How bad is it doc?

[jdirty]

I was doing my lower pan. And to my surprise i saw chunks of my timing guide.
It was two weeks ago since i last had my lower pan off so my estimate would be somewhere along the guide broke and it's been hanging out in my pan.

I'm deciding to either

• replace the guides, chains, sprockets.

• let it grenade while a refurb a new m42 on the side.

• Or just put an m54 since this is my spare m42 car anyway.

Any suggestions?

[roguetoaster]

That looks like #7 below, if so you should be fine for quite a while.

[jdirty]

Good eye! I was trying to figure out which part it was.
That buys me some time to decide then. Thanks!

[bmwman91]

You are probably fine. I wonder how it broke in the first place?

[jdirty]

You are probably fine. I wonder how it broke in the first place?

That's very comforting to hear but i have no clue. lol
Sustained r3vs past 5k...? Tensioner going bad..?

[roguetoaster]

I think it breaks because it knows it's a totally pointless part. It's not as if the chain is going to jump off of the crank sprocket without killing the top end.

Seriously, I think it breaks because it is the thinnest timing guide and thus is prone to "early" failure, as in 15 years or so.

[bmwm42]

People run it without one I know buttchug does on his turbo car

[TobyB]

The ONLY thing to worry about is that when 7 gives up, 6 has started thinking about shedding
its plastic lining, too, and that can make a mess (potential timing chain jump)

At 180k, all of my timing guide parts were brittle and cracking- the $100 or so
and the day spent changing them were well worth just the peace of mind, if nothing else.

t