EVERY automotive engineer should be forced to work in the dealer service department for a month and work on every repair before designing anything on a car.
When i worked for Acura as a tech we had engineers working with us on the real problem vehicles. It was actually pretty cool to watch them make their own parts sometimes like engine dampers for vibrations on 2004 2005 Acura TL.
I disagree. The engineer and technician would enter into collusion on how to keep one another employed🤣, thereby, exacerbating the complexity of working on your BMW!!
@@Rock-Bottem1982 I would be happy with water pumps that are not driven off of timing belts that grenade the engine when they lock up or timing chain tensioners that can be accessed without dropping the subframe. I would even be happy with clearance to get at the rear spark plugs. As for BMW, bearings that are not made of butter would be nice.
This is by far the best tech video for the N20 timing chain. As a BMW OEM tech, I can offer time savers for this: 1. There is no need to put the automatic transmission in neutral. The parking pawl only holds the output side on the driveshaft. The torque converter and flywheel will spin freely. 2. There is no need to remove the crank pulley from the hub. It’s almost always rusted on, and will be damaged. You can put the lower guide bolts and plugs in before you put the damper/pulley/hub unit back on. The crank bolt is torqued through the center, and the pulley/damper does not get in the way. 3. The flywheel locking tool is incorrectly installed. It is a tight fit, and the zip ties should not be there. Place the tool into the bellhousing, and slide the bolts fully forward to engage the teeth. 4. For oil pan removal, especially on AWD cars, unbolt the motor mounts, and use ratchet straps to move/tilt the motor into positions you need for access. 5. There is no need to do the TDC procedure. The cam tool will only lock in two positions, and only one position will have both cam lobes pointing up.
@@hydn79 I would trust the BMW Tech, they think park in the transmission somehow locks the engine. It doesn't, the park rod only locks the output shaft not the input, else the starter would never be able to start the engine while in park, see the logic.
@@hydn79 Yes, i'm a BMW Master Tech and can confirm the tips suggested above. Crank pulley can be left onto the hub and can be removed as a unit once the crank bolt is removed. Though for me...on XDrive models, I actually prefer to remove the front subframe completely. Front subframe comes out relatively easily and everything is easier with it completely out of the way, IMHO. Your mileage may vary...
@@atchipmunk Hi I'm looking to buy a non starting 328i xdrive N20 and need to put in neutral so it can be rolled / towed etc. Cranking the engine and pushing on the shifter method does not work. It stays in P. Will screwing in that bolt on the tranny as shown allow all 4 wheels to turn??
This is why FCP Euro is the best. I ordered a thermostat and spark plugs from you guys and everything was properly packaged and you had videos on how to do the work. Saved a good $700 thanks to FCP Euro.
There’s a reason why this repair costs on average $2100-$2500. There is no way in hell I’m doing all this, especially since I don’t have a lift (just like the majority of people don’t).
Thanks heaps for the video guys, extremely informative as usual! For those looking to do this work - get yourself a 3/4 or 1" drive breaker bar. My crankshaft bolt took about 90 kg of body weight and a 1.3m cheater pipe in a jerking motion to break free... that's around 840 ft-lbs / 1100NM. My 1/2 breaker bar was beginning to flex dangerously at the head below these torque levels, so I switched it out for a 3/4". Also, I highly suggest you remove the alignment pin from the block / flex plate, once you've installed the toothed locking tool which goes through the transmission and engages the flex plate. I'd suggest also putting some texta marks on the ring gear, where it engages with the transmission tool - just in case the trans tool slips out, you'll be able to easily re-install/align them again. Depending on your tool set used and the tolerances/alignments for a given engine, you may find that your alignment pin starts taking some of the load (torque) when trying to break the crankshaft bolt free. I'd say it's almost a given. Given how tight my crankshaft bolt was, I decided to check the how the alignment pin in the flex plate was going when switching from the 1/2" to 3/4" breaker bar, and realized I couldn't remove it - it was actually taking some torque which resulted in a slight bend in it and a burr on the side of it. This prevented me from being able to pull it out by hand. I finally managed to get it out by removing the downpipe off the turbo (v-band + several bolts), then using a small pry to pull it out.
Just to let you guys know...anyone who may have the f30 n20 manual 6 speed transmission platform, you do not need a flywheel lock!!!! You simply put the car in 6th gear with the emergency brake on. Do NOT make the mistake I did and buy a flywheel lock only to realize you never needed one in the first place, if you have a manual transmission. This should be mentioned in the video..
Another day, Another time BMW fails. Why do all BMW's now a days suck? they used bad plastic in the E38/E39 around timing chain guides. Most V8s have bad valve seals M5 v10 has bad rod bearings ( also E92 m3 ) and most cant hold fluid to save themselves.
As a happy FCP Euro customer, owner of a 1997 Volvo 850R and 1992 Volvo 940gl; I hope I don't offend any BMW owners by this but I have often thought that BMW engineering can be somewhat pretentious and questionable.
That is on the new BMWs, bean counter accountant vs engineers. Make it last just until warranty expires and buy a new BMW. I have had e28, e30, e39 and they are tanks. The M3 and M5 compared to the new ones, are 100 times more reliable, even the v10.
Great job with the step by step guide and explanation along the way. A very nice added feature was the time stamps. This is a high quality video from a high quality company. Thanks FCP Euro.
Happy to help Joel! We are happy with the new time stamp feature is it will help people follow along when on their backs on their car looking at their phone 😂
Can't BMW do anything right? I was about to look 3- or 5-series with this engine (it's the cheapest and the one I can afford) but same sh*t like with my last E90. How much time they need to build a chain that lasts?
