M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: logger on April 07, 2007, 09:37:23 AM

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: logger on April 07, 2007, 09:37:23 AM

Being that the m42 timing gears are adjustable how do you set them up ?

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: 1991 E30 M42 on April 07, 2007, 01:28:35 PM

Thats a very broad question. Be more specific on what you want to do.

Title: gears
Post by: logger on April 07, 2007, 01:30:14 PM

Just put new cams in and want to know where to set them to ?

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: D. Clay on April 07, 2007, 02:14:31 PM

There is a special tool to hold the cams in place and then you tighten the bolts that hod the gears. See:
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1500&highlight=special+tools
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121&highlight=special+tools

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: D. Clay on April 07, 2007, 02:25:56 PM

I have also heard that there is a slight performance gain from advancing the intake cam a few degrees - 5, I think. Looking at the motor from the front, after loosening the cam gear bolts, which way would you rotate the cam to advance it?
Has anyone done this? If so, is there any gain?

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: kowalski on April 07, 2007, 04:08:46 PM

there is a slight gain up top. but losses down below. so its a tradeoff. and its not worth it. you also don't need the "alignment tool" to align them.

Title: timming gears
Post by: logger on April 07, 2007, 10:14:23 PM

If you take off your timming gears and do not mark them how do you know were to align them again ?

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: 2002maniac on April 07, 2007, 11:00:47 PM

put a straightedge across the flats on the rear of the camshafts.  get the slack out of the chain and set them there.

Title: adjusting timing gears
Post by: badboypolar on April 07, 2007, 11:03:13 PM

That's a what I did eh.

Title: align cams
Post by: logger on April 08, 2007, 10:44:56 AM

Ok so that is at zero than I did machine that tool used for alining cams .