What BMW forums?

[reb78]

A friends 07 320d is parked up at mine. The garage suspected the timing chain and immediately reccomended a new engine or scrap but didnt seems to do much to diagnose it. So, I said get it trailered to mine and even if they break it for parts they will get something for it.

I've been off the BMW scene for a few years but used to be a member on a couple of decent forums. One closed due to the sad death of the forum owner. The other was a US forum so not many diesels.

I know @slim_boy_fat used to frequent a few of the same ones so wondered which are decent forums to use currently.

@Matchless might have some words of advice too.

What I know at the moment is that it was running then sounded a bit loud and then stopped and wouldn't restart. I think its the N47 engine so timing chains are a know issue. I had a look yesterday and thought I could see the rockers for number 1 moving as the engine was turned over but it was hard to see. I have since seen that you can remove the camshaft sensor at the back of the head and then easily see if the cam is turning to diagnose the chain. I havent done this yet.

If it has gone we may change the engine if we can find a good one.

 

[TechnicAl]

BMW Garage wanted £2000 to investigate my gearbox issue.....auto occasionally dropping out of 1st into N

 

[reb78]

Yeah. I will either do the work with my mate or it will be scrapped. The cars in reasonable condition but not worth spending a fortune on.

 

[Parm]

@mtt.tr may have a few words to say

 

[Matchless]

A friends 07 320d is parked up at mine. The garage suspected the timing chain and immediately reccomended a new engine or scrap but didnt seems to do much to diagnose it. So, I said get it trailered to mine and even if they break it for parts they will get something for it.

I've been off the BMW scene for a few years but used to be a member on a couple of decent forums. One closed due to the sad death of the forum owner. The other was a US forum so not many diesels.

I know @slim_boy_fat used to frequent a few of the same ones so wondered which are decent forums to use currently.

@Matchless might have some words of advice too.

What I know at the moment is that it was running then sounded a bit loud and then stopped and wouldn't restart. I think its the N47 engine so timing chains are a know issue. I had a look yesterday and thought I could see the rockers for number 1 moving as the engine was turned over but it was hard to see. I have since seen that you can remove the camshaft sensor at the back of the head and then easily see if the cam is turning to diagnose the chain. I havent done this yet.

If it has gone we may change the engine if we can find a good one.

It is the engines with the chains at the rear that go rattle rattle bang, out of say 50 of these that I repaired I did not have to remove the head on more than one or three, we used to do them with the engine in but we had six car lifts so it was easier for us to do it that way, what usually happens is that one of the two chains wears on the pins and stretches to the point of riding up on a tooth and snaps, then valves hit pistons, cam caps break, cams bend (hollow steel) and rockers break, but the valves don't bend, you would need two timing chain kits, upper and lower, the diesel pump gear but not the cam gear (does not wear) nor the crank gear as that is machined onto the crank! I have swapped cam caps from another engine as they are so accurately machined or welded them back together using technoweld, sometimes the cam cradle breaks, that would need to be replaced,

I believe I have an almost new camkit / chains etc. removed from an engine we repaired that then ran the crank bearings............. not sure what it has in the box without looking,

If you find a used engine you really have to replace both chains before you fit it!

 

[Matchless]

@mtt.tr may have a few words to say

His words may not be so polite................ as in his car did not want to play the game!

 

[premmington]

I have done a few of these - N47 - the chain is in the rear of the engine (hatefull job!).


You wanna be taking the rocker cover off first before you do anything else (buy the timing kit) - see what is broken or bent (if anything?)

We have had a few of these smash the upper alloy cam carrier - these are not cheap ex the dealers.

Gearbox OFF. You are gonna want a timing kit to check the chain timing before you strip anything other than the rocker cover.

Chances of finding a used 2.0 N47 engine that is any good - is slim to nothing!

If you are close to Norfolk - I have the timing kit.

Truthfully if it is a high mileage 07 plate car - it is history!

 

[8ob]

Is this the same basic unit as the td4 in the Freelander? Shame if it is, I have just launched all the td4 spares into the scrappy.

Bob

 

[premmington]

Is this the same basic unit as the td4 in the Freelander? Shame if it is, I have just launched all the td4 spares into the scrappy.