I was going to change the timing chain myself but after watching this video, definitely will sell my 320i!!! In fact, I’m about to go to the BMW dealer here locally to accept their offer on buying my car. I have a 2013 320i with 71,000 miles. I do all the maintenance myself since doing it at the dealer will cost me two arms and a leg!
One correction: That tensioner guide is not held in place by that little loop from the other guide. It's held in place by the bolt you removed so there's no way it can move the way you claimed at 43:13 Other than that, very informative video. Nicely done.
I want to do this job myself, but I can’t imagine removing the oil pan on a XDrive vehicle. Without a lift and pole jacks, this job is 10x harder. Unfortunately my extended warranty doesn’t cover this job for the timing chain rattle, so I will have to wait for it to grenade before they will pay for it. I guess I will just let it go! Excellent video though, you guys are awesome! Thanks for helping me make my decision!
The all wheel drive cars are much harder to work on. Front axles and differential needs to be removed first. Then the front subframe need to be loosened and lowered several inches. My x3 oil pan was removed in my driveway, without a lift. Extra Jack stands and plenty of patience is needed.
Important to clarify that BMW remedied this after January/February of 2015. I have a 16 428i F36 that I maintain and have nearly 80k on that car and it’s running strong. These engines are loud on cold start owing to the loud Bosch DI Injectors.
BMW'S Are a lovely car to drive but there engine designs stink, all this just to replace a chain, I remember working for VW and you could change a cambelt on a Golf tdi in 45 minutes, Bmw do this so it cost you loads of money to repair, Would not buy another BMW ever again.
Great great vid! My son in law has the four cylinder , im lucky I have the tried an tested inline six ! Its Bullit proof 214 k on the clock An still going strong ! I love my bmw
Great video. Can't wait for part 2. Having an n20, this is something that I'm going to have to get done at some point. Funny enough, I have the exact same year vehicle you guys have. So its good motivation.
This is about as bad as I've seen it. My god everything is just absolutely buried under everything else and almost impossible to get at without a factory's worth of specialised tools. The worst thing is the amount of space you have to work in now, trying to open one bolt here and one bolt there that are almost impossible to get at without stripping out half the car. Same with the n47/n57 engines. Take out the whole dam engine just to get at the t-chain. Years ago I used to enjoy working on my cars but now I absolutely deplore it. I pity mechanics, how can they garner any joy in their work doing this shit day in, day out for barely more than minium wage. Funny enough I don't think its deliberate bad design, I think it's 100% on purpose to stop people working on their own cars.
This is a fantastic presentation. I don't even own an N20 / N26 engine BMW yet, but this has me in the mood to consider one, I would love a 3er wagon from this era. Currently DD a fully self-rebuilt 2001 740i Sport (yes, I did my own TCGs), got a 2005 330i ZHP MT6 in the garage right now getting the full renovation treatment.
Excellent video! Scary how loose that chain was. I have 4 friends with this engine, all of them above 60k miles, none have the new timing guides yet. I'm the mechanically inclined one who nerds out over BMW's. I know one of them is going to ask me to do this job for them sooner or later 😐 I got an n55 that's approaching 200k miles and I'm hearing a subtle whine sound. I'm praying it's not the timing chain guides 😕
It's easy, here's a step by step: 1. Just take the timing chain off. 2. Before that however, disable the entire vehicle. 3. Reassemble the entire vehicle.
Where was this video back in April!!! Lol I searched all over the internet and forums when my buddy’s F30 went down. Ended up figuring it out on my own. Also dropped the front diff and oil pan WITHOUT dropping the subframe. 😉
cant wait for all the n20’s to come to the dealer with bent valves or half finished timing work 🤣🤣 very nice video tho but i dont think ur average diy guy or low end mechanic can do this job
Knowing of FCP from Formula Drift, this was my first stop when i got offered to buy my co-workers '12 328i that needs this service (and other oil leaks fixed) Terrifically informative video, going to be a spendy repair, I hope its worth it. Also... how did they manage to make the interiors smell the same since the 80s?
love these 2 videos. BMW really screwed the pooch on the N20. Plastic valve cover lol...plastic oil pan haha... a weak ass Timing Chain Tensioner, Shitty plastic TT' guides and a joke wimpy timing chain. Jesus Krist..Both my e46's have well over 200k and their timing chains are in fine shape. I'm considering a 228i but I won't buy one with the first gen' timing chain set up...plus I'll replace that stupid plastic oil pan
Ok I’m a female, I need to have the timing chain replaced on my 2013 bmw 528xi 105k miles. It gave me a Drivetrain malfunction while on the highway, I pulled over right away and had to have it towed home as it only cranks, but will not start. Is it worth the cost to fix it or should I just sell the car for parts? I definitely cannot do this myself. Before this happened the car was driving beautifully and had no previous problems, I actually just had the breaks and oil changed the week before 😔😔😔
@@StillBrokeOff well I had worse news than I thought. After 4 months of the car sitting in the garage and my husband still not able to figure out why he can’t get it to start as he already thought it was a bigger problem (he maintains all of our BMW’s, even replaced a serpentine belt that shredded in our daughters 335xi, he practically took her car apart to clean out the shreds and her car is running beautifully) We finally took my 528xi to get diagnosed to a specialized bmw mechanic shop that had very good reviews and unfortunately my 528xi not only did the timing chain get lose, a link went inside the engine and now need a new engine! I’m absolutely upset about it, but you’re absolutely right, I’m definitely not going to buy a new car at this time due to inflation. So we decided to spend almost $11k to have the engine replaced 🤬🤬 I should have the car back in about a week and we shall see. Good luck and I hope it’s only your timing chain 🙂
Imagine designing an engine that has a timing chain that lasts as long as a traditional timing belt. I'm so close to buying an f31, but idk if i want this piece of sh*t engine inmy car tbh.
