Engine failure / timing chain slipped

[Asserti]

I'd like to know when most of the people here had their enginge broken down.

I've seen some threads about broken engines, due to the pan gasket shift and the chain skipping a tooth or two. We all know how it happens.

What I want to know is if this is mileage dependent. Also, the model year of the car can play a role.

So the question is; when did your engine die due to a timing chain slip, pan gasket shift, ... and from what year was the car.


Mine was a nov '89 with 224 000km, 139 200miles and failed due to the timing chain slipping some tooths, intake valves bent, no lose oil pan bolts tough.

[batsbats]

I'm curious about this too.

About to 100k.  I was thinking about changing the tensioner and chain within the next 10k miles or the summer, since it's about 17-18 years old.

[strad]

My motor has 202k on it.  New tensioner at about 195k (replaced original!).  No timing chain rollers in pan (last look was at 198k).  Definite signs of wear on the cam sprockets (checked at 201k or so) but no abnormal noises.  Will probably do a timing chain replacement sometime within the next year if I decide to keep the M42 between the frame rails.

[pbgd3skier]

When I got the car the engine was shot, needed head work, valves, and bottom end work.  Not sure what the PO did, no oil changes, maybe antifreeze leaked out who knows.

Read 115 miles on the odo.

1991 e30.

Bought a junk yard engine that had certain good bits (like the head) and build 1 good engine out of the bits.  Have alot of spares around from that engine too, which is good.

[hoevesruperd]

i guess it all depends on the maintenance done.
my cluster indicates 165k kms and the timing chain sprockets are already pointy.
will my new timing chain tensioner at least prevent the chain from skipping?

[Asserti]

I think as long as you don't find bits and pieces in your carter your okay...

Mine has 150k kms now and rattles from 3 to 4k rpm. Whil be revising the distribution sometime soon.

[Vorpal]

My odometer indicates 166k, but it's broken and likely has been for some time, so I put 186k+ on the poll. Still going strong, no problems besides a little lifter tick (not audible from inside the car unless the windows are rolled down and I'm driving next to something that will reflect the sound), which I understand is pretty much normal on an older engine. I pulled the valve cover and the cam sprockets still look nice and square. I dropped the lower pan and found no loose or missing bolt or even any rollers from the timing chain. Everything looks top notch! (knock on wood.) I have a new chain tensioner that I'll put in before too long, since everything else checks out.

[mark_i]

my m42 died at 206000km.
Timing chain jumped the exhaust cam sprocket by 7 teeth and bent valves.
Chain tensioner replaced at 193K which fixed the 4000 rpm rattle.

Should have replaced the chain, sprockets and guides that I bought when in Europe last year, but got I spooked by the 270Nm crankbolt removal...

April 1990 e30

[KenC]

my m42 died at 206000km.
Timing chain jumped the exhaust cam sprocket by 7 teeth and bent valves.
Chain tensioner replaced at 193K which fixed the 4000 rpm rattle.

Should have replaced the chain, sprockets and guides that I bought when in Europe last year, but got I spooked by the 270Nm crankbolt removal...

April 1990 e30

How did it jump?  Which sprocket did it jump on?  Mine chain is super tight.

Crankbolt removal is easy.  Just stick a pin in the flywheel to lock it, and then use a large breakerbar to remove the bolt.

[cheesebox]

Mine died at 82000 miles with a failed profile gasket. BMW confirmed it was never replaced under warranty, unlike many others. What a shame. Still it was a good opportunity to replace a few timing components and other bits and pieces.

[mark_i]

How did it jump?  Which sprocket did it jump on?  Mine chain is super tight.

Crankbolt removal is easy.  Just stick a pin in the flywheel to lock it, and then use a large breakerbar to remove the bolt.

Thanks for the interest

No idea how the chain jumped the exhaust cam sprocket. This happened one morning when cranking the engine on the starter, not on load. Really nasty metal clunking sound and on removal of the rocker cover, the problem was obvious. After I returned the exhaust cam to the correct position, the engine could not be rotated clockwise without a fight and I could see the chain straining and again trying to move off the sprockets. The chain does not have any missing or damaged rollers so I guess the the guides are damaged and the bent valve stems prevent the cam from rotating in sych with the pistons.

To only way to check is to remove the timing covers and the crankbolt is the problem. I tried using a pin to bolt the flywheel  but the torque on the breaker bar was too much and the pin just bent.

I have posted in the wanted section for a replacement head.

[Oversteer]

Seems like I'm the only guy capable of breaking a M42 before the 100.000Km mark!!

It was years ago, a '94 E36 with just 70.000kms! I still don't know what happened, maybe very low oil level. I was just going flat out in 5th, 6000rpm plus, and the engine started to make a very hard knocking noise when I put my foot down (probably crankshaft bearings), and after a couple of miles, the engine blew!
Oil pressure warning light on, engine working on 3 cylinders, idling at around 3Krpm, big hole in the block (intake side), and a conrod missing!:D

[///m42 sport]

280k+ miles.  Rebuilt at 180k miles due to broken chain.

[raw69]

I had the same problem with my 93 e36 318is,due to left hand side timing chain guide completely disintigrating which caused chain to skip a few teeth on inlet sprocket This left inlet valves in the path of incoming pistons which bent all 8 inlet valves.My car has 200,000km and I have stripped motor / head down ready for the rebuild.

[duckboy74]

3rd owner. No previous history known. Still running @ 240k