Timing cover and head not lining up?

[alim_h]

Is this a problem (See attached)?

Any ideas on what happened? The head is off an E36 318, and the rest of the engine is an '91 318is. Could that be it?

[Geoff]

it looks as if it may well leak a lot of oil.    that looks like it might be the result of having the head shaved a couple of times, maybe,  and the corresponding machine work on the cover was not carried out.   if that is the case,  a lot has been taken off the head.
                                                                Geoff

[Warsteiner]

I agree with Geoff. The timing case cover and head are always decked at the same time. You did mention that the two items were from different cars. If it were me.... I would not install it in that condition.

Cheers,
~Ralph

[monko141]

This is the cause for a lot of oil leakage on m42's from the front profile gasket.  In the Bentley it tells you to put two screwdrivers into the camshafts and pry down and then tighten the bolts.  Notice the bolts for the upper timing cover are not completely threaded and the covers holes have a slight oval to allow for this.

[alim_h]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try to loosen the bolts (but not remove them) on the upper timing cover and then use screwdrivers to pry the cover down as best as i can.

Thanks!

[deansweet]

When I rebuilt the head on mine iS, it was something like this as well and I read as monko141 states to use a couple screwdrivers and pry it to be even, then torque the bolts down...
The replacement rubber seal was waaaaay thicker then the one I pulled out.

The picture needs to be taken from front as well, is it off on the horizontal axis or perpendicular?

-Dean

[alim_h]

Hey Dean,

Not sure what you mean by horizontal vs. perpendicular but the gap is present on both sides where the cover meets the head. So pressing down on it directly from above would solve the problem.

[bmwman91]

That is normal for an incorrectly installed upper timing cover.

Rather than risk messing up the cams, do it this way.
1) Remove valve cover gaskets.
2) Get some washers & M6 bolts (the upper cover ones work for this)
3) Position the upper cover and loosely install the two top-side bolts to keep it from falling off
4) Slowly and evenly tighten down 4 bolts into the 4 right-most (2 top, 2 bottom) valve cover holes alternating between each
5) This will push the upper timing cover down and compress the outer profile gasket
6) Once the valve cover has forced things to be planar, install the timing case bolts around the thermostat housing and then tighten the two that you had loosely positioned before
7) Remove the valve cover and finish securing the timing cover

[deansweet]

That is normal for an incorrectly installed upper timing cover.

Rather than risk messing up the cams, do it this way.
1) Remove valve cover gaskets.
2) Get some washers & M6 bolts (the upper cover ones work for this)
3) Position the upper cover and loosely install the two top-side bolts to keep it from falling off
4) Slowly and evenly tighten down 4 bolts into the 4 right-most (2 top, 2 bottom) valve cover holes alternating between each
5) This will push the upper timing cover down and compress the outer profile gasket
6) Once the valve cover has forced things to be planar, install the timing case bolts around the thermostat housing and then tighten the two that you had loosely positioned before
7) Remove the valve cover and finish securing the timing cover

That would work too!

[Geoff]

how did you make out with this issue?      inquiring minds etc etc:)

[ti_tony]

Just bolted my upper cover on and it's a little higher than the head.
Less than 1/16, I used a wood dowl to pry off a cam bolt, was afrald to get up on it to much but that helped to make it workable.
Like deansweet said I think my new gasket was thicker than the old.
This spring after I get some time on it I think I'll use bmw91 trick and see if I can compress it some more.

[bigred]

I had the same problem, the lower timing cover has a new gasket ontop of it.  This gasket has a 90 degree bend in each corner, the tab was to big for the gasket to lay flat, thus making the upper timing chain cover to be raised.  I cut down the tab to fit properly and use gasket sealer as directed in the manual.  I also seen someone use a screw driver to press the upper timing chain cover downwards, by using the cam sprockets as leverage.  Then tighten the bolts as needed.

[bigred]

http://www.m42club.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2321&stc=1&d=1350359235

Don't look at the arrow, the gasket is below the arrow.  The tab that I was talking about is on the left hand side of the gasket in the corner.  If you zoom in, you will see the gasket's tab.  This is the tab that needs to be cut down.

[alim_h]

I got the head and timing cover to line up!

- Tried using BMWman91's method, but I couldn't torque the bolts after a certain point, the threads in the timing cover may be stripped (another problem). So I wasn't able to tighten it down far enough to move the timing cover.
- Then I went off of Bigred's suggestion of filing down the gasket ends using some sandpaper I had laying around. That got the cover to line up much better.
- Finally I used a screwdriver to gently push against the cams and tightened the timing cover on FTW!

[bmwman91]

Good to hear that you got it sorted out. It is VERY common to have the valve cover bolt holes strip. I had to put in helicoils into EVERY SINGLE ONE because they all stripped over the course of about 2 years.

And yeah, make sure to use some silicone RTV on the profile gasket ends or they will leak. Heck, you can even apply it from the outside if you clean things first.