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Thread: N20 timing chain

  1. #26
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    I brought my 2013 328i in for this very service about 2 months ago. The thing had only about 47k miles or so and at higher RPM it sounded like it had a supercharger thanks to the bad timing chain guides. Local BMW dealer took it in, gave me a loaner for a week, and fixed it completely free of charge.

    Car runs well now (not that it ever ran badly aside from the timing noise) HOWEVER last night it briefly triggered a low oil pressure warning which went away after pulling over and shutting the engine down for only about a minute. No ticks, no knocks, no odd behavior at all. Has anyone else experienced that? Not sure if the two issues are related.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by musclecar70sfan View Post
    I brought my 2013 328i in for this very service about 2 months ago. The thing had only about 47k miles or so and at higher RPM it sounded like it had a supercharger thanks to the bad timing chain guides. Local BMW dealer took it in, gave me a loaner for a week, and fixed it completely free of charge.

    Car runs well now (not that it ever ran badly aside from the timing noise) HOWEVER last night it briefly triggered a low oil pressure warning which went away after pulling over and shutting the engine down for only about a minute. No ticks, no knocks, no odd behavior at all. Has anyone else experienced that? Not sure if the two issues are related.
    While I’m no expert, I believe a couple of things would cause it (according to my limited knowledge), which is failed oil pump chain, or by extension failed timing chain, but this is not the case since it is still works. Or maybe there was a blockage caused from something that got sucked in but didn’t pass through. Once you shut it down, it became dislodged and allowed oil to flow once you turned it back on. Were the revs on the car fine?
    Also, maybe check your oil level and make sure it’s fine, but I think it would be throwing notifications at you if that was the case.
    Maybe some of the more knowledgeable members can share their thoughts.

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by musclecar70sfan View Post
    I brought my 2013 328i in for this very service about 2 months ago. The thing had only about 47k miles or so and at higher RPM it sounded like it had a supercharger thanks to the bad timing chain guides. Local BMW dealer took it in, gave me a loaner for a week, and fixed it completely free of charge.

    Car runs well now (not that it ever ran badly aside from the timing noise) HOWEVER last night it briefly triggered a low oil pressure warning which went away after pulling over and shutting the engine down for only about a minute. No ticks, no knocks, no odd behavior at all. Has anyone else experienced that? Not sure if the two issues are related.

    Take it back and let them figure it out.
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


  4. #29
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    I believe this thread ( https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1614899 ) provides details on the aforementioned Lawsuit in regards to the N20 Timing Chain. Sounds like the deal will hopefully be a warranty extension for 10years/150000miles. However, an agreement is yet to be made.

  5. #30
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    Jul 2017
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    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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    2005 BMW Z4 3.0i
    Hi all 2012 to 2015 (Jan build) F30 owners with the 4 cyl N20. My mechanic said it's not if, but when the timing chain guide will fail. I got our 2013 F25 (N20) from my sister in law with 110,000 klms on it (about 70k miles) and it had the whining sound. I opted to have the new chain/guide/oil pump kit installed and sure enough the mechanic said we were lucky because the guide was cracked and being held together by the squeeze of a bolt. The job took about 18 hours ($4,000 including spark plugs etc). They have been doing so many they found a trick method of not having to pull the motor out completely. The new white plastic turned brown soon enough, so one cannot tell if the guides are new later on. The new chain has 9,000 klms on it and everything is solid. Just one thing went bad after 5,000 klms, and the mechanic is still looking into why the oil level sensor stopped working. Maybe due to plastic parts floating around? Coincidence?

    Don't wait for it to break, because then you will most likely need a replacement motor. If you get a used engine, replace the timing chain before it goes back in. PS> Canada was not offered the extended warranty; only the USA.
    Last edited by Richard Blais; 03-18-2020 at 07:51 AM.

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Blais View Post
    Hi all 2012 to 2015 (Jan build) F30 owners with the 4 cyl N20. My mechanic said it's not if, but when the timing chain guide will fail. I got our 2013 F25 (N20) from my sister in law with 110,000 klms on it (about 70k miles) and it had the whining sound. I opted to have the new chain/guide/oil pump kit installed and sure enough the mechanic said we were lucky because the guide was cracked and being held together by the squeeze of a bolt. The job took about 18 hours ($4,000 including spark plugs etc). They have been doing so many they found a trick method of not having to pull the motor out completely. The new white plastic turned brown soon enough, so one cannot tell if the guides are new later on. The new chain has 9,000 klms on it and everything is solid. Just one thing went bad after 5,000 klms, and the mechanic is still looking into why the oil level sensor stopped working. Maybe due to plastic parts floating around? Coincidence?



    Don't wait for it to break, because then you will most likely need a replacement motor. If you get a used engine, replace the timing chain before it goes back in. PS> Canada was not offered the extended warranty; only the USA.

