Author Topic: Lower timing cover (Read 14397 times)

DesktopDave · « **Reply #15 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:20:20 PM »

Do you have a COP kit, or the separate packs on the wheel well?

The CPS is working if you're getting fuel. The computer won't start the pump until the CPS confirms that the motor is spinning. You can also test resistance on the harness.

I'd just retrace your steps until you find what's wrong. Double check to be sure the CPS and cam PS are plugged into the correct plugs.

318bud · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:40:51 PM »

I have the seperate packs on the wheel well
The only electrical plug i disconnected was for the a/c. I kept the Cam sensor plugged in. Could it possibly be something electrical? or are you guys thinkin its my spark plugs? The plugs are only a month old.
I did retrace my steps and found that everything is where its supposed to be
:confused:
I did lose the CPS little bolt, so i had to replace it with one from lowes(m6 by 16)
everything looks to be fine

318bud · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2011, 07:03:55 PM »

Okay so my coil packs are labeled as followed: 4-2-3-1
Is this the order that the spark plug covers should go as well? or should they be 1-2-3-4

And also when i try to start the car my a/c belt slips off a little bit...I think this is all due to the crank pulley not being on tight enough
Whats the best way to tighten the crank bolt to the correct torque? (i think its like
~200 torque setting?)

DesktopDave · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2011, 10:08:39 PM »

If you didn't pull the coil harnesses, make sure the 1-2-3-4 coils connect to the 1-2-3-4 cylinders from rad to firewall. The OEM wires sorta only fit one way but it seems like your setup is different than original. I'd go back & double-check everything you did. It's hard to tell from that video but the sound seems wrong somehow. Maybe something is mistimed? What work did you do in all, timing chain, new guides, tensioner?

But...if the PO had those numbers wrong the plugs are confused and the car won't start. The e36 has different color wires in each pack, but if that's an e30 you'll have to trace them back to the DME to be positive that the correct coil driver fires the right coil over the right wire to each proper cylinder. I can get you the colors or pins if you need that info.

How tight is the A/C belt? Is it threaded the right way? Hard to tell, but it looks like the belt is running over the tensioner pulley. It should run underneath it, all three pulleys should be "inside" the belt. The vee has to ride into the grooves on the pulleys to work right.

After you get that right, belts tend to loosen up a bit. Loosen the adjuster pulley nut a bit then crank that screw adjuster on the bottom until the belt is pretty good and tight. The belt should deflect no more than about 1/2" (1cm) in the middle of its longest span when you push it hard with your thumb. Hard to describe.

318bud · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2011, 08:37:48 AM »

My a/c belt has always run over the tensioner like pictured. The belt is tight and everything. And also i have an e36..that could be why
The PO must have setup up the coil packs wrong cuz they are labeled 4231 from rad to firewall..so thats the way the spark plug covers should go as well right? not 1234

Im pretty sure i know why the a/c belt is slipping and its not starting. When the car is starting up i can see that the crank pully wiggles around a little bit. So im pretty positive that the crank bolt is just not tightened enough to the correct torque

92BMW318is · « **Reply #20 on:** July 09, 2011, 07:38:54 PM »

Quote from: 318bud;105165

My a/c belt has always run over the tensioner like pictured. The belt is tight and everything. And also i have an e36..that could be why
The PO must have setup up the coil packs wrong cuz they are labeled 4231 from rad to firewall..so thats the way the spark plug covers should go as well right? not 1234

Im pretty sure i know why the a/c belt is slipping and its not starting. When the car is starting up i can see that the crank pully wiggles around a little bit. So im pretty positive that the crank bolt is just not tightened enough to the correct torque

my coils are set up as fallows.. from firewall to radiator, 3.2.1.4.
I have never changed them or rearanged them, so this is the factory setup on my 92318is.

rjcaptsean · « **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2011, 08:32:38 PM »

Just deleted a pic of the a/c compressor support and belt because I just realized you have an e36 with a serpentine belt. The belt position makes perfect sense the way you have it.

Regarding the wiggling Vibration Dampener...

I believe that the Vibration Dampener hub is keyed (number 6 is the picture below), just like the lower timing chain gear (number

. The 200lbs help to hold it on, but it should not spin even if the bolt is not exactly at that torque. Did you leave the key out of the crankshaft? That would cause the timing chain gear to slip also, which would lead to not being able to start the engine... and a host of other very bad things.

Not trying to be the "Voice of Doom" here, just trying to help troubleshoot.