I am not a mechanic, but I am handy with cars and work on my own including engines I have built in the past. We have a 2014 328 xdrive with this engine, and I had no clue it was such a fucking nightmare, and with all these bullshit plastic parts. I know I would break shit and get beyond pissed. Why did the cheap out and use so much plastic on these, and such a shitty timing chain, and with halogen headlights on high end car, when even a Prius has HID's. We are past the point now where the dealer will handle the recall, and its at 89k miles, but on the other hand I should check with them in case its already been done since it was bought used from a BMW dealer back in 2016. Otherwise, I'll have an independent shop to do this, which I hear is around $3k. If we keep the car, I am definitely going to upgrade the fixtures and use HID or LED lights. I am able to work on my Lexus and building up the V8 with stronger rods, and the rest is untouched since it's so strong and going with forced induction, and I am totally comfortable doing that. The engine as well uses a timing belt surprisingly which is good for 90k miles, but it's known to go over double that. Either way, it's pretty straight forward to do the timing belt job thankfully. For a timing chain and guides to be so fragile, its such a flawed setup indeed and I can see why they were sued so badly. Something about working on this BMW is intimidating to me, since I know I'll bust something. But either way, it's a great video and helped me a lot to see what's involved and it's much more than I anticipated. For my understanding. Is the answer to use a 2016 timing chain on these, or is that different? I was on the forums and some of the posts more or less stated you have to do the job and watch it as it goes another 60-80k miles.
How could you force bmw to change the chain on their cost i have a 2014 bmw 328 xdrive ?? I feel like they should repaire the car like preventive repair.
I have a 2013 328i oil changed every 5000 miles with no problems ..... changing oil is everything ! I buy all my parts from you guys Thank you and thank you .
Just can't comprehend why people buy this pieces of shit with an added tiny electric engine plus battery and call it a plug in hybrid. Manufacturers cornered themselves into a bad spot with thisese solutions and pushed people to EVs.
Just did the timing chain on my 2013 f30 this past weekend started sat around 3pm finished sun 9pm give or take a couple hours for lunch breaks lol. If you’re mechanically inclined, it’s definitely a weekend project. Make sure you have all the tools needed beforehand as well. Trickiest part for me was dropping the oil pan as I had to loose the subframe and drop it about a inch. It’s not hard as it seems just very tedious steps. No expensive oem tools needed every tool I bought was off eBay cheapest of the cheapest. Double check the timing before taking off the cam timing tool. Tensioner tool ON BEFORE timing engine.
Hey whats up, I have same '13 F30 xdrive and need to do this job but stressing over dropping the subframe. Did you have to remove any of the control arms or splined steering column shaft?
Excellent video. I just completed this job on a 2013 328i with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission. It is a BIG job and unless you have done it before, it is unlikely that you can complete it in a weekend. This video, as well as the one by the "Auto Repair Guys", both grumble at the poor access to the bell housing for insertion of the flywheel locking pin (removal of the factory dust plug is the issue) and at the hassle of removing the oil pan. I fully agree. These are the two most frustrating parts of the job. The rest of the work is pretty straight forward, if you follow the videos, label all the hose and electrical connections and keep track of which fasteners go with which parts. For cars with automatic transmissions or x-Drive, I would suggest dropping the front subframe to improve access to the oil pan. Eight subframe bolts, two motor mount nuts, some screws in the fender liners, freeing two hoses and the power steering electrical cables from their mountings, and disconnecting the outside temp sensor and ride height connectors. The subframe will drop 3-4" and hang from the shock towers.Use a jack to lower and balance the subframe. Not a lot of work, for a lot better access. Note that you need to support the engine separately. Also, loosen the crankshaft bolt before dropping the subframe. The oil pan on this engine has a pair of "humps" along the rear mounting surface. These humps are taller than the space between the engine (actually the oil pump) and the edge of the transmission bell housing. The automatic transmissions apparently have a pair of cutouts to accommodate these humps. Given a couple of inches of jiggling space (either by raising the engine, or dropping the subframe, or both) you can remove the oil pan. Unfortunately, the manual transmission does not have these cutouts. I needed to completely remove the subframe in order to drop the front of the oil pan 8-10" in order to wiggle the pan through the available space. Finally, one nitpick with the video. There is no need to remove the windshield wipers and the apron just below the windshield. Access to the strut mount bolts is through two removable plugs in the apron.
@@bigdeal87 Yes, the u-joint needs to be removed. As I recall, you also need to remove the brake calipers, the cable connecting to the steering box and a couple of hoses that are routed along the subframe.
Good video. I do have a question though. I am trying to get TDC but the intake cam is off by 3 teeth while the exhaust is aligned. How do I get the timing tool attached if the flat is that far off?
GREAT video !!! My N20 engine is reaching 65K miles with only 5 more months to reach 7 years. The engine is still smooth without abnormal noises. I have been thinking on when I would have to replace this chain. Most probably at 100K mark is the engine does not develop any noises by then. Definitively, I am counting with FCP Euro for all parts and tools for this job.
Noise is not always a symptom so don't rely on that. I didn't have any noise and had mine changed at 78K miles. I had it done preventatively and the guide was broken in 3 places. The guy showed it to me and said it was ready to go. I got lucky I didn't blow my engine.
Nate, great video and thorough in your explanation and steps you take for this DIY timing chain video. If possible, please do one for the N52 engine. Thanks.
I really appreciate how everytime there's something hidden like locking the crank, the camera person doesn't show any of the angles that would help with doing this. And the fast forwards through the parts that are important are also nice too.
Most f’d up cars I’ve ever owned. So finicky, so unreliable, so damn hard to fix. My Nissan’s , Toyota, infinitis.., 300ks on them and flawless. One thing or the other always. Never again
Hi I'm looking to buy a non starting 328i xdrive N20 and need to put in neutral so it can be rolled / towed etc. Cranking the engine and pushing on the shifter method does not work. It stays in P. Will screwing in that bolt on the tranny as shown allow all 4 wheels to turn??
All the money those cars cost because i know theyre not cheap.. and they still can find good enough engineers go design good cars.. throwaway vehicles..
Working on newer and older cars, I still do not understand why someone would want to purchase and work on a car like this. The design is horrible, and a total unnecessary pain to work on . I am just dumbfounded
Lock the crankshaft into place first, also on the side of the trans there is a cover, if you take the cover off and look up on the flywheel you can actually see the crank pin going through the hole. But I’ve done this repair locking the cams in place first and the crank pin did not align.
Bahahaha! We told him Gareth throws Rock every time, but he wouldn't listen... G was on standby and received a few "zesty" phone calls from Nate throughout the shoot.
This is why it costs so much to get these cars serviced. There's so much shit in the way that you have to remove just to be able to get to the parts that need to be replaced. Then you have to put everything back🤦🏽♂️
Shop the parts used in this video here: www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-n20-n26-timing-chain-kit-11318648732kt?
Are you saying the 320, 420, 520 and others have a different timing chain replacement procedure to the 328/428/528?
I like your work Emmanuel from Ghana
@@Random-nf7qb 00
If you were to manually put the car in neutral (while the vehicle is not on) without locking the fly wheel, what would that do?
Thanks for the killer video and parts link. Is there a link for all the specialty tools used to lock the camshafts, balance shaft and flywheel?
EVERY automotive engineer should be forced to work in the dealer service department for a month and work on every repair before designing anything on a car.
Those engineers should be required to fix the problem so they can understand their mistakes.
When i worked for Acura as a tech we had engineers working with us on the real problem vehicles. It was actually pretty cool to watch them make their own parts sometimes like engine dampers for vibrations on 2004 2005 Acura TL.
I disagree. The engineer and technician would enter into collusion on how to keep one another employed🤣, thereby, exacerbating the complexity of working on your BMW!!
They do it on purpose
@@Rock-Bottem1982 I would be happy with water pumps that are not driven off of timing belts that grenade the engine when they lock up or timing chain tensioners that can be accessed without dropping the subframe. I would even be happy with clearance to get at the rear spark plugs. As for BMW, bearings that are not made of butter would be nice.
This is by far the best tech video for the N20 timing chain. As a BMW OEM tech, I can offer time savers for this:
1. There is no need to put the automatic transmission in neutral. The parking pawl only holds the output side on the driveshaft. The torque converter and flywheel will spin freely.
2. There is no need to remove the crank pulley from the hub. It’s almost always rusted on, and will be damaged. You can put the lower guide bolts and plugs in before you put the damper/pulley/hub unit back on. The crank bolt is torqued through the center, and the pulley/damper does not get in the way.
3. The flywheel locking tool is incorrectly installed. It is a tight fit, and the zip ties should not be there. Place the tool into the bellhousing, and slide the bolts fully forward to engage the teeth.
4. For oil pan removal, especially on AWD cars, unbolt the motor mounts, and use ratchet straps to move/tilt the motor into positions you need for access.
5. There is no need to do the TDC procedure. The cam tool will only lock in two positions, and only one position will have both cam lobes pointing up.
@fcpeuro are these tips accurate? Going to attempt this next month.
@@hydn79 I would trust the BMW Tech, they think park in the transmission somehow locks the engine. It doesn't, the park rod only locks the output shaft not the input, else the starter would never be able to start the engine while in park, see the logic.
You do need to take pully out to gain access to the bottom chain rail bolts.@@r.weaver3769
@@hydn79 Yes, i'm a BMW Master Tech and can confirm the tips suggested above. Crank pulley can be left onto the hub and can be removed as a unit once the crank bolt is removed. Though for me...on XDrive models, I actually prefer to remove the front subframe completely. Front subframe comes out relatively easily and everything is easier with it completely out of the way, IMHO. Your mileage may vary...
@@atchipmunk Hi I'm looking to buy a non starting 328i xdrive N20 and need to put in neutral so it can be rolled / towed etc. Cranking the engine and pushing on the shifter method does not work. It stays in P. Will screwing in that bolt on the tranny as shown allow all 4 wheels to turn??
This is why FCP Euro is the best. I ordered a thermostat and spark plugs from you guys and everything was properly packaged and you had videos on how to do the work. Saved a good $700 thanks to FCP Euro.
Happy to help Dashcam Dumbasses, its wild how much money you can really save by taking on some DIY's in your driveway!
@FCP Euro u have any n20 crankshaft
holy hell... fell asleep and woke up and hes still tearing into that motor... nice video tho
HUGE HUGE props to you guys!!!! Thank you!!! I have a Z with the N20 and I do my own work. Again, fantastic work!!!!
