained it religiously and provided a very thick stack of service records. Every other chain guide job was done on an engine where I had to scrape away at least an inch of dirt to access any timing cover bolts.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    Every other chain guide job was done on an engine where I had to scrape away at least an inch of dirt to access any timing cover bolts.
    They should be strung up by their short curly ones, LOL.

  13. #13
    geargrinder's Avatar
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    I was shocked how deep the sludge was on the nether region hidden areas from my bad upper cover gaskets. I keep my motor and bay pretty clean (maybe not to Jim levels but who does really...) and still just from the regular tiny drip itnahd created a hideous mess.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

    Former:

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    1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)


  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimLev View Post
    They should be strung up by their short curly ones, LOL.
    You would have freaked out if you saw the engine on the Range Rover that I had... Close to 160k miles on all original gaskets, including original valve cover gaskets. The powder coating shop actually ended up taking the valve covers to a machine shop when they couldn't get the hard-as-a-rock original gasket off of the valve cover. Now that was a unique engine, it leaked out of every single crevice. I've never seen an M62tu leave a puddle on a driveway quite like that— my driveway still has the stains to prove it. Nowadays the Range Rover doesn't leak a single drop which is kinda cool and makes me really proud. I still see it every now and then since the new owner has me fix things on it.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

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