318bud · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2011, 04:21:48 PM »

so your saying since it wiggling that there is something wrong with the pulley?
I just thought it was wiggling because it wasnt tightened enough
Did i leave the key out? No i did not take apart anything of the actual crankshaft pulley, i kept it all intact

So what do you sugest i do?:confused:

rjcaptsean · « **Reply #23 on:** July 11, 2011, 08:47:10 AM »

When you say "wiggling", what exactly do you mean? Front to back and side to side or clockwise/counter-clockwise?

The timing chain gear on the crank did not have to come off, but surely you had to remove #6 in the picture above to get the lower timing case off. This picture shows the crankshaft and woodruff key required to seat the crankshaft timing chain gear and I believe that the hub for the vibration dampener also has a slot in it to slide over that key.

Perhaps you didn't get the hub all the way seated on that keyway and now it's not sitting flush against the timing gear? I say this because the key is not strong enough to hold the hub from turning all by itself, which is why you have to tighten the crap out of it. If your hub/vibration dampener is at all wobbly, I would take a very close look at that setup. If it has turned at all, your timing will be way off.

Forgive me if this is common knowledge for you. It's hard to read your experience level or noobness over the interwebs and I just want to put the info out to ya.

318bud · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2011, 07:46:26 PM »

im pretty much a noob when it comes to this, first time ive ever taken apart my engine.it wiggles side to side, im guessing i did not seat it properly. can i do this with all the belts attached? im trying to figure this out but i am also thinkin about just getting it towed out of here:/

318bud · « **Reply #25 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:54:13 PM »

Quote from: 318bud;105257

im pretty much a noob when it comes to this lol, first time ive ever taken apart my engine.
it wiggles side to side, im guessing i did not seat it properly. can seat it properly with all the belts attached? im trying to figure this out but i am also thinkin about just getting it towed out of here:/

i do know for sure that i did not torque it down to the correct 220 torque setting because my gun is not that powerful, and thats what i thought was causing all of this..but i guess something is wrong with the timing

rjcaptsean · « **Reply #26 on:** July 12, 2011, 04:22:02 AM »

If it wiggles at all, you have a problem. You can't even check if it is correctly timed because the vibration dampener may not be in the correct spot.

Pull the belts, take the 6 bolts out of the pulley and remove it and the vibration dampener. That should leave you with just the hub. Unscrew the big crankshaft bolt and try to pull the hub off and see what you have. Hopefully the keyway and hub are not chewed up too badly.

Here is where you may want to stop and take a breath. If in fact this hub has slipped and spun on the crank, your timing is going to be off. Unfortunately, this is what is called an "interference" engine, which means that it is possible for the valves to come into contact with the pistons. Depending on how much you have cranked this thing, it is possible that you could have bent valves or damaged pistons. This is the worst case scenario though. Since the engine hasn't actually "run" odds are that even if a valve contacted a piston, it wasn't hard enough to bend it. If it put a dent in the piston, a "hotspot" could develop on the piston which would lead to premature failure down the road.

Let's think positive though! Hopefully you can reseat the hub onto the keyway, put it back together and check the timing. The flatspot on the outer rim of the vibration dampener should line up with the arrow on the Oil filter housing. If that is good and it's all securely bolted down, fire that baby back up.

318bud · « **Reply #27 on:** July 12, 2011, 10:13:59 AM »

When i took my pulley off it was just one piece
i see the slot on the timing gear in the numbered picture..so your saying theres a key on the pulley that has to line up with that slot
This i did not know
I will try to get it all straightened up tomorrow cuz i have no time today

So will the car start even if the pulley bolt isnt tightened to 220 torque setting? Cuz i have no way of getting it that high

rjcaptsean · « **Reply #28 on:** July 12, 2011, 10:56:26 AM »

Yes. As long as the hub is lined up with that key and everything is solid. Most 1/2 impact guns will get you to 90-110lbs of torque. However you should find a way to make it tighter. BMW makes a tool that will bolt onto the hub before you mount the dampener.

(See the picture above..it's the one resting on the jackstand.)

They are available from Pelican or Bavauto for about $55 plus shipping. Maybe there is a member in your area that might have one to loan you? Where are you located? Once you get that, you can rest it against the frame of the car and use a breaker bar to torque the bolt down more.

318bud · « **Reply #29 on:** July 12, 2011, 10:42:29 PM »

OK cool thanks well i hope i can it to start in the morning when i try to align everything up properly. And yes i did know about this tool but i could not find someone to lend or sell one to me for cheap
60$+ is alot to spend on a tool for just one use basically lol
thats why i was thinkin bout getting it towed free and just having a shop tighten it for maybe 5$. Or hopefully i can just drive it there once it starts