Rebuilding a 98 Dinan with 316k mikes

[purplecty]

Might as well go deeper and do the timing chain guides...

[Dion98740il]

Might as well go deeper and do the timing chain guides...

Something I was considering.....I read a couple of long posts and it looks very involved. Has anyone done it without a lift and on jack stands? Seems like I will need to get some specialty tools as well. For anyone that has done it, based on what I have taken off already, how much further do you think I need to go in hrs.?

[purplecty]

Something I was considering.....I read a couple of long posts and it looks very involved. Has anyone done it without a lift and on jack stands? Seems like I will need to get some specialty tools as well. For anyone that has done it, based on what I have taken off already, how much further do you think I need to go in hrs.?

If you already are taking the valve covers and upper timing covers off you are damn near there already...

[KinkedChrome]

Something I was considering.....I read a couple of long posts and it looks very involved. Has anyone done it without a lift and on jack stands? Seems like I will need to get some specialty tools as well. For anyone that has done it, based on what I have taken off already, how much further do you think I need to go in hrs.?

You don't need a lift to replace the timing chain guides. You will need some specialty tools and a large cuss budget. For an average home mechanic that has never tackled this before, it's probably a solid 20hrs worth of work beginning to end.

[Dion98740il]

You don't need a lift to replace the timing chain guides. You will need some specialty tools and a large cuss budget. For an average home mechanic that has never tackled this before, it's probably a solid 20hrs worth of work beginning to end.

Thanks for the guidance and it's a spare car so it can be out of commission for extended periods. I was reading, being a non-vanos motor, the timing tolerances are more forgiving and can use non-German tools. I really wish this Covid crap was over so I can recruit some board members and lure people with a smoked brisket and beers to guide me.

[clarkitect]

Mmmm. Brisket and beer.

Looking at the DIYs you are doing, guides shouldn't be a problem, especially for PFL with no vanos to deal with. It's not a bad job, just tedious. Worst part I thought was cleaning up all the old nasty parts.

[tylamb19]

Thanks for the guidance and it's a spare car so it can be out of commission for extended periods. I was reading, being a non-vanos motor, the timing tolerances are more forgiving and can use non-German tools. I really wish this Covid crap was over so I can recruit some board members and lure people with a smoked brisket and beers to guide me.

If you need it I have a spare timing tool set. I’ll loan it to you for free, just cover shipping to and from you.

[Dion98740il]

If you need it I have a spare timing tool set. I’ll loan it to you for free, just cover shipping to and from you.

That's very kind of you! I may take you up on that. I am going to read a couple of threads in detail for DIY and flip through my Bentley manual and decide. I have everything apart anyways...

Any suggestion on the best DIY to follow for non-vanos?
I found this nice collection: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ment-DIY-guide

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Mmmm. Brisket and beer.

Looking at the DIYs you are doing, guides shouldn't be a problem, especially for PFL with no vanos to deal with. It's not a bad job, just tedious. Worst part I thought was cleaning up all the old nasty parts.

Thanks. I am pretty handy with a wrench. Need to do some parts research since I started some of the other work already including gaskets and o-rings. It will give me the opportunity to do the actual OSV so that's a bonus.

[tylamb19]

That's very kind of you! I may take you up on that. I am going to read a couple of threads in detail for DIY and flip through my Bentley manual and decide. I have everything apart anyways...

Any suggestion on the best DIY to follow for non-vanos?
I found this nice collection: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ment-DIY-guide

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Thanks. I am pretty handy with a wrench. Need to do some parts research since I started some of the other work already including gaskets and o-rings. It will give me the opportunity to do the actual OSV so that's a bonus.

Absolutely, just shoot me a PM if you want to get the tool kit.

The VANOS DIYs suffice fine, just cut the VANOS parts out. Lock the cams and the crank, pull the timing covers, replace all the bits, put the covers back on. Isn’t really that bad of a job, just takes a while and being organized is key.

FCP Euro has a full parts kit, I believe their SKU is M62TIMINGKIT. Just make sure you don’t get the M62TUTIMINGKIT.

[Dion98740il]

Absolutely, just shoot me a PM if you want to get the tool kit.

The VANOS DIYs suffice fine, just cut the VANOS parts out. Lock the cams and the crank, pull the timing covers, replace all the bits, put the covers back on. Isn’t really that bad of a job, just takes a while and being organized is key.

FCP Euro has a full parts kit, I believe their SKU is M62TIMINGKIT. Just make sure you don’t get the M62TUTIMINGKIT.

I think I am going to take one step at a time and drop the oil pan first and see what’s up. The engine is super quiet and the previous owner said mechanics that have worked on the car were always surprised at how quiet it was since they knew about the guides. It has high miles but I know the route of driving he put most of the miles on and it’s all freeway without traffic so constant speed. Add to that Cali’s good temps and the guides might be holding up ok.

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[tylamb19]

I think I am going to take one step at a time and drop the oil pan first and see what’s up. The engine is super quiet and the previous owner said mechanics that have worked on the car were always surprised at how quiet it was since they knew about the guides. It has high miles but I know the route of driving he put most of the miles on and it’s all freeway without traffic so constant speed. Add to that Cali’s good temps and the guides might be holding up ok.

