Who are the engine experts on here?

[ukracer]

BMW engine stopped suddenly by air bags going on. Subsequent investigation shows a hole in chain cover so we don't know what occurred first.

If the timing chain is compromised do the valves hit on the 3.2 engine??

 

[bump]

Apparently it is an interference engine, and a known issue. http://prestige-german-engines.co.uk/engine-issues/bmw-petrol-engine-timing-chain-failure/

 

[the snooper]

so the air bags have gone off because the timing chain failed, great design, cars are quite often written off when the air bags have activated due to replacement costs

 

[ukracer]

No lads...lol perhaps I was not clear enough.
It was running in an M3 when it was hit buy an M1 in germany.

It has now been recovered but the timing chain has a hole in it from the crash.

I am looking at the possibility of reshelling it but not sure about how much damage has possibly been done to the engine.

Apparently when the airbags operate the engine is cut to prevent such damage....you can't try and restart it as a pyro charge activates in the live starter line.

 

[MattH]

It sounds like you'll have to do some investigation. I would manually turn it over by hand to check nothing is hitting, then I'd turn it over with the coils off and do a compression test on each cylinder. If it tests ok then fire it up.

 

[ukracer]

Ye

It sounds like you'll have to do some investigation. I would manually turn it over by hand to check nothing is hitting, then I'd turn it over with the coils off and do a compression test on each cylinder. If it tests ok then fire it up.

That's the plan matt. the other replies answered my query that it is an interference engine....not good news. everything is slow as we are waiting for assessor to visit next week before doing anything ..

 

[tinman123]

is that one you hired yourself or one the ins company is sending out?
if its the ins crowd i thought they didnt want to know anything about it when the mishap occurred on foreign soil?

 

[colnerov]

A third factor is the age of the car.

 

[mike os]

Pull the cover and have a look at the chain? .... or just enlarge the hole as you will want a replacement anyway,

Actual damage could be light, bent valves, broken actuators etc with cams and pistons ok, or it could be wrecked but until you check the chain you are guessing

 

[Jim Davey]

Just about everything modern and high performance is an interference engine these days. As others have said, it wants inspecting further. However, I'd be tempted to take of the chain/timing cover and see what the damage is, looking especially hard for lumps of metal that might cause problems and I'd probably go so far as to drop the sump and look for debris there. If all was well after that I'd get the plugs out and turn it gently by hand, I've got an inspection camera so I'd have a look at the condition of the bores while I was at it. If you have a bent valve or worse still pieces of valve embedded in a piston then it will become fairly obvious. But assuming the chain is ok, there is no shrapnel in the oil and it turns over freely. Move to a compression test and attempt to start.

 

[mike os]

I would not even go that far Jim , if the chain is ok then just remove the plugs (if petrol) and turn it over by hand, or pull the rocker cover and see what moves then turn over by hand

If that's ok then try and start it.... assuming there is no obvious external damage

If the valves are damaged it's at least a head off job so no point borescoping it you will see any damage then if you decide to go there, I doubt the pistons will be damaged if the valves are not

 

[Jim Davey]

If there is a hole in a casing the chances are good that fragments got punched inwards and fell into the oil system. I'd not chance it for the extra time it takes if it were my engine. How far the OP goes is up to him.

 

[mike os]

Oh I agree sooner or later it needs to come off.... but if the head is wrecked it's probably dead

 

[ukracer]

is that one you hired yourself or one the ins company is sending out?
if its the ins crowd i thought they didnt want to know anything about it when the mishap occurred on foreign soil?

We have a lady who specialises in no win no fee claims. Works with the recovery firm my son works for.
She has her own assessors.

 

[ukracer]

Thanks for the advice lads. We will know more when the front is removed. It's seemingly most likely that it will be stripped for parts. It's just a lot easier to sell an engine after its been seen running in a car. So it's chicken and egg really.

 

[tinman123]

We have a lady who specialises in no win no fee claims. Works with the recovery firm my son works for.
She has her own assessors.

aha, good plan there, nothing to loose anyways.

just make sure you dont start stripping it until she at least says you can, just in case if the ins crowd do actually cover it and look for it.

as for breaking it, you planning on doing that yourself and selling it in pieces or flogging the whole car in one sale?.

 

[ukracer]

aha, good plan there, nothing to loose anyways.

just make sure you dont start stripping it until she at least says you can, just in case if the ins crowd do actually cover it and look for it.

as for breaking it, you planning on doing that yourself and selling it in pieces or flogging the whole car in one sale?.

Probably in pieces. But not decided yet. It was going to be a donor for another shell but cash flow is dead just now.....