Timing Chain Cover Gasket
 

Does anyone know if you need to remove the head in order to change the upper and lower timing chain cover gaskets?

no, you do not - but the water pump + the timing chain may have to go...

Ok. I guess I'll figure it out once I start pulling it apart. I really don't want to pull the head off if I don't have to. So your response is making me feel a bit better about doing it. The dealership quoted me 1200 to do the timing chain cover gaskets and oil pan gaskets. There's no way I'm paying them to do it.

get yourself a Bently Manual - do not even attempt without it.

good luck...

I can't find a specific 318ti Bently manual. Is this the one I should get? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...#ht_500wt_1610

That one is correct... There is no ti-specific manual.

thanks. I bought the BMW shop manual cd off of Ebay for $10 but it's hard to find exactly what I'm looking for. This Bently manual should be easier to follow.

thats the one you need / I have... it includes our cars pretty well.

that thing is your bible - you also may wanna get '101 bmw projects' from Pelican Parts...

Does anyone have a recommendations on what I should replace while I have the timing chain cover and oil pan off?

not sure how the chain tensioner works in an m42/4 but i would replace that. On the m50 you don't even have to take the timing case off.

+1 on the tensioner - if those things go, you are f-ed.

also, change the water pump & the t-stat if you got the money - it never hurts.

Thanks for the advice.

Special Tools?
 

I've been busy getting all the gaskets to do the timing chain cover (upper and lower) and the oil pan (looks like a lot of work). I'm going to start at it tonight. One question though.

There's a special tool required to hold the camshafts in place while removing the timing chain. I'm going to be real careful in removing all the sprockets and mark everything really well. HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THE TIMING CHAIN WITHOUT THIS TOOL?

I've done SOHC timing belts before but never a DOHC timing chain.

I picked up the Bentley manual so other than this I'm ready to go.

Being careful is not enough.
you need to have at least a flywheel lock (basically a pin which fits thru the flywheel), and sonthing to hold the camshafts in the right position. A Rigid Chain Tensioner is helpful, too.
You can really screw up your engin if you get the valve timing wrong.
Look in the knowledge base. I posted drawings of the tools. Also there is a simplified cam locking plate drawing in the Haynes manual.

The problem you run into doing this without the tools is that things move or get moved very often when you are working on an engine. Going by marks is pretty tough.
By the way, is it necessary to remove the chain to do what you are doing? I thought it was gaskets only?

One more thing... get some "Right Stuff"
http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...sket_Maker.htm
You only want to do this once and getting the profile gaskit in will be tough without taking the head off.

I need to get to the rear lower profile gasket which requires the crankshaft pulley removed so I can take the rear cover off and replace all the gaskets. I'm going to see if a local shop will lend me the camshaft tool. I doubt it though. As for the flywheel lock I have something that will work.

That permatex gasket stuff, do you put it in your oil and then it plugs up the leaks? I'm scared of what else it may plug up if that's what it is.

http://www.permatex.com/documents/PX...aynSeal.SS.pdf

How about this stuff? Spray and go.

All I want to do is pass the tech inspection so I can go to open track day at Waterford Hills Racetrack in Michigan.

Water Pump Issue
 

I took the covers off last night.

http://i610.photobucket.com/albums/t...3/IMG_2299.jpg



Then I was removing the water pump as per the instructions and.....

http://i610.photobucket.com/albums/t...3/IMG_2304.jpg

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get this water pump out? I can turn it but it won't slide out. :frown:

tab on the bottom break off too?

IIRC once you take all four or six bolts out of the waterpump, there are two holes not being used, you can thread two of the screws in to them and it will back the waterpump out of the block. See if that hole is still on the pump on the side that has not broken off.

Yeah both of them busted when I was trying to do it. I've done a bit of research on M42 and it's a common problem. I'll get it out tonight with a puller of some sort and lots of ky jelly.

just yank it back & forth or try to pry it off with something.. remember, the only thing holding it in righ now is basically the fat rubber O-ring. You wont break anything in the motor... so as I said, use force, but if you are using an implement of some kind, try & make sure they are either plastic of wood - you do NOT want to gauge the head in any way shape or form!! good luck...

p.s. the pump is toast - hope you have a new one...

You know, I have all of the special tools. I'd let you borrow them if you pay shipping and promise to send them back.
I have never shipped anything to Canada, so I'm not sure how that works with customs, etc.
Also, "Right Stuff" is not an oil additive. You apply it as you would the blue stuff. Only this is high temp and can be put into service right away.
You need to put this on the ends of your profile gasket for it to seal correctly.
Looks like you are manking good progress.
When is your tech inspection?

I went out and bought a puller that looks like it might work. I'm going to put a couple of pieces of wood against the rear timing chain cover and push against those so that way I won't scratch or break the fragile aluminum. Once the water pump is out I'm returning the puller.

The new water pump should be in by 2 pm along with the new motor mount I had to get. I'm fairly optimistic right now sitting at work.

"Right Stuff" I got some of that as well. Thanks for the tip.

Tech inspection is supposed to be this Saturday. If I don't get it done I'll have to see if I can do it later. There's a Driver's Ed day for the Porsche club at Waterford Hills on May 14 that I want to attend. I have a few friends with Porsches so it'd be fun to go hang out and do some learning with them.

Don't pry against the engine, use a pair of channel lock pliers to grab the water pump. Twist it side to side to break the o-ring loose. Do this while also pulling forward on the waterpump and it will eventually work it's way out of the engine. Be careful once it lets go, as to not let it fly into the radiator.

Water pump is out. I'm glad it's being changed since it had the plastic impeller and the new one is metal. Hopefully I won't have to do it again.

So last night I got the lower rear timing cover off and cleaned up all the gasket surfaces. I got the rear cover, timing chain, oil pan all back on. The front suspension is all bolted back up. Almost there, a few more hours and I should be up and running.

While I had everything apart I deleted all the A/C components in the engine bay. It wasn't charged up anyway.

Ha! If it dont work the first time, get a bigger hammer...

Anyway, have fun burping the system.. another PITA job. LOL

Glad it worked out for ya..

It's all done.
 

I took the afternoon off of work yesterday to finish the car. It's all working with no more oil leaks. I didn't take anymore pictures of it, sorry. I was too busy working and my hands were too dirty to be using my wife's Canon.

Cheers!

I've been driving the car for the last couple of weeks and the engine has been making a whining noise every time I accelerate. I figured it was the timing chain rubbing against something. So...:frown: I pulled the valve cover, and front timing chain covers off again. One of the guides lost all it's lining and the timing chain was rubbing against the metal.

Lesson here is double check everything. I ordered the new guide, checked all the other ones. Ordered new tensioner, thermostat, new gaskets again. Should have it going by the weekend.

I didn't get to take it to the track yet because I knew something was wrong and didn't want to risk it.

It never ends...................broke my wallet!