Hi all,


I've been suffering from excess pressure in the coolant system over the past few weeks on my 98MY DSE, which, a few days ago, culminated in complete loss of power, the temperature gauge fully in the red and a blown top hose. Driving with the expansion tank cap off allowed me to get home relatively unscathed. Evidently the head has cracked, or at the very minimum the head gasket has let go.

As such, I've now stripped down the motor to allow the head to come off. However, I've reached quite a substantial hurdle whilst using the Laser copies of the BMW special tooling:

When the engine is roughly timed at Cylinder 1 TDC compression stroke (cam lobes both pointing up), I locate the flywheel hole using a borescope, the engine rotated very slightly on the flywheel pulley to perfectly align, and then I can insert the flywheel locking tool to prevent the crank from moving. No problems there.

However, I then move to using the camshaft retaining plate to lock the camshaft, but reach a problem. The plate does not correctly line up with the camshaft in this position. It wants to be rotated clockwise to allow the bottom of the plate to be flush with the top of the cylinder head. However, this is of course is not possible with the flywheel locked in place.

It looks like my engine timing is out and that the camshaft is several degrees behind the crank, however I can't see how this is possible as the engine ran very smoothly, despite the overheating. I am assuming the plate needs to be flush with the top of the head to secure the cam properly?

If so, I am either inserting the flywheel locking tool into the wrong hole (it contains plenty of holes, but the small hole I am using is the perfect size for the tool) or my timing has indeed skipped. I am always cautious of turning an engine backwards, but perhaps I did this whilst working on it and this allowed it to skip a tooth? The engine completes a full cycle without any binding, so it doesn't feel like valves are hitting pistons.

Suggestions welcomed.
 
Are you sure the flywheel is locked in the right hole. There is a second one quite close by.

@wammers is the expert on these engines. He knows them inside out.
 
Are you sure the flywheel is locked in the right hole. There is a second one quite close by.

@wammers is the expert on these engines. He knows them inside out.

There is a second (bigger) hole a few degrees further round, but I'm confident I've located the right hole as it is the only small, correctly sized hole when both cam lobes point upwards.

Excellent, look forward to his response if he has the time!
 
Mmmm, can love..... :p
If your love, sorry lobes are in position. You could be looking at a small amount of chain stretch. ;)
Depending on the amount of lift beneath the camshaft timing plate that is o_O.. Could you get a picture maybe?
 
i sugest you take the head off without the lock plate in position and then when its off see if the no cyl is in the tdc position if not then you can turn the engins to TDC and when putting the haed back on use the locking plate. You should also put a pin in the chain tensioner when you release the pressure on it and lock it in the slack position.
 
If cam is timed correctly on a beyond 20,000 km engine with lock pin holding engine at TDC number one firing, there should be a 4.6 mm gap under cam holding tool to inlet side of head with cam lobes flat across the top.
 
Both inlet and exhaust cam lobes pointing upwards.

I did read on in RAVE after the initial post and see that when timing the cam up on refitting, it advises a 4.6mm gap. I will check whether this is the gap, but it felt like substantially more than 4.6mm. Photo to follow this evening.

As suggested I will remove as is, irrespective, and correctly time up the cam on refit.

Hopefully the timing hasn't been lost on the FIP. Is there any way to inspect the FIP timing relative to the crank without removing the front cover? Assuming not, but worth asking.
 
Both inlet and exhaust cam lobes pointing upwards.

I did read on in RAVE after the initial post and see that when timing the cam up on refitting, it advises a 4.6mm gap. I will check whether this is the gap, but it felt like substantially more than 4.6mm. Photo to follow this evening.

As suggested I will remove as is, irrespective, and correctly time up the cam on refit.

Hopefully the timing hasn't been lost on the FIP. Is there any way to inspect the FIP timing relative to the crank without removing the front cover? Assuming not, but worth asking.

If the engine has been turned backwards it is possible that the chain has jumped a tooth on a worn crank sprocket. Front cover off for that and new items required.
 
Depending on mileage of course, if I had to go as far as pulling the head, I would be inclined to at least replace the chains and the sprockets too if worn.
 
If the engine has been turned backwards it is possible that the chain has jumped a tooth on a worn crank sprocket. Front cover off for that and new items required.

Depending on mileage of course, if I had to go as far as pulling the head, I would be inclined to at least replace the chains and the sprockets too if worn.

Perhaps in that case I will renew remove the front cover, check timing and renew the chains as a precaution. Mileage is an unknown as it's not the original engine, and it does take a good 5 seconds of cranking to fire when hot.
 
Perhaps in that case I will renew remove the front cover, check timing and renew the chains as a precaution. Mileage is an unknown as it's not the original engine, and it does take a good 5 seconds of cranking to fire when hot.
When putting it back together, don't forget the crank nut has to be mega tight as the oil pump is only driven by friction.
 
And only the pistons go up and down not the liners:rolleyes:

Absolutely, a cracked head is better than a slipped liner! ;)

Checked and re-checked everything this evening in anticipation of lifting the head off and although there is supposed to be a 4.7mm gap between cam retaining plate and head surface, I have 11mm, so substantially more than expected. See photo below, finger fits in between the gap...

Interestingly, if you turn the cam retaining plate the wrong way around (i.e. longer side pointing to the exhaust side) it makes a 5mm gap... I'm starting to suspect it may have been timed up incorrectly when the last owner fitted the head.

Unless anyone suggests otherwise, I think I'll take the front cover off whilst I send the head off for (hot) pressure testing.

WP_20191202_19_40_01_Rich.jpg
 
Aye but timing and building a Rover V8 is a pish in the wind ;)

Not all this diseasel stuff ;)
 
Absolutely, a cracked head is better than a slipped liner! ;)

Checked and re-checked everything this evening in anticipation of lifting the head off and although there is supposed to be a 4.7mm gap between cam retaining plate and head surface, I have 11mm, so substantially more than expected. See photo below, finger fits in between the gap...

Interestingly, if you turn the cam retaining plate the wrong way around (i.e. longer side pointing to the exhaust side) it makes a 5mm gap... I'm starting to suspect it may have been timed up incorrectly when the last owner fitted the head.

Unless anyone suggests otherwise, I think I'll take the front cover off whilst I send the head off for (hot) pressure testing.

View attachment 195424

Where did you get the cam holder from? The slot in it should be square to the contact faces, it should read the same in both directions. Anyway all this is not relevant if you are to change chains. Just remove the head. If you remove it with cam in position, after head has been released from it's locators tilt it towards exhaust manifold before lifting off to avoid catching protruding valves.
 

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