THIS is why you don't cut your oil pan gasket

[WBAD530i]

First a little backstory so you can vicariously feel my pain:

Bought my 2001 530i in June 2015 with only 44k miles and it was a one owner! Had no service records, but I'm not afraid of a little maintenance so I dived in. The car has been amazing since purchase. Only time I was stranded was a bad alternator, and it was an easy job to replace it. Currently the car sits at 80k miles. I drive it A LOT. 75% of the suspension has been replaced, and I have done several other small maintenance jobs to the car. I have rebuilt the Vanos TWICE to address a diesel ticking the car had since purchase. While the vanos seals did need replacing...the ticking persisted, but not quite as bad as before. The ticking usually goes away after it warms up so I kinda just ignored it. The car has ran great, no check engine lights until recently I had a SES pop up for a bad thermostat. I don't want to chance my head gasket blowing so I immediately parked it in the garage. Scavenged up the money to replace my core cooling system parts, and also a oil pan gasket because it leaves its mark on every single parking space it arrives at.

Thanks to the help of a few forum members and the DIY guides that already exist I was able to drop my subframe and get my oil pan out all by myself. It was a pain in the buns but I got it out. I don't like the sound of cutting a gasket and not being able to inspect my oil pan, and I don't like shortcuts like that so I wanted to do it the right way. The gasket crumbled to pieces as I lightly dropped it on the floor beside the oil pan. Then what I saw next required a mandatory badge check. I walked to the back of my car and made sure I wasn't crazy. IT IS indeed a 530i...not a 540...

Yep, timing chain guides. Why? Because the reverse threaded nut that holds the oil pump sprocket was LITERALLY hanging on by just a couple of threads. I could turn it with my pinky finger and remove it...

Diesel ticking explained. Mind blown. Now I'm just bummed I can't have my car fixed for new years to start it off right

Here you go boys - 80k mile M54B30 with timing chain guides sitting in my pan laughing at me. Wishing me a late Merry Christmas and a Happy mother fu%king new year.

IMG_20161230_245216503.jpgIMG_20161230_244858523.jpgIMG_20161230_244936140.jpg

You might not be able to see in the pic, but yeah there's more broken pieces up there.

Here she sits...violated and cold...until I can educate myself on how to complete this timing chain guide overhaul...and when I can afford it...
IMG_20161226_234754935.jpg

[ColtonBH]

This is a common problem with the B30s, unfortunately, but it generally only presents itself on engines that have lived up in higher rpms. Was your car abused by the PO?

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[WBAD530i]

Yeah it was, and neglected/abandoned for a couple years after the abuse. The dealer I got it from showed me a video of him doing 140 in this very car. Kinda figured something like this would happen, but expected to atleast make it to 100k first.

[ColtonBH]

You'd have to search, but somewhere there is a mention of a solution to this, I don't remember the specifics but it's expensive and only comes with the whole oil pump. People have welded the nut on before with a degree of luck as well.

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[AK_5eries]

Why would a backed out nut on the oil pump sprocket cause the guides to fail?

[bimmerbri2]

Yep, weld the nut or safety wire (available from Bimmerworld) it on.

[WBAD530i]

Why would a backed out nut on the oil pump sprocket cause the guides to fail?

Not 100% sure. Hoping someone else may be able to elaborate on that.

[philly98540]

If the pump actually stopped pumping, your rod and mains would fail way before the guides. Something else is going on here.

[WBAD530i]

If the pump actually stopped pumping, your rod and mains would fail way before the guides. Something else is going on here.

Pump runs fine, I have driven the car for 30k+ miles with these broken guides flailing around. I assume maybe it was due to running it low on oil, and running it hard, but not enough to kill the motor.

In my ownership I have found it to be around 3 liters low, and I quickly added it in and everything was fine other than the ticking which has always been there.

From what I can find so far it will be relatively easy to replace the guides and chain if necessary. Everytime I have had the valve cover off I didn't see anything that would point to broken guides, but maybe it was everything out of immediate view.

- - - Updated - - -

PLeasantly surprised to find the timing chain guide kit only costs up to around $150 for everything needed other than timing tools. Cool.

First issue is - The motor is dangling from the engine hoist with the oil pan off...

I assume I need the pan off to complete the job properly so how do I secure the motor, remove the crank bolt, and successfully complete this with the engine in the car? Or do I have to take it out at this point...

