Removing Timing cover- s50?

[golde30]

so im trying to get the timing cover off my s50, and the crank bolt is in the way? do i need to remove it in order to pull the timing cover off? the disk that the pulleys bolt up to is just a lil too big to clear. thanks!

[PiercedE30]

you have to take the crank bolt out to get the timing cover off. it will take you 300 ft lbs to get it off.

[golde30]

wow. so theres no way getting around taking that off in order to change out the timing chain tensioner and guide rails? fun.

[kolunda]

Don't believe there is =( When I ordered my s52, someone had fortunately cracked the bolt so it was loose.

[PiercedE30]

You can cut the timing cover with something, but you still wouldn't have the bolt broken loose.

[surebimmer]

Might as well replace the front crank seal if your going to take the cover off. I did all the seals on my motor when I had mine apart.

[RobertK]

Yee ole' crankbolts are always fun. They're sealed with red loctite from the factory so be sure to soak it in some penetrating oil before wailing on it. And, of course, a long cheater bar always helps.

[gazellebeigem3]

my solution was to throw the block in the backseat of my beater, drive to work and use an impact! Came right off!

[Teaguer]

Hahahaha , the ever fun crank bolt . :D
Guys at home can never get those things off .


I have received 2 S52 cranks in the mail that still had the timing cover on them . :rofl:
When I first attempted to remove my S50 crank bolt I started to think for some reason it might be reverse thread .
Ended up using a 10ft long piece of square tube stock as a cheater bar . :D

[e30devo]

teaguer.. i thought i had a bug crawling on my screen. thanks alot.

[golde30]

im not doing it at home. the motor is in a shop. i just wanted to make sure b/c i had a 4ft cheater bar and that fucker still wouldnt break loose. thanks for the info guys.

[golde30]

Might as well replace the front crank seal if your going to take the cover off. I did all the seals on my motor when I had mine apart.

yes, it will be replaced front and rear. bought a new timing cover too, b/c that pipe coming off the top corner has some corrosion on it, figured mite as well replace it all. shit.

[dannyg]

Bumping an old thread, but...Can I just take the timing cover off w/o taking off the head?

[Adrian_Visser]

Yes you can.

There are 4? bolts semi hidden under the cam sprockets going through the head and down into the upper timing cover that you will need a wobble extension or two two get at.

They are external torx head bolts, make sure you get all of them before you try prying the upper timing cover away from the bottom of the head or you will encounter alot of resistance i.e. it won't fucking come off!

I used some red permatex RTV on the top of the timing cover on reassembly since the only gasket sealing it at the top is part of the head gasket and cannot be replaced on its own.

EDIT: The e36 Bentley manual says that the crank hub bolt is one time use. I went to order one from the dealership and they had never ordered one in before, spoke with a tech there and he said that they always re-use them just put a bit of loc-tite on it. I waited for a long time for a stupid new bolt to come in before I found this out.

[dannyg]

Whoops, forgot to mention this was for an s52...




by looking at those pics, i don't see 4 bolts that would go through the cover from the head?