You are very welcome, Charles! Glad we can help!
Maybe rubber belts were not so bad after all. They are relatively easy to change compared to a chain and if done on time they hardly ever fail.
well... if I'll hear my timing chain rattling it will be a sign to get rid of the car, this is far above my skill level
if you want to believe is out of your skill level then be my guest. you will never know if you don't try it out!
Wanna come help me with mine now??
"no power tools"- scene made my day ! :D Great work guys ! Thank you and wish you all the best !
Glad you enjoyed it, Danail!
This engine looks like such pain in the ass and I own an n54 😆
That's like throwing bricks from a glass house! 😂
Agree...thank god I have a N55. Whew!
Without the airbox you could literally stand in the engine bay, also there's a solid 6+ inches on each side of the engine.
@@FrenchValleyAirport that's why the handling of a 328i is very nice.
$5000 to change a timing chain, good german 🚗
There’s a reason why this repair costs on average $2100-$2500. There is no way in hell I’m doing all this, especially since I don’t have a lift (just like the majority of people don’t).
4 big jack stands?
Thanks heaps for the video guys, extremely informative as usual!
For those looking to do this work - get yourself a 3/4 or 1" drive breaker bar. My crankshaft bolt took about 90 kg of body weight and a 1.3m cheater pipe in a jerking motion to break free... that's around 840 ft-lbs / 1100NM. My 1/2 breaker bar was beginning to flex dangerously at the head below these torque levels, so I switched it out for a 3/4".
Also, I highly suggest you remove the alignment pin from the block / flex plate, once you've installed the toothed locking tool which goes through the transmission and engages the flex plate. I'd suggest also putting some texta marks on the ring gear, where it engages with the transmission tool - just in case the trans tool slips out, you'll be able to easily re-install/align them again. Depending on your tool set used and the tolerances/alignments for a given engine, you may find that your alignment pin starts taking some of the load (torque) when trying to break the crankshaft bolt free. I'd say it's almost a given. Given how tight my crankshaft bolt was, I decided to check the how the alignment pin in the flex plate was going when switching from the 1/2" to 3/4" breaker bar, and realized I couldn't remove it - it was actually taking some torque which resulted in a slight bend in it and a burr on the side of it. This prevented me from being able to pull it out by hand. I finally managed to get it out by removing the downpipe off the turbo (v-band + several bolts), then using a small pry to pull it out.
Thank you for the notes and first-hand feedback Christian! All these notes make it helpful for other viewers!
UGH!!!! It’s NOT a coil pack! It’s a coil-on-plug. A coil pack is a group of coils packed together in a single assembly.
Just to let you guys know...anyone who may have the f30 n20 manual 6 speed transmission platform, you do not need a flywheel lock!!!! You simply put the car in 6th gear with the emergency brake on. Do NOT make the mistake I did and buy a flywheel lock only to realize you never needed one in the first place, if you have a manual transmission. This should be mentioned in the video..
What else don’t I need to do? I have a manual.
Another day, Another time BMW fails. Why do all BMW's now a days suck? they used bad plastic in the E38/E39 around timing chain guides. Most V8s have bad valve seals M5 v10 has bad rod bearings ( also E92 m3 ) and most cant hold fluid to save themselves.
As a happy FCP Euro customer, owner of a 1997 Volvo 850R and 1992 Volvo 940gl; I hope I don't offend any BMW owners by this but I have often thought that BMW engineering can be somewhat pretentious and questionable.
That is on the new BMWs, bean counter accountant vs engineers. Make it last just until warranty expires and buy a new BMW. I have had e28, e30, e39 and they are tanks. The M3 and M5 compared to the new ones, are 100 times more reliable, even the v10.
Great job with the step by step guide and explanation along the way. A very nice added feature was the time stamps. This is a high quality video from a high quality company. Thanks FCP Euro.
Happy to help Joel! We are happy with the new time stamp feature is it will help people follow along when on their backs on their car looking at their phone 😂
@@fcpeuro )
Can't BMW do anything right? I was about to look 3- or 5-series with this engine (it's the cheapest and the one I can afford) but same sh*t like with my last E90. How much time they need to build a chain that lasts?
I was going to change the timing chain myself but after watching this video, definitely will sell my 320i!!! In fact, I’m about to go to the BMW dealer here locally to accept their offer on buying my car. I have a 2013 320i with 71,000 miles. I do all the maintenance myself since doing it at the dealer will cost me two arms and a leg!
You would've only been 1,000 miles outta warranty to have it replaced.
One correction: That tensioner guide is not held in place by that little loop from the other guide. It's held in place by the bolt you removed so there's no way it can move the way you claimed at 43:13 Other than that, very informative video. Nicely done.
Both circles were damaged where the bolt holds in
WOW this work is intense no wonder BMW charge upward 5k to do the work. Wow i hope they cover mines if not I am going to trade the car and go Honda.
Best timing chain replacement video on TH-cam.
exactly!
I agree
I want to do this job myself, but I can’t imagine removing the oil pan on a XDrive vehicle. Without a lift and pole jacks, this job is 10x harder. Unfortunately my extended warranty doesn’t cover this job for the timing chain rattle, so I will have to wait for it to grenade before they will pay for it. I guess I will just let it go! Excellent video though, you guys are awesome! Thanks for helping me make my decision!
The all wheel drive cars are much harder to work on. Front axles and differential needs to be removed first. Then the front subframe need to be loosened and lowered several inches. My x3 oil pan was removed in my driveway, without a lift. Extra Jack stands and plenty of patience is needed.