    Not to sure what they are on about with the "not needing to pull the motor'' I do alot of these and never pulled a motor they are always done in the engine bay (F25/F10/F30). Wow from what you paid I guess i am not charging enough.
    For the oil level sensor not working you may have an issue with the oil control valve or the level sensor.

    When you attempt to read the level does the measurement cycle stop at 17-25%?

    Mark.

  7. #32
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    I was going to say the same thing. No one ever pulls the motor to do the chains.

    Maybe the it needs a new oil level sensor?
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  8. #33
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    Fairfield CT
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    320ix
    I have a 2015 (build date 2014) 320i xdrive with 32k miles and got a letter extending the warranty for the timing chain for 7 years but time is running out.
    Does anyone know what percentage of these N20 engines have been affected? Should I keep the car or sell it? It still runs great, no complaints
    so far. Dealer has always put 0-30w oil in the engine. Opinions welcome!
    Thanks

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by sully997 View Post
    I have a 2015 (build date 2014) 320i xdrive with 32k miles and got a letter extending the warranty for the timing chain for 7 years but time is running out.
    Does anyone know what percentage of these N20 engines have been affected? Should I keep the car or sell it? It still runs great, no complaints
    so far. Dealer has always put 0-30w oil in the engine. Opinions welcome!
    Thanks

    oil change frequency seems to be the deciding factor in whether or not the timing chain/ oil pump chain failure occurs. The lower the mileage between the first couple of oil changes, the better.

    I work at a medium-volume dealer (we sell about 1,000 new cars a year, and service 75-100 cars per day) and have seen a couple dozen N20 failures. Every one of the failures I've seen had gone more than 10,000 miles before its first oil change.

    If your car's oil changes have been at less-than-10k intervals and you don't have any chain noise, I would switch to 5w/30 oil pronto and keep the car.

    Semi-related opinion: 0w/30 oil is junk.
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Critter7r View Post
    oil change frequency seems to be the deciding factor in whether or not the timing chain/ oil pump chain failure occurs. The lower the mileage between the first couple of oil changes, the better.

    I work at a medium-volume dealer (we sell about 1,000 new cars a year, and service 75-100 cars per day) and have seen a couple dozen N20 failures. Every one of the failures I've seen had gone more than 10,000 miles before its first oil change.

    If your car's oil changes have been at less-than-10k intervals and you don't have any chain noise, I would switch to 5w/30 oil pronto and keep the car.

    Semi-related opinion: 0w/30 oil is junk.
    I called service at the BMW dealership which is a high sales/service volume operation and asked if I should switch to 5-30 and they transferred me
    to the parts guy who said 0-30, 5-30 - doesn't matter not going to make any difference. Go with either one he said. They have used 0-30 for every
    oil change I had under the free OC warranty period.
    So now I have a genuine BMW 0-30 oil kit coming from FCP today. Strange they don't offer a BMW genuine 5-30 kit.

  11. #36
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    Have a 2013 328i that has a misfire . DME not sending signal to fire cylinder 3. Replaced DME and now have everything back but still seems out of timing. No codes now . Based on the N20 4 cylinder issues, considering replacing timing chains. Has just over 111k so BMW probably won’t cover anything after settling the class action based in miles. Local garage said I should sell it but then said he would possibly buy it in a month to fix it and use for loaner car. Already have $2500 into it with plugs, coils, fuel injector. Looking for some help in here

  12. #37
    Join Date
    May 2021
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    2012 328i 4dr sedan N26
    I recently did this timing chain procedure myself with all TDC lock tools and now I have had second thoughts on the whole thing and I'm wondering where I could have messed up. I followed step for step on the FCP Euro video and Im thinking it something in the exhaust or intake cam was off rotated a whole 180 degrees and I lined it up at TDC and put it all together wrong I believe because the car doesn't crank over at all now. so Im getting a tow to BMW of Chico for diagnostics soon, just wondering if there is anyone that has any pointers in the mean time, they would be much appreciated! thank you

  13. #38
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    Question about the Class Action suit (deadline to submit is tomorrow, June 30, 2021)…

    The document says that this can also cover future repairs (done after June 30, 2021), provided that a claim is submitted by June 30, 2021. But filling out the claim form seems to imply that you had to have already experienced the timing chain failure, and have paid for a repair. I would like to get mine replaced proactively, before it fails and potentially takes the engine with it.

    Is there a specific way to complete the claim form for this case?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  14. #39
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    If you're not experiencing the problem described in the Class Action, then replacing it proactively isn't a covered repair. The Class Action covers vehicles that are having a problem, it doesn't cover the repair "just in case".
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


  15. #40
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    Thanks for the reply. The letter seemed to indicate that they also allowed people to join the suit to cover a future repair.


    -rb

  16. #41
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    It's probably worded in a way that lets people know that if they have the repair done between now and when the Class Action is approved, they can still get reimbursed for it.
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


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