Your Opinion On This Price

[HiTheNameIsBJ]

I took everything down to the headgasket, in 1 day, dropped the head off at the machine shop and picked it up the next morning and bolted everything together that afternoon. I swapped the timing belt, tensioner, hg, head studs, cam gasket, exhaust gasket, waterpump, all new hoses, coolant flush, thermostat, diff and trans fluid change, oil change, distributor, coil, and spark plugs. It was in total about 10 hours of work across a weekend. The belt can be a bit of a pain to work with but just make sure you cycle the engine using the crank bolt a bunch of times after you install the tensioner, then recheck timing. The one tool you will need that you might not have is a 1 1/4 inch or 32mm wrench, to take the clutch fan off.

[machined]

Doing a valve adjustment too?

[Bishop]

I'm beginning to think I wanna wait a few weeks, stock pile some parts, and do a bunch all at once.... Valve adjustment wasn't on the menu, don't think I need to do it.

[Bishop]

Also, what are the consequences, worst case, if something is not done properly. Like, is it easy to do, just time consuming, or precise and = dead motor if something isn't exact.

[Joey Link]

Blunt can get you a good deal on the timing belt and WP. I paid about $80-90 for a contiental timing belt and tensioner, figure another $30 for belts, $10 for the t-stat, $5 for the cam seal, and $50 for the water pump, so about $190 for the parts, maybe less. Don't cheap out on the belt/tensioner.

He might beat the Elephant Motorsports package price mentioned in this thread too, unless he wont.

[Bishop]

Should I use OEM?.... Or will the aftermarket stuff like what Elephant offers work just fine without worry

[RainierHooker]

The only non-OEM thing in the elephant kit is the water pump which is made by Graf. The OEM water pump now has a plastic impeller, Graf still uses metal, and I have never had one fail, I have used Graf pumps in all sorts of stuff BMW VW etc... The seals and belts are from Continental (Conti-tech) which is the OEM for BMW.
The task isn't very hard at all however some steps are tedious rather than difficult. Some things such as the fan clutch removal can be a pain without the correct tools but can be done without. The most precise thing you have to do is align the cam and crank. If you know how to line up an arrow with a notch you will do fine. Follow the task in the Bently and it would be difficult to mess something up.

Edit: the camshaft seal housing is easy to bugger up if you go crazy. Take your time poping the seal out so you don't gouge the aluminum housing. That's probably the only easy part to break in the whole damn engine...

[Bishop]

Ok, well if I can find some local help from either a BMW enthusiast, or maybe a semi-mechanically inclined friend, I might decide to give it a try myself.... I really just don't wanna bork my motor and have it end up costing more than if I just paid someone else to do the damn thing.... I was thinking about what BJ did and making a weekend out of it cause I wanna do the ignition stuff as well, and change all the fluids in the car

[TexasTerp]

Time is my problem too, I'm paying a bmw dealership $577 for just the timing belt and tensioner. Granted I also am having it fixed in less than 24 hours of me being here in Boston. I'm on my way back to DC from NH and I have no tools

[Bishop]

Yeah, I read your thread. Unfortunate, but at least you lucked out and didn't destroy the motor before getting to a dealer. I have a lot I wanna do over the winter since I decided to skip any autox or DE/bmw schools that may be left this season, and do maintenance and get ready for next year

[Bimmerman325i]

Honestly, I think that's a good price. I always take a loooong time to do car stuff, so having it done in a day by someone who knows what they're doing (I have a feeling I know who you're talking about) is a major plus in my book. I'll do most things, but timing a motor.....

If you are going to DIY, use the Bentley, take the amount of time it thinks you need, or you think you need, and double it, and don't rush it. Me, I would pay ASW to do it.

[Bishop]

That's who I called. He quoted $550 when I bought the car, but said parts prices are going up so that's the reason for increase. I know it's not something I wanna do wrong, but If I can fix so much other stuff for the price I'd pay for labor, and not F the motor, may be worth trying..... I'd dedicate a weekend to it as well, start Friday night prolly, with some beer n friends, and hope to have it all working by Sunday night.

[pawi30]

i need to do this to. can anyone give a list of tools that should be in my possesion before i start?

[Atreus]

i didn't read the whole thing before i posted this, but I'm in Denver, and if you'd need a hand with this, just hit me up!

(goes back to page one)....

edit: wow i haven't done my timing belt yet either, i've never tackled that job though, so honest to god i can't promise much. however, the offer still stands...

what is ASW? have any of you guys tried Paddock Imports on 6th/acoma? (basically santa fe)

[Charlie]

Taking off the front crank bolt with no impact is not easy for the first time mechanic.

He's got a later car, he doesn't have to worry about the crank bolt.

-Charlie