Important to clarify that BMW remedied this after January/February of 2015. I have a 16 428i F36 that I maintain and have nearly 80k on that car and it’s running strong. These engines are loud on cold start owing to the loud Bosch DI Injectors.
Same here
So a 2015 model would still be affected by this old design?
BMW'S Are a lovely car to drive but there engine designs stink, all this just to replace a chain, I remember working for VW and you could change a cambelt on a Golf tdi in 45 minutes, Bmw do this so it cost you loads of money to repair,
Would not buy another BMW ever again.
Great great vid! My son in law has the four cylinder , im lucky
I have the tried an tested inline six ! Its
Bullit proof 214 k on the clock
An still going strong ! I love my bmw
Can I actually do this myself guys?
You got this, just take your time and double-check all your work.
My 2012 328i got 120k miles and it’s still going strong, but now I’m low key worried about the timing chain 😭
mine went at 132000
@@StillBrokeOff Fr that’s scary 😟
@@Chadabi it sucks im getting quotes for repair now
@@StillBrokeOff 🤞lmk wut they charge you
@@StillBrokeOff my dealership quoted me $7200 parts & labor... that's why I'm here today haha
Great video. Can't wait for part 2. Having an n20, this is something that I'm going to have to get done at some point. Funny enough, I have the exact same year vehicle you guys have. So its good motivation.
We just posted it, you can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/GPfSWV1WQaw/w-d-xo.html
@@fcpeuro Right on!
This is about as bad as I've seen it. My god everything is just absolutely buried under everything else and almost impossible to get at without a factory's worth of specialised tools. The worst thing is the amount of space you have to work in now, trying to open one bolt here and one bolt there that are almost impossible to get at without stripping out half the car. Same with the n47/n57 engines. Take out the whole dam engine just to get at the t-chain.
Years ago I used to enjoy working on my cars but now I absolutely deplore it. I pity mechanics, how can they garner any joy in their work doing this shit day in, day out for barely more than minium wage.
Funny enough I don't think its deliberate bad design, I think it's 100% on purpose to stop people working on their own cars.
This is a fantastic presentation. I don't even own an N20 / N26 engine BMW yet, but this has me in the mood to consider one, I would love a 3er wagon from this era. Currently DD a fully self-rebuilt 2001 740i Sport (yes, I did my own TCGs), got a 2005 330i ZHP MT6 in the garage right now getting the full renovation treatment.
Excellent video! Scary how loose that chain was. I have 4 friends with this engine, all of them above 60k miles, none have the new timing guides yet. I'm the mechanically inclined one who nerds out over BMW's. I know one of them is going to ask me to do this job for them sooner or later 😐 I got an n55 that's approaching 200k miles and I'm hearing a subtle whine sound. I'm praying it's not the timing chain guides 😕
Its probably easier to drop the sub-frame than to try to lift the engine with jacks.
butchers
It's easy, here's a step by step:
1. Just take the timing chain off.
2. Before that however, disable the entire vehicle.
3. Reassemble the entire vehicle.
Sounds about right
Another example of poor engineering.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, make a video for the N55 chain!
PLEASE
Its on the list 👍
Where was this video back in April!!! Lol I searched all over the internet and forums when my buddy’s F30 went down. Ended up figuring it out on my own. Also dropped the front diff and oil pan WITHOUT dropping the subframe. 😉
Nathan Menard any chance you have a video or care to share how you got the oil pan out without removing subframe…those are the videos we need
I second that! A video that shows how to remove front diff without dropping subframe would be great!
cant wait for all the n20’s to come to the dealer with bent valves or half finished timing work 🤣🤣 very nice video tho but i dont think ur average diy guy or low end mechanic can do this job
Great video but it’s easier to lower the sub frame to remove the oil pan less work and bolts
Need to get a new camera man.
Heard that, wish I didn’t hear that, but heard that
Knowing of FCP from Formula Drift, this was my first stop when i got offered to buy my co-workers '12 328i that needs this service (and other oil leaks fixed) Terrifically informative video, going to be a spendy repair, I hope its worth it. Also... how did they manage to make the interiors smell the same since the 80s?
what is the mileage advise to replace the timing Chain for N20 engine?
100k or 120k
love these 2 videos. BMW really screwed the pooch on the N20. Plastic valve cover lol...plastic oil pan haha... a weak ass Timing Chain Tensioner, Shitty plastic TT' guides and a joke wimpy timing chain. Jesus Krist..Both my e46's have well over 200k and their timing chains are in fine shape. I'm considering a 228i but I won't buy one with the first gen' timing chain set up...plus I'll replace that stupid plastic oil pan
Ok I’m a female, I need to have the timing chain replaced on my 2013 bmw 528xi 105k miles. It gave me a Drivetrain malfunction while on the highway, I pulled over right away and had to have it towed home as it only cranks, but will not start. Is it worth the cost to fix it or should I just sell the car for parts? I definitely cannot do this myself. Before this happened the car was driving beautifully and had no previous problems, I actually just had the breaks and oil changed the week before 😔😔😔
same lol im gonna fix it up as buying another car is out of the question when i just bought this one 2013 528i here
@@StillBrokeOff well I had worse news than I thought. After 4 months of the car sitting in the garage and my husband still not able to figure out why he can’t get it to start as he already thought it was a bigger problem (he maintains all of our BMW’s, even replaced a serpentine belt that shredded in our daughters 335xi, he practically took her car apart to clean out the shreds and her car is running beautifully)
We finally took my 528xi to get diagnosed to a specialized bmw mechanic shop that had very good reviews and unfortunately my 528xi not only did the timing chain get lose, a link went inside the engine and now need a new engine!
