Iv had an early warning of timing chain guide failure so before it jumps a tooth or breaks up completly junking the engine it's time to get it done.
New parts arrived this week
Timing chain and guide kit
Gasket set
Locking/timing tool kit

Let the fun begin, I will point out due to work I wont be able to do this one my self I find I'm doing 6 day weeks at present so my good mate and mechanic John is going to tackle it for me. Photos to follow.

I'll follow this one. Think mines up for renewal again.

Here are the goodies minus oil filter and oil but I keep them in the garage so no worries about those.

Click image to enlarge

This is hopefully getting started tomorrow, Thursday had to cancel my guy due to gale force winds and rain this week he Hope's to have it all stripped down, cleaned and inspected by end of play tomorrow then all repaired and assembled Friday.

If he's doing it that quick, he can def have mine too do...

O to be that young again RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

What timing setting kit did you buy ?

So day 1 and it's all stripped down. This timing kit is not as good as it looks the deep socket to remove the vanos solinoids wont even go over them and another bit is missing so the cam locking tool jumps off when you go to undo stuff.......

Looking good mate. How much he charging you to do that

Here are a couple of snaps from today

Click image to enlarge

No pictures today will try and take some tomorrow. Good progress with the rebuild the guides are in, the right hand small cam chain and tensioner is replaced the left hand tensioner completly broke up but the bolt that holds the toothed wheel to the exhaust cam wont budge.

John found that the left tensioner didnt have a spring in it and the upper tensioner wasnt holding oil so this is pointing to the reason for the failure. Someone has been in there before no BMW part numbers on the tensioners he suspects the camshaft tensioners were replaced at some point but not the chains as there original and stretched. He has done a great job cleaning up the engine and all the parts that cam off.

Packed up for the day to return and have another go at removing said bolt from the exhaust cam. The kit I bought of the bay wasnt the cheapest BUT turns out to be pretty crap. The vanos solinoid deep socket wont go over the solinoid and a clamp is missing that holds the cam locking tool in place at the back of the engine isnt supplied, hence why this is putting up a fight.

It's a big job as we all know the consumerbles on there own are
Gaskets
Oil
Filter
Aircon regass
Coolant
Numerous cleaners etc.

I'm thinking if iv got time tomorrow I mite strip and repaint the cam covers.....

Last edited by Gsxr1250dave on 8th May 2021 7:06am. Edited 1 time in total

camshaft bolt
i had the same problem, ended up breaking the tool and the camshaft slipped bending the valves
i cut the chain with an angle grinder and removed the camshaft
i put the camshaft in the vice and with a 3/4 rattle gun, i eventually got it off
i made some stirrups to hold the timing mechanism on the camshafts RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

i don't remember the left tensioner having a spring RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

It's odd the left tensioner not having a spring when the one on the right does as they are identical parts.......odd.
He has a very high powered rattle gun which has removed everything else including crankshaft bolts on other engines and this 1.
It get 1 last go tomorrow then the cam shaft is comming out he is very aware that the cam could twist and damage the valves.
So far we have had a 27mm spanner and some very big grips on the cam to prevent this but still it refuses to budge......sometimes these engine just like to put up a fight.

O, i see,
i didnt read it properly, you are talking about the exhaust camshaft chain tensioner
if i remember right, they are not identical but i think they both have a spring RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar