how to adjust m42 timing?

[nickmp0wer]

can any one explain this?

and also will oil come out when i remove the valve cover or should drain it?

thanks

[kowalski]

no oil wont come out if you remove the valve cover. and the timing is controlled by the computer, howver you can adjust the cam timing when the valve cover is removed there is adjustable cam gears. you can advance or retard the timing depending on whether you want more tq or hp

[nickmp0wer]

yeah i know, what i dont know is how to do it

[spud814]

I would just buy a MarkD chip and let the computer advance the timing, but i guess if you adjust the cams it's a free mod, so why not, heheeh. But i remember Stu recommending a professional to do the adjustment if you don't know what your doing.

[DaN]

If you had to ask if oil will come out when you pull the valve cover, I wouldnt recommend you mess with the cam timing. No offense, of course.

[tommyboy]

If you had to ask if oil will come out when you pull the valve cover

:shock:

[nickmp0wer]

If you had to ask if oil will come out when you pull the valve cover, I wouldnt recommend you mess with the cam timing. No offense, of course.

ive built a car, but i dont know stuff like that

[nickmp0wer]

im also wondering if it will have the same affects as a chip and of they could be used together or if that would cause pinging

[fitz318is]

im also wondering if it will have the same affects as a chip and of they could be used together or if that would cause pinging

No it will not have the same effect as a chip. It will adjust your power band up or down the rev range.

Chip is best bet. MarkD and TMS seem to get the best reviews. I dont mind my Dinan chip.

[nah325i]

You will not see much of a change/ gain by messing with the cam timing. If you want to do it, pull the valve cover, you will see the cam sprockets on the front of the cams. Each sprocket has 4 11mm (if I remember corectly) bolts bolting it to the cam, the bolts are in slots on the sprockets which allow the sprocket to be rotated while the cam remains staionary (or alows the sprocket to remain stationary while the cam is rotated). You are only going to mess with the intake side, so you can loosen those bolts a couple turns. I would recommend that you have a wrench on the square back end of the cam and you are holding it stationary when you loosen the bolts so that the cam dosent rotate to the end of its travel. Now you can rotate the cam forward or back to advance or retard its timing. I can tell you from experience that the car will not run well if it is advanced as far as it can go. Also make sure that you tighten the sprocket bolts back well to prevent the cam from slipping from its intended posistion.

[boom-monkey]

I have the intake cam about 5 degrees advanced. No real noticeble difference.

[nickmp0wer]

so if im looking at the front of the engine i turn it clockwise to advance the timing? i have to do the fucking timing chain shit too

[Henna Red]

Not a noticable difference? I disagree with everyone, when I advanced the intake valve timing to about 3.5 degrees the upper end of the powerband (combined with a chip) seemed to pull much quicker. (5.5k - 6.2)

I agree with you but i have mine advanced 5 degrees.

[e9nine]

Some people feel this mod and others don't. For a free mod, I don't see all the fuss over it. I noticed the difference and so did everyone else who drove my car. My guess is some of you are retarding the cam instead of advancing it or expecting it to be what it is not. All this does is shift your powerband.

[bmwman91]

I advanced mine 5 degrees (by advanced I mean 5 degrees in the direction of the engine's rotation). There are definitely some midrange power gains. The top end does not feel like it pulls quite like it used to (and it shouldn't if you advance the timing), but it is a LOT of fun having the midrange power. With the lighter M20 flywheel, it revvs up there in 1st & 2nd no prob.

For those with top end gains, it sounds like you retarded your intake cam's timing.