I’m absolutely upset about it, but you’re absolutely right, I’m definitely not going to buy a new car at this time due to inflation. So we decided to spend almost $11k to have the engine replaced 🤬🤬
I should have the car back in about a week and we shall see. Good luck and I hope it’s only your timing chain 🙂
Imagine designing an engine that has a timing chain that lasts as long as a traditional timing belt. I'm so close to buying an f31, but idk if i want this piece of sh*t engine inmy car tbh.
Did you find the broken TC guide plastic in the oil pan or elsewhere? Perhaps in the drained oil?
I am not a mechanic, but I am handy with cars and work on my own including engines I have built in the past. We have a 2014 328 xdrive with this engine, and I had no clue it was such a fucking nightmare, and with all these bullshit plastic parts. I know I would break shit and get beyond pissed. Why did the cheap out and use so much plastic on these, and such a shitty timing chain, and with halogen headlights on high end car, when even a Prius has HID's. We are past the point now where the dealer will handle the recall, and its at 89k miles, but on the other hand I should check with them in case its already been done since it was bought used from a BMW dealer back in 2016. Otherwise, I'll have an independent shop to do this, which I hear is around $3k. If we keep the car, I am definitely going to upgrade the fixtures and use HID or LED lights.
I am able to work on my Lexus and building up the V8 with stronger rods, and the rest is untouched since it's so strong and going with forced induction, and I am totally comfortable doing that. The engine as well uses a timing belt surprisingly which is good for 90k miles, but it's known to go over double that. Either way, it's pretty straight forward to do the timing belt job thankfully. For a timing chain and guides to be so fragile, its such a flawed setup indeed and I can see why they were sued so badly.
Something about working on this BMW is intimidating to me, since I know I'll bust something. But either way, it's a great video and helped me a lot to see what's involved and it's much more than I anticipated.
For my understanding. Is the answer to use a 2016 timing chain on these, or is that different? I was on the forums and some of the posts more or less stated you have to do the job and watch it as it goes another 60-80k miles.
Bmw really know how to do you over. Ill stick to my Q50 👍🏾
How could you force bmw to change the chain on their cost i have a 2014 bmw 328 xdrive ?? I feel like they should repaire the car like preventive repair.
So glad my extended warranty covered this it really did cost 5500k
Definitely a case where the extended warranty pays for itself many times over!
I have a 2013 328i oil changed every 5000 miles with no problems ..... changing oil is everything ! I buy all my parts from you guys Thank you and thank you .
Which oil do you use? Do you also change the tranny fluid? Thanks
Just can't comprehend why people buy this pieces of shit with an added tiny electric engine plus battery and call it a plug in hybrid. Manufacturers cornered themselves into a bad spot with thisese solutions and pushed people to EVs.
I got a code 130C01 on my F10 N52 engine you think my timing jumped I got a crank no start car was running fine then just wouldn’t start
Yeahhhhhh..... This guy knows what he's doing. I'll just pay the $5,000........
A person had one job, one job only that is to hold the camera steady and focused, failed miserably on both counts
Don't attempt this at home. With my luck bolts snap and things break. Great video.
might as well go back to rubber timing belts if chains are failing like this...easy access and cheaper 🤷♂🤷♂
It’s a very reliable engine! Except for the nearly-impossible to replace timing chain….LOL
I can put the cilinder 1 un cero compression lower a litle the engine take pan oil out .whu need lock the crankshaft if u lock the fly wheel?
Just did the timing chain on my 2013 f30 this past weekend started sat around 3pm finished sun 9pm give or take a couple hours for lunch breaks lol. If you’re mechanically inclined, it’s definitely a weekend project. Make sure you have all the tools needed beforehand as well. Trickiest part for me was dropping the oil pan as I had to loose the subframe and drop it about a inch. It’s not hard as it seems just very tedious steps. No expensive oem tools needed every tool I bought was off eBay cheapest of the cheapest. Double check the timing before taking off the cam timing tool. Tensioner tool ON BEFORE timing engine.
Hey whats up, I have same '13 F30 xdrive and need to do this job but stressing over dropping the subframe. Did you have to remove any of the control arms or splined steering column shaft?
Excellent video. I just completed this job on a 2013 328i with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission. It is a BIG job and unless you have done it before, it is unlikely that you can complete it in a weekend. This video, as well as the one by the "Auto Repair Guys", both grumble at the poor access to the bell housing for insertion of the flywheel locking pin (removal of the factory dust plug is the issue) and at the hassle of removing the oil pan. I fully agree. These are the two most frustrating parts of the job. The rest of the work is pretty straight forward, if you follow the videos, label all the hose and electrical connections and keep track of which fasteners go with which parts.
For cars with automatic transmissions or x-Drive, I would suggest dropping the front subframe to improve access to the oil pan. Eight subframe bolts, two motor mount nuts, some screws in the fender liners, freeing two hoses and the power steering electrical cables from their mountings, and disconnecting the outside temp sensor and ride height connectors. The subframe will drop 3-4" and hang from the shock towers.Use a jack to lower and balance the subframe. Not a lot of work, for a lot better access. Note that you need to support the engine separately. Also, loosen the crankshaft bolt before dropping the subframe.