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Taking off the upper timing covers, the valve covers, and the oil pan gets you like 90% of the way to the guides. The only thing left to remove is the lower timing cover. If I were you, I’d spend the extra $400-500 and the extra few hours of time and make sure you have it done for essentially the remaining life of the car. It’s really more peace of mind more than anything else.

[Dion98740il]

well I dropped the pan today and I guess I will be doing the guides after all....good thing I found it now. I took off the oil pump chain guard too to see if this piece came from there but it's in perfect shape.



Death by plastic


Torqued the lower oil pan to spec, the bolts holding it to the upper pan needed an 1/8th turn probably due to gasket compression but the oil pump bolts were solid. Ran a 2ft weed wacker line up the OSV tube (right side, metal with the curved neck) and it was clear. No sludge which is good.

[purplecty]

You'll be replacing the OSV with the guides as well. This is a MUST "while you're in there" replacement part!

[Dion98740il]

You'll be replacing the OSV with the guides as well. This is a MUST "while you're in there" replacement part!

yup. Totally! Other project is figuring out why the AC doesn’t work but that can come later.

[Dion98740il]

Good progress today. Rad, water pump, alternator, power steering out. Takes me 30min to clean each part so it is a slow and steady job.

Stopped here, long day...This is after power washing it several times....and my driveway after each time.

Staying organized

This is what I am dealing with

[Grady in Texas]

Hope you have a cheap (Harbor Freight-ish) parts cleaner!

[CPHES]

Dirty, but you are in Cali - no rust. All the rust belt guys are both laughing and jealous

[Dion98740il]

Hope you have a cheap (Harbor Freight-ish) parts cleaner!

My electric power washer is doing the trick.

[Dion98740il]

more progress....reinstall coolant accumulator and new valley pan and take the valve covers off and upper timing cover.

Valve and upper timing cover off


My bolt diagram


Valley pan area prepped and surfaces cleaned. Rear accumulator installed with new gaskets and o-rings


New valley pan but reused the plastic cover, the tabs broke off but it just sits on top so nothing a little RTV can't solve


No room to move while working on the coolant accumulator in the rear, here are the tools I needed including a couple M6 studs I made from a bolt


More parts added to the pile....inspected a few things and idler pulley for the AC is gone and the belt is cracking

[Dion98740il]

Check out this play in the front driver's wheel. Front control arm bushing is toast and found the rear passenger joint shredded too alongside a huge cut in the rear tire. Ordered TRW front control arms but thinking about the 8 piece rear Meyle kit. Any bad experiences with Meyle or Meyle HD suspension?

Video of the play in the wheel: https://youtu.be/qp2jmH3MYw4

Rear guide link joint shredded

[KinkedChrome]

Check out this play in the front driver's wheel. Front control arm bushing is toast and found the rear passenger joint shredded too alongside a huge cut in the rear tire. Ordered TRW front control arms but thinking about the 8 piece rear Meyle kit. Any bad experiences with Meyle or Meyle HD suspension?

Meyle's not bad. The HD line up is nice, especially for the front thrust arms if you don't want to convert over to a monoball. Lemforder is still my preference, but honestly anything that FCP is willing to offer a lifetime warranty on can't be that bad.

If your interested, I offer Lemforder replacement bushings for the lower wishbones. I take E6X parts and modify them to fit since lemforder does not make them for the E38/E39.

[Dion98740il]

Meyle's not bad. The HD line up is nice, especially for the front thrust arms if you don't want to convert over to a monoball. Lemforder is still my preference, but honestly anything that FCP is willing to offer a lifetime warranty on can't be that bad.

If your interested, I offer Lemforder replacement bushings for the lower wishbones. I take E6X parts and modify them to fit since lemforder does not make them for the E38/E39.

Thanks!

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No affiliation with this vendor
The cluster display was shot and I sent it in to www.bestpixelrepair.com through their ebay store. They repaired it but the courier on the way back must have thrown a box down a hill as the display had dead pixels and still no perfect. When they fix it, they send you a youtube video of them bench testing it. They handled a claim with the courier, paid for return shipping and fixed it again. Display is perfect and a great experience for a less than ideal situation.

[purplecty]

Thanks!

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No affiliation with this vendor
The cluster display was shot and I sent it in to www.bestpixelrepair.com through their ebay store. They repaired it but the courier on the way back must have thrown a box down a hill as the display had dead pixels and still no perfect. When they fix it, they send you a youtube video of them bench testing it. They handled a claim with the courier, paid for return shipping and fixed it again. Display is perfect and a great experience for a less than ideal situation.

Bestpixelrepair used be local to me in IL but I believe they relocated to NC? The owner is a pleasure to do business with and is extremely professional. He can turn a cluster around in an hour or 2...

[Dion98740il]

One task today, loosen the dreaded Jesus bolt. Big shout out to tylamb19 for loaning me the tool set! The breaker bar was deflecting a lot. If that snapped, it would have been a world of hurt for me. SUCCESS!

The Jesus bolt


The pin in the flywheel. Couple of tips, have to turn the steering one way to get the swaybar/steering center link out of the way to get clearance for the pin. Don't force the pin in, there is probably a ton of dirt in the casting hole that needs to be cleaned out as the tolerance with the pin is tight. It should slide in


27mm deep socket on a breaker bar with the pipe from my jack

[CPHES]

For that job, a 3/4 inch drive breaker bar is the way to go. Consider that when putting it back together. Torque / angle tightening values will be more accurate.