[blackknight530i]

Wow, that is pretty surprising you had that fail. I have 212k miles on my M54b30 and when I did my oil pan gasket, the pump sprocket was still nice and tight. It's left hand thread, so it's supposed to tighten under normal operation of the engine, but I've heard that high RPM shifts done constantly can create harmonics that only the b30s have issues with and I don't typically shift mine at redline. I loctited my sprocket and figured I was good.

Also, your engine looked like it had a lot more sludge/varnish on the bottom than mine did. I wonder what oil had been used during the engine's life. I'm guessing it wasn't M1 0w-40 or similar.

Since the sprocket was still on the pump and turning with it, I'm guessing it's not the cause of your timing guide failure, unless it had enough play in it that the chain was able to move side-to-side enough to wear the outside ridges on the guides. Maybe just getting the sprocket tightened down to keep the chain in place would be enough if the guides themselves are good in the centers. I would also change the tensioner spring as well, since it's cheap and easy to do. That should get the chain tight again.

Can you post some pics of the chain guide pieces that you said were sitting in the pan? I'd like to see if they are big chunks of the main guide channel, or just the ridges on the sides.

[WBAD530i]

Sure, here ya go-

IMG_20161230_094532736.jpgIMG_20161230_094539855.jpg

Pretty sure it's just the side piece, and the rest is still sitting up in there with the chain if you can see it in the picture.

I am thinking the sprocket put tension on the chain causing it to break. I was able to move the sprocket around freely on the shaft it sits on so it had to be moving around a lot.

[blackknight530i]

Sure, here ya go-

IMG_20161230_094532736.jpgIMG_20161230_094539855.jpg

Well, nm, those are done

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[WBAD530i]

I'm all ears for any input on completing the task. I know I need to get the valve cover and vanos off again, but beyond that I am not sure. I suppose watching that kid on youtube that disassembles an M54 will be my best resource unless someone knows of a DIY in place for this.

And to add to what you said about oil used - Since I have owned it for the past 30k+ I have used M1 0w-40 and M1 5w-30. The one owner before me was a lawyer. I bet he didn't change the oil one time when he drove it off the lot in 2001.

[blackknight530i]

I'm all ears for any input on completing the task. I know I need to get the valve cover and vanos off again, but beyond that I am not sure. I suppose watching that kid on youtube that disassembles an M54 will be my best resource unless someone knows of a DIY in place for this.

Did you find this link? http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=14238211

- - - Updated - - -

Also, if you remove those coolant pipes (the plastic ones), make sure and either get new o-rings (4 required) or new pipes. The pipes aren't very expensive, but more than likely those o-rings are toast and you'll have a massive coolant leak if you try to reuse them (ask me how I know, LOL).

[WBAD530i]

Did you find this link? http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=14238211

- - - Updated - - -

Also, if you remove those coolant pipes (the plastic ones), make sure and either get new o-rings (4 required) or new pipes. The pipes aren't very expensive, but more than likely those o-rings are toast and you'll have a massive coolant leak if you try to reuse them (ask me how I know, LOL).

No I didn't. Thanks for that.

I still have my cooling system ready to replace once I get this all finalized. I will go ahead and replace the pipe as well to avoid having to do anything over again. Thanks.

[blackknight530i]

No I didn't. Thanks for that.

I still have my cooling system ready to replace once I get this all finalized. I will go ahead and replace the pipe as well to avoid having to do anything over again. Thanks.

Yeah, you're actually quite lucky that this happened before you are doing the cooling system overhaul, since all that has to come off to do this job. It sucks that it's more than you anticipated, but at least you're not doing the job twice.

I would try using some brake cleaner or some other kind of cleaner to get as much of that varnish and sludge off whatever you can get to in the oil pan area. If that stuff comes loose later on, it can clog up oil passages and cause starvation, so better to get rid of it before it's a problem.

Also, if you haven't already replaced it, get an oil filter housing gasket. It's an easy replacement while you have all that stuff off. Same goes for the front crank seal that is mounted on the timing chain cover since you can just tap it out from the back easily. It goes without saying that you should replace any gasket or seal that you'll have access to while doing this job.

[WBAD530i]

Yeah, you're actually quite lucky that this happened before you are doing the cooling system overhaul, since all that has to come off to do this job. It sucks that it's more than you anticipated, but at least you're not doing the job twice.

