my car keeps leaking oil from the timing chain tensioner! help!!

**bb0ytom** · 03-03-2006, 04:14 AM

ok so my car has been leaking oil from the timing chain tensioner bolt which is a 32mm bolt with a piston in it located on the left side of the engine near the headers. I replaced this wear item about 2 months ago and it still continues to leak from the bolt even with a new crush washer installed. Im starting to give up, i don't know what the problem could be. i torqued it down to about 32lbs, thats what people on one of my threads told me to do. i need help. what could it be? has anyone experienced this? its not much oil leak, maybe a couple drops a night. should i find a regular washer to use instead of a crush washer? prior to changing the tensioner, i cleaned the area in which the tensioner made contact with the engine block to make sure there is no dirt trapped, yet constantly the problem remains.

**SergeK** · 03-03-2006, 04:23 AM

Might be the vlavecover gasket.

**bb0ytom** · 03-03-2006, 11:31 AM

no its not leaking from the valve cover, its the lower area where the side tensioner is. its a 32mm bolt with a big nub on it. it leaks on the bottom side of the bolt.

**rogzballz** · 03-03-2006, 12:31 PM

Try a bottle of that "Stop Oil Leak" stuff ...

... or not

**bb0ytom** · 03-06-2006, 01:09 AM

bump, i still need help.

**fredo328** · 05-02-2006, 12:26 PM

For the past year I've been dealing with a leaking valve cover, no matter how many times (4 so far) change out the gasket I still get a leak. Up until I read this thread I was thinking that the oil leaking was collecting at the bottom of the tensioner bolt. Maybe its my tension bolt thats leaking. How are you sure its not the VC gasket?

**Muffmonkey** · 05-02-2006, 12:37 PM

gentlemen when your replacing these items are you putting them back
dry or are you smeering a little clean greese or oil on rubbers ?

**fredo328** · 05-02-2006, 12:45 PM

For the VCG I've had it dry on both surfaces. Unlike the DIYs stating to prep the gaskets on a thermostat housing or the O-ring in the filter housing none of the DIYs I've read did it mention prepping the valve cover surfaces with oil. Though at this point I'll try anything, I really dont want to mess with the tensioner and find out that's not where the oil is coming from.

**bb0ytom** · 05-02-2006, 02:14 PM

i think its from the tensioner althought i recently replaced the tensioner with a brand new one. the top of the tensioner bolt seems relatively dry but the bottom of the bolt always soaks up with oil and it spills on the parts right under the tensioner. im not really sure what it is, but its pretty annoying to have an oil leak, i've had this for the last year ago i got my cam work done by a member on the forum, currently ive been to busy to ask him to help me fix the problem but probably during summer i will get it fixed.

**fredo328** · 05-02-2006, 03:30 PM

Yeah, that pretty much describes the oil on my bolt too. How easy was it to replace that? Is there a DIY out there somewhere? The Bentley isnt real detailed about it.

**SergeK** · 05-02-2006, 04:18 PM

Its a bolt, how hard can it be?

**fredo328** · 05-02-2006, 04:23 PM

Alright smart-guy. Its a tensioner bolt (sping, compression all that crap). Bentley says you need to compress it in a vice and all this other stuff. I would rather not deal with it if its not the source of my problems.

**bb0ytom** · 05-03-2006, 04:40 PM

lol, that thing is simple to replace but im not sure if its leaking from that i got a new replacement a couple months ago and it was still leaking from it, i just took apart my valve cover gasket and resealed it with silicone near the vanos unit, im going to check again soon if its still leaking, i might even purchase the oil leak dye if it keeps leaking in the next month and then that dye will show where the leak is coming from when using a black light.

**bb0ytom** · 10-20-2006, 04:17 AM

still having this problem. havent got time to diagnose it but anyone else recently develop this too?

**Pink Floyd** · 10-20-2006, 07:38 AM

You know there are two crush rings, right? Did you replace both of them? The piece that the tensioner actually bolts onto bolts into the engine its self. You'll need a big socket to get it off.

**mdh** · 10-20-2006, 08:22 AM

The old style tensioner that was originally installed on the engine has two crush washers as Pink mentioned. This part has been redesigned as a single assembled piece and only has one washer. If I am not mistaken, I think the dealer sells only the redesigned part. You might try using some blue thread lock on the threads of the tensioner and a very small amount of silicone sealer on the face of the crush washer and mating flange on the engine.

**bb0ytom** · 10-20-2006, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by mdh

The old style tensioner that was originally installed on the engine has two crush washers as Pink mentioned. This part has been redesigned as a single assembled piece and only has one washer. If I am not mistaken, I think the dealer sells only the redesigned part. You might try using some blue thread lock on the threads of the tensioner and a very small amount of silicone sealer on the face of the crush washer and mating flange on the engine.

mines had one crush ring before i replaced it. and i only used 1 brand new crush ring after i replaced it. what is the torque specs on it? i was told like 50ft lbs so thats what i torqued the crush washer to? maybe thats why its leaking?

**mdh** · 10-20-2006, 02:07 PM

Primary timing chain tensioner torque: 37 ft./lbs. Unless previously replaced you should have the two piece tensioner. However, it generally comes out as one peice. You will notice the two piece unit has two hex heads. Regardless, just use thread locker and a bit of sealant on each fitting. Another possibility if it is still leaking could be a cracked timing case around where the tensioner screws in.

**tekviper** · 10-20-2006, 02:22 PM

Is the oil coming from around the thread area? You could try some teflon paste on the threads if its oil wicking out around the threads.

**bb0ytom** · 10-20-2006, 04:58 PM

mines is a 1 piece with a spring n vertical structured piston that the spring pushes on. its the newer dated tensioners, got it like a year ago or something. maybe ill get a new crush washer from the dealership this weekend and try it again. so what's the torque specs and where are you guys getting these numbers from? i've heard a variety on threads, 28ftlbs, then i heard 32ftlbs, n now 37ftlbs and i've also heard 54ftlbs.

**bmtroubleu98** · 10-20-2006, 05:58 PM

I hope you realize that the chain needs to be pretensioned to 1.3 Nm with a BMW special tool before the tensioner is installed. The tensioner is torqued to 50 Nm.

**bb0ytom** · 10-20-2006, 07:09 PM

now, 50 newton meters. im so confused on the actual torque specs.

**bmtroubleu98** · 10-20-2006, 08:16 PM

That is the actual torque spec...but you also need to pre tension the chain to 1.3 Nm before you install the tensioner

**mdh** · 10-20-2006, 09:10 PM

Bentley manual calls out 37 lb/ft. FYI: 50 newton/meters = 36.87 lb/ft.

**bb0ytom** · 10-21-2006, 03:35 AM

thanks, wen i have time ill go to the dealership to pick up the crush washer and update you guys on the problem if it got fixed or not.

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