M42 timing chain guide issue!

[ccsdo5]

Okay so I've been putting my M42 back together and I now have the timing chaine and guides on except I'm starting to worry a little bit about the one on the right side opposite on the chain tensioner. It has this huge space between the bolt it looks like something should be there but I'm not entirely sure... I does actually concern me.

This is what it looks like:


All the other bolts for it went it perfectly and fit, why is this one different?!?!?!

[///M42 sport]

not sure on your issue but that sprocket looks pretty worn already

[roguetoaster]

According to some old pics of my M42 there is a sleeve of some sort that the bolt sits on. Be mindful that my knowledge is of the old style guide, and the new style one requires a different bolt.

Also, your cam sprocket is almost worn out, at least you can replace them without removing the timing cover.

[ccsdo5]

I figured there is a sleeve or something of the sort that needs to be in place of it. I'm gonna call up pelican parts and see if I can possibly exchange it or get another one.

But yes I know the cam gears are worm out I already have other ones coming next week to swap out!

[Lee22]

did you ever find out what the issue was? what did you end up replacing besides the cam gears and tensioner?

[Balleristic31]

Luckily I just took this apart so I have it out, but here is what you are missing.

[bmwman91]

He is missing more than that little bracket piece (is that a broken piece from the old-style guide?). There is a threaded spacer sleeve that is missing. BMW put it up there to provide some adjustability for alignment tolerances between the timing case and cylinder head.

Unfortunately, the sleeve part is not sold on its own as far as I have ever seen...it comes with the guide. OP, you must have dropped it or something while you had the assembly taken apart. Do not try to run the engine without it. Worst case, you will need to buy a new guide and install it (which means dealing with the crank damper bolt again).

Here is a picture of the bolt and threaded sleeve. They are sort of messed up looking because the M6 threads in the head stripped on me and everything was getting bashed around.


Also, make sure that the M6 bolt is 45mm long. The old style guide used a 40mm long one and the new guide has a longer sleeve, thus the 45mm bolt. In fact, I would consider installing a helicoil in that top spot because it has stripped out on a LOT of M42's.

[ccsdo5]

did you ever find out what the issue was? what did you end up replacing besides the cam gears and tensioner?

yup was missing the little sleeve section as stated by bmwman91, just happened that the one I got didn't have it and I got another guide from pelican parts.

I replaced everything since I rebuilt the entire engine.
- timing chain guides
- timing chain
- cam gears
- tensioner
- idler gear

The only thing I left was the gear for the crankshaft iirc. Hopefully that helps you

[Lee22]

yup was missing the little sleeve section as stated by bmwman91, just happened that the one I got didn't have it and I got another guide from pelican parts.

I replaced everything since I rebuilt the entire engine.
- timing chain guides
- timing chain
- cam gears
- tensioner
- idler gear

The only thing I left was the gear for the crankshaft iirc. Hopefully that helps you

i'm about to change my timing tensioner, i hope i don't have to change out all that stuff. it doesn't seem too loud currently. :(