Bob

Land Rover 204D3 (TD4) is not the same engine block as a N47 BMW

TD4 is not a bad engine at all. It is the fuel gear/propshafts that lets these down - but saying that out of all the Land Rover products - I rate an early Free Lander

 

[Matchless]

I have done a few of these - N47 - the chain is in the rear of the engine (hatefull job!).


You wanna be taking the rocker cover off first before you do anything else (buy the timing kit) - see what is broken or bent (if anything?)

We have had a few of these smash the upper alloy cam carrier - these are not cheap ex the dealers.

Gearbox OFF. You are gonna want a timing kit to check the chain timing before you strip anything other than the rocker cover.

Chances of finding a used 2.0 N47 engine that is any good - is slim to nothing!

If you are close to Norfolk - I have the timing kit.

Truthfully if it is a high mileage 07 plate car - it is history!

We never had a timing kit for these engines, just a couple of knackered digital verniers, I think we shortened one or both, clamp them onto the flats on the cams, they should be paralel to the head top surface, TDC id by a rod into the flywheel, diesel pump is not timed, I think I used a Triumph motorcycle clutch extractor for the pump sprocket, well it fitted!

 

[premmington]

We never had a timing kit for these engines, just a couple of knackered digital verniers, I think we shortened one or both, clamp them onto the flats on the cams, they should be paralel to the head top surface, TDC id by a rod into the flywheel, diesel pump is not timed, I think I used a Triumph motorcycle clutch extractor for the pump sprocket, well it fitted!

Three chains in rear would be OK without a timing kit - it is the balance shaft gears on the N47 D20C variant - I would want a timing tool for.

 

[mtt.tr]

Yes best not ask me,

Though I must thank @Matchless and the chap he put me in contact with they have been faultless.

Just by poor luck I've got a very expensive paper weight too expensive to want to scrap but too expensive to want to repair

In the meantime I've bought a £500 e39

The over all is issue is I'm a cheap car person but my mrs isnt

 

[northwest]

The over all is issue is I'm a cheap car person but my mrs isnt

This is a snag. I always buy £1000 bangers and drive them for a couple of years then throw them away. She wants something "nice". So we have two cars and the "nice" one does about 3000 miles a year. It's never going to wear out I suppose.

 

[mtt.tr]

This is a snag. I always buy £1000 bangers and drive them for a couple of years then throw them away. She wants something "nice". So we have two cars and the "nice" one does about 3000 miles a year. It's never going to wear out I suppose.

I've always driven any old rubbish I'm just not that interested

 

[8ob]

I've always driven any old rubbish I'm just not that interested

Same here unless it’s something a bit special and it’s something I like.

Bob

 

[premmington]

Same here unless it’s something a bit special and it’s something I like.

Bob

Over the years I have tended to buy wifey something nice nearly new to drive around in.

I on the other hand tend have vehicles that are other peoples cast offs - motive salvage!

 

[Matchless]

Yes best not ask me,

Though I must thank @Matchless and the chap he put me in contact with they have been faultless.

Just by poor luck I've got a very expensive paper weight too expensive to want to scrap but too expensive to want to repair

In the meantime I've bought a £500 e39

The over all is issue is I'm a cheap car person but my mrs isnt

I love E39's a future classic, the last great BMW that you can work on easily, we ran several tourings one after the other, until I bought the X3 3.0i sport for £400.00 as a breaker, turned out it needed a new engine breather

 

[Matchless]

Three chains in rear would be OK without a timing kit - it is the balance shaft gears on the N47 D20C variant - I would want a timing tool for.

we used to borrow tools from the local dealer to either copy or decide if they were really needed, I made my own for all the petrol engines, usually overnight so we could return the dealer tools next day......

 

[reb78]

Wow! Some great info here to start off with!

So I will get a definite diagnosis and report back. Am I on the right lines with taking the cam sensor out and looking for movement as the engine cranks?

I had a lovely 2.8 e39 touring. Provably the nicest car I have ever owned. So well designed. Everything was where your hand reached for it when driving. Had an e61 after that, nice enough, but not an e39. If anyone knows of a nice e39 touring I could be persuaded.... but this is another topic!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I know @slim_boy_fat used to frequent a few of the same ones so wondered which are decent forums to use currently.

I'm on BMWLand which is the resurrected version of the one you used to be on, which disappeared after the original 'died' with the site owner [there's a story there which I won't relate here ].

Good forum CLICK HERE

Good luck with the 320D.