Extended tensioner slides in w/o force???

[DesktopDave]

If you can find a whole late-model M42 it'll likely have those parts as well.  I'm pretty sure that they ran the deflector from late '94 onward.  You'd have to swap out the serpentine belt setup for the older v-belts, but I think that's the only significant change.

Don't take my word for this, definitely double-check, I haven't done this myself.

[bmwman91]

I recommend breaking the big crank damper bolt loose while the engine is in the car. You can USUALLY use the starter motor to do it. Remove the air box & belts, stick a 4x4 piece of wood where the air box was, put a breaker bar w/ 22mm socket on the bolt oriented about vertical, and then turn the key. THWACK! You may need to smack the bar into the wood block 4-5 times to get it loose. Don't hold the starter on for more than 2-3 seconds at a time. This works like a charm for me.

As far as getting it tightened up to 244ft-lbs, you'll probably want to do that on the car as well. I am not sure how you'll lock the crank (the clutch will slip, so that won't work). I made a locking tool, so you may need to make one too. I'll mail it to you if you are willing to pay postage both ways...but it weighs about 30 lbs (big piece of 1/2" steel plate).

If you remove the head, I BELIEVE that you just need to get a new head gasket and new head bolts. Those bolts must be tightened in exactly the order given in the service manual, exactly to the specified torque.

For the M44 timing case, others have said that you need the M44 oil pump gears & cover. I assume that most used ones will have these things in them anyway since it is all integral. Just ask the seller.

[bflan2001]

If you can find a whole late-model M42 it'll likely have those parts as well.  I'm pretty sure that they ran the deflector from late '94 onward.  You'd have to swap out the serpentine belt setup for the older v-belts, but I think that's the only significant change.

I think you mean you need to swap out the v-belt for the serp belt, right?  The serp belt needs to be used with the m44 case? If that's the case then you'll need the alternator and bracket from the m44. I have a new set of head bolts if you want them, I went with studs instead.

[PeabnutBubber]

I recommend breaking the big crank damper bolt loose while the engine is in the car. You can USUALLY use the starter motor to do it. Remove the air box & belts, stick a 4x4 piece of wood where the air box was, put a breaker bar w/ 22mm socket on the bolt oriented about vertical, and then turn the key. THWACK! You may need to smack the bar into the wood block 4-5 times to get it loose. Don't hold the starter on for more than 2-3 seconds at a time. This works like a charm for me.

This has to be done in order to get the lower timing case off. I did this already and it seems really barbaric but it worked perfectly after only 2 hits. I feared for my brakes while I was doing it but the wood worked just fine. I used a couple of pieces of plywood supported by a short 4x4 block. Worked just fine.

And the oil pump pieces basically come with the timing case? I'll look up a diagram for how this works so I can have a better idea. From where I am now it looks like the oil filter housing has to come off and the lower oil pan in order to remove the timing case. (As well as the head which will come off too.) I was looking at the head gasket replacement job write up and I see what you mean about the specific torquing patterns.

Is there anything you guys recommend doing while I'm in there? Changing gaskets for sure. I have an oil leak that I'm pretty sure is coming from the oil filter housing but that should be taken care of with the permatex technique bmwman outlined prior. (If I'm not careful this could turn into a total rebuild "while I'm in there" :cool:)

[DesktopDave]

I think you mean you need to swap out the v-belt for the serp belt, right?  The serp belt needs to be used with the m44 case? If that's the case then you'll need the alternator and bracket from the m44. I have a new set of head bolts if you want them, I went with studs instead.

Nah, I figured he'd stick with the older parts instead of swapping them over.  Either way would work, I guess.  I'm pretty hazy on this, but I thought that either case can be used with either drive system.  There were three different belt setups IIRC.

Makes me think I'd like to try out the serpentine setup on mine, seems very clean and likely gets me an r134 compressor to boot.

[PeabnutBubber]

Ok, I'm back at the place in Tallahassee and still no working BMW. I have, however, come across a low mileage M42 with all the accessories but also with a blown head gasket. I'm going to attempt to pull the timing case from this one. Now I just have to get that crank bolt loose...