I would try using some brake cleaner or some other kind of cleaner to get as much of that varnish and sludge off whatever you can get to in the oil pan area. If that stuff comes loose later on, it can clog up oil passages and cause starvation, so better to get rid of it before it's a problem.

Also, if you haven't already replaced it, get an oil filter housing gasket. It's an easy replacement while you have all that stuff off. Same goes for the front crank seal that is mounted on the timing chain cover since you can just tap it out from the back easily. It goes without saying that you should replace any gasket or seal that you'll have access to while doing this job.

OFHG was replaced about 20k ago, but I will probably go ahead and do it again while I'm in there. $5 gasket at the part store is worth the extra work after everything else is already unbolted.

I do feel lucky the way everything played out. This ticking/chain slap has been driving me nuts, but it never really effected the drivability. I am relieved that I get the opportunity to bring it back to life instead of selling as-is for a HUGE loss on my part.

It will be nice to have a silky smooth and reliable M54 with no questionable noises. Our 180k mile X5 3.0 is smooth and quiet so I atleast know what to expect!

[cnn]

FYI, people cut the oil pan gasket and patch with RTV all the time. It is not kosher but it works.

Now, your timing chain guide disintegration is very peculiar: many M52, M54 engines make it to 300K without any of this timing guide issues.
There is something fishy going on here.

[blackknight530i]

FYI, people cut the oil pan gasket and patch with RTV all the time. It is not kosher but it works.

Now, your timing chain guide disintegration is very peculiar: many M52, M54 engines make it to 300K without any of this timing guide issues.
There is something fishy going on here.

I think he just meant that if he had just cut it, he wouldn't have seen in the pan what was in there.

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[Jason5driver]

Wow.
Sorry to see this.
I took my oil pan to my local BMW shop to have it cleaned.
They did it for free, since I am always there to bug them.
Also, my oil pan gasket literally exploded when I dropped the pan and removed the gasket.
There were shards of plastic pieces of the gasket everywhere.

I think I remember feeling the nut, and it felt tight, so I just left it.
There is another guy here with an E46 ZHP 330i that had to replace the rod bearings and went ahead and installed the Bimmerworld nut with wire.
I really didn't think it was an issue except on the S52 and S54.

[WBAD530i]

FYI, people cut the oil pan gasket and patch with RTV all the time. It is not kosher but it works.

Now, your timing chain guide disintegration is very peculiar: many M52, M54 engines make it to 300K without any of this timing guide issues.
There is something fishy going on here.

I figured you may chime in at some point. I agree the cut and rtv method simplifies the way this particular job is handled, but I won't beat the dead horse any further. My intention was to make it known that it can happen on the M54 just like it does on the M62. This is what happens when you buy a car that has been abused, ran low on oil, and simply neglected in regards to oil change intervals. Hopefully it will give someone an additional thought to consider when purchasing their next e39.

[cnn]

I have been on bimmerfest and bnimmerforums for > 10 years, this is the first time I see a timing guide going kaput on the 6-cylinder.
Maybe I am wrong but your car is truly exceptional.

Timing guide is a problem with V8 but not I6.

[WBAD530i]

I have been on bimmerfest and bnimmerforums for > 10 years, this is the first time I see a timing guide going kaput on the 6-cylinder.
Maybe I am wrong but your car is truly exceptional.

Timing guide is a problem with V8 but not I6.

Earlier this year my radiator failed and I asked on the forums if it would cause issues to install a radiator from a 540 onto my 530.

The response I got was-
"Your car will obtain attributes of the 540"

I'll have to dig through my old posts to find it, but they were right!

[Jason5driver]

So, what is involved to replacing the chain guides on the M54?
Do you have to remove the Vanos and chain, I guess...?
What gasket sealer are you using on the oil pan?
I used the Permatex Blue Hylomar - highly recommend, and it was recommended to me by a master tech.
Also, use a Scotch-Brite pad from O'Reily's to clean the gasket mating surfaces.

[WBAD530i]

So, what is involved to replacing the chain guides on the M54?
Do you have to remove the Vanos and chain, I guess...?
What gasket sealer are you using on the oil pan?
I used the Permatex Blue Hylomar - highly recommend, and it was recommended to me by a master tech.
Also, use a Scotch-Brite pad from O'Reily's to clean the gasket mating surfaces.

.
At this point it just looks like removing vanos, crank pulley, and then timing covers to open it all up. Timing tool set will be required for this job. I am doing my research and getting the parts list together. I will post more once I have more info.