Knocking m42 valvetrain

[Hick]

cheap way to check time.... bring the motor to TDC and put a straight edge across the square block at the end of the cams.

[Simon S]

Continued input appreciated.

Car has ~4 quarts of Castrol 10w-40, ~1 quart of Castrol 10w-30, and ~3/4 quart of Redline ATF in it currently (all fresh).

Sorry – but I just don’t have the stomach to bring it up to 6K sounding like that. If it hasn’t settled by now after the hour + run time – then I simply must get at the lifters and at least examine them.

And yes – for the love of god – I will triple-check the timing.

[M42Technik]

I hope you can figure this out, because mine sounds almost exactly the same. I'm not sure of the condition of my timing chain guide rails, I believe that is the issue in my case. Its so strange seeing as you've rebuilt the engine and this is what happens first?

Hope you figure it out man.

[JakeP]

Some reading for you...

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11717

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9515

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8698

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11245

[KenC]

guys guys!! the fucking car is out of time....... just jump the chain one or two teeth eater way and then crank it few turns by hand to make sure is not touching the valves and then start the engine and you will thank me.
Cesar 1991 318is and 1993 235 ic

You can advance/retard the timing on the cams up to 6deg either way.

If it was out of time enough for the valve noise to be from piston slap, it wouldn't idle or drive.

[KenC]

Get another new chain tensioner, and expand it BEFORE putting it in the car.

Lifters take like 20sec to build pressure at idle.

Is the noise coming from the timing case area?

[KenC]

Unplug your AFM, take the valve cover off, and turn the car on. It should idle steady with the AFM unplugged. Should be able to pinpoint where the noise is coming from.

[MikeDE]

Does anyone else think that the marks look off in this pic. This guy said he had 14 pins(7 links) mark-to-mark between the marks(http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11717), the OP has 16pins(8 links)mark-to-mark. One of the cams is off. If this is the case, the only way to tell which one is off is to bring the crank pulley to TDC and see which sprocket/mark isn't straight up.

EDIT-Everybody take out your E36 Bentley's if you have one, i'll wait...............turn to pg 117-2 fig.4, there is a poor-ass photo showing the chain assy, 7 links mark-to-mark. Turn to page 117-4 fig. 9, an illustration also showing 7 links mark-to-mark. They are M44's BUT it should be the same when it comes to the M42.

[dude8383]

I don't think that following the chain link is right way per se...

Simon, did you use the alignment tool to set the cam's correctly?

[Simon S]

Out in shop on phone - so I'll do the best I can to compose here..

1. Engine ran w/out chatter before tare-down.

2. Chain was zip tied to sprockets entire time when off. Anything is possible - but I don't think # of links between sprockets changed.

3. Mike - the way the intake sprocket arrow points off to the right a bit is bugging me too. I'd read where having exhaust @ 0 and intake slightly advanced was ideal, so when I got it to this point, I was like "fine, whatever".

4. I basically put the chain on and adjusted the sprockets to center of slots.

5. I have the cams and lifters out now - and really, there isn't anything one can really "do to them". I've taken one lifter, and dunked it in gas and hit it with compressed air. After this 'flush' procedure, the lifter 'freed' up - and I can pop it in with gentle pressure - and pop it out by blowing compressed air into orifice.

Right now, I plan to flush all lifters and also move that intake sprocket 'one tooth' so they * should * both truly point straight up.

[Simon S]

With that one little baby orifice, it's near impossible to 'prefill'

[Simon S]

Beginning to wonder if prior owner/mechanic had set cam sprocket slots at their extreme in order to compensate for being one tooth off..

[Simon S]

fwiw, I'm going to attempt to flush and pop all lifters 'out', then dunk in oil for a bit (in effort to fill them) then install as best I can.

When I pulled the lifters, all appeared fine and appeared to be getting oil to them.

[dude8383]

I hope it all works out! Are you using the tool to set the cams properly?

[Ryann]

^Good idea. One quick glance at the square ends of the cams would tell you the story.