[doitover]

I did my crank bolt by making a tool. Just a piece of steel with two holes drilled to match a couple of holes on the crank shaft drive pulley. Leave room or shape the steel to give access to the bolt. Wedging that against the ground and using a 4 foot piece of pipe on the breaker bar made loosening the bolt fairly easy.

Making the tool also lets you put a decent amount of torque back on the bolt. I'm sure I didn't come close to the spec'd torque though.

[monko141]

Personally I would pull the oil pans off of both motors and see which one has the least wear on the thrust bearing.

I made a crank holding tool with an old pulley and a floor jack handle.  Had the youngest stepdaughters boyfriend weld it for me and it works great.

Also I have heard that you can loosen the crank bolt by pulling the pan and sticking a 2x4 between the inside of the block and a crank counter balance.

[locknload]

It's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth, BUT, I'd seriously consider changing that crank sprocket of yours.  I've read that it usually doesn't need to be changed, but IMHO, yours has all the earmarks of one that is worn out.

[DesktopDave]

Not to thread-jack, but...speaking of thrust bearings...who starts their car with the clutch pedal down, and who starts with the clutch pedal up?

I ran across a site that suggested the thrust bearing will last a lot longer if you start it in neutral with the pedal up.  Makes sense to me; I leave the clutch pedal out even though I was taught to always push the pedal down.

I've also just found out that if your M42 conks out and you're in a bad spot, you can put the car in first & use the starter to pull the car out of the way.  I wouldn't advise doing a lot of that though; can't possibly be good for the battery or the starter brushes.

[PeabnutBubber]

After looking everything over, making the tool was my first idea. However, someone just offered me a timing case for $50 so I'm just going to go with that instead of having to rent all the tools from Advanced again in order to take this newer engine apart. On top of that, it is sitting on the floor of my room right now. It does only have 104,000 miles on it so maybe it's worth a new head gasket.

It's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth, BUT, I'd seriously consider changing that crank sprocket of yours.  I've read that it usually doesn't need to be changed, but IMHO, yours has all the earmarks of one that is worn out.

That's what I thought too because the teeth looked so sharp, but every time I see a picture of one it seems that they all have sharp teeth like that. Can anyone clarify this?


And as for Dave I always start the car without the clutch pedal depressed, but I don't really know much about that.

[colin86325]

Not to thread-jack, but...speaking of thrust bearings...who starts their car with the clutch pedal down, and who starts with the clutch pedal up?

I ran across a site that suggested the thrust bearing will last a lot longer if you start it in neutral with the pedal up.  Makes sense to me; I leave the clutch pedal out even though I was taught to always push the pedal down.

I actually shut the engine off and then put it into gear.
Before I start the car I take it out of gear.
In both cases my foot is off the clutch pedal when the engine is turning.

I've read that this makes it easier on the thrust bearing.  If you have the stock M42 configuration, i would highly suggest that you do the same.

[locknload]

Secondary indicator on the crank sprocket is the "canoeing" of the saddles between the teeth.  Round chain rollers are no longer tightly coddled by the sprocket.  I think I learned that term on this website.  Try doing a search on it & see if you can get more info.

Dave, Starting with clutch in saves wear on the starter & drain on the battery by not having to churn up cold transmission oil.  Also a good habit to get into to prevent launching the car into the one parked in front of you on the rare occasion of forgetting you're not driving the wife's automatic and leaving it in gear when you turn the key.  (Not that I would know anything about that...)

[bmwman91]

The crank sprocket has sharp teeth, even new. The cam sprockets have the blunt ends and get sharp when worn. It's weird, but look up a picture of a new crank sprocket & you'll see that it has pointy teeth.

[PeabnutBubber]

I received an M42 timing case from someone off of r3v. Now I just have to remove everything around the timing case to replace it. It looks like there's a lot of stuff in there...

I think I'm going to start a new thread for the timing case and its replacement.