The oil pan on this engine has a pair of "humps" along the rear mounting surface. These humps are taller than the space between the engine (actually the oil pump) and the edge of the transmission bell housing. The automatic transmissions apparently have a pair of cutouts to accommodate these humps. Given a couple of inches of jiggling space (either by raising the engine, or dropping the subframe, or both) you can remove the oil pan. Unfortunately, the manual transmission does not have these cutouts. I needed to completely remove the subframe in order to drop the front of the oil pan 8-10" in order to wiggle the pan through the available space.
Finally, one nitpick with the video. There is no need to remove the windshield wipers and the apron just below the windshield. Access to the strut mount bolts is through two removable plugs in the apron.
Excellent additions, thanks! Just wish I'd read this comment before pulling the wiper arms 😂
Did you also remove the steering u joint to lower the frame?
@@bigdeal87 Yes, the u-joint needs to be removed. As I recall, you also need to remove the brake calipers, the cable connecting to the steering box and a couple of hoses that are routed along the subframe.
Was happy for a 2013 328i 84752 miles for 10k now im just unsure😭
not a lot of miles for needing a timng chain job.
I'd rather have a belt.
Ya unfortunately its not the only BMW with timing Chain issues, you'd think they would have learned from past mistakes!
This was a design flaw in early F30's and it was revised and corrected.
Good video. I do have a question though. I am trying to get TDC but the intake cam is off by 3 teeth while the exhaust is aligned. How do I get the timing tool attached if the flat is that far off?
How did you resolve this problem?? I am in the same situation
@@popptj just got it working. I went and rotated it until it was aligned after removing the chain.
If I have a X drive do I need to remove the front drive axles for this ?
If you have an Xdrive car the front axles and differential will need to be removed to be able to remove the oil pan.
@@fcpeuro ouch! pain!
Hey, nice video. What year of your BMW? I heard since 2015 they changed the timing chain design. Nice job.
Glad you like the video, Ricky! This one is a 2012.
@@fcpeuro thanks. Just suggestions that if you could make a video for replacing oil filter housing gasket of your N20. Thanks
At what mileage should I change it or would you recommend changing it?
Watching your video and changing my timing chain as well great video. My intake did jump as well. How would I know if I will have engine failure?
GREAT video !!! My N20 engine is reaching 65K miles with only 5 more months to reach 7 years. The engine is still smooth without abnormal noises. I have been thinking on when I would have to replace this chain. Most probably at 100K mark is the engine does not develop any noises by then. Definitively, I am counting with FCP Euro for all parts and tools for this job.
Noise is not always a symptom so don't rely on that. I didn't have any noise and had mine changed at 78K miles. I had it done preventatively and the guide was broken in 3 places. The guy showed it to me and said it was ready to go. I got lucky I didn't blow my engine.
@@leveragelifestyle8581 Ours is at 89k so I should check into ours then.. what year is yours?
Won’t the engine spin freely anyway cause the car has a torque converter???
Nate, great video and thorough in your explanation and steps you take for this DIY timing chain video. If possible, please do one for the N52 engine. Thanks.
I’ll be getting my timing chain replaced by the end of November of 2020 I’m at 74k I have a 2013 328i sedan wish me luck ! 👍🏼
Best of luck!!!
Yeah good luck... Is it worth spending the money on them, I mean 2012 models oniy worth say 5..6 thousand..?
Wow 74k. 🤦♂️ Bmw should have kept going with the N52. I have a 2011 N52 with 125k miles. This car will be my last bmw because of this BS N20 engine.
Even if the transmission was in park the engine would spin freely. The only way to test it would be to spin the drive shaft.
I really appreciate how everytime there's something hidden like locking the crank, the camera person doesn't show any of the angles that would help with doing this. And the fast forwards through the parts that are important are also nice too.
need to touch more on how to use the tool to set the balance shaft of the oil pump. maybe even show the tool and how you used it.
Would this cause fine dust particles of metal in the oil just stripped mine the chain was very slack and should i replace the oil pump?
WTF I have 25K miles on my N20 and it makes that sound at startup. I'm hoping I just have loud injectors.
How is it now ?
What was the total time for the job?
No way I'm doing this myself lol.
Wow you make it look so easy. Shit id loose like 10 bolts and curse like a sailor
You need to take off the two cam magnetic sensors so the cover comes off easily
Most f’d up cars I’ve ever owned. So finicky, so unreliable, so damn hard to fix. My Nissan’s , Toyota, infinitis.., 300ks on them and flawless.
One thing or the other always. Never again
😥
YeH try putting those cars in neutral while on the ground n you broke down somewhere
Hi I'm looking to buy a non starting 328i xdrive N20 and need to put in neutral so it can be rolled / towed etc. Cranking the engine and pushing on the shifter method does not work. It stays in P. Will screwing in that bolt on the tranny as shown allow all 4 wheels to turn??
You will need to do the manual neutral trick at the transmission in order to allow the vehicle to roll.
Best part of this video is FCP pulled an accountant away from his desk to do this job so anyone can do it!
Nate is technically an Engineer, but that's basically the same thing as an accountant
All the money those cars cost because i know theyre not cheap.. and they still can find good enough engineers go design good cars.. throwaway vehicles..
Working on newer and older cars, I still do not understand why someone would want to purchase and work on a car like this. The design is horrible, and a total unnecessary pain to work on . I am just dumbfounded
Bolts in the back of the vacuum pump are T40 not T30.
Lock the crankshaft into place first, also on the side of the trans there is a cover, if you take the cover off and look up on the flywheel you can actually see the crank pin going through the hole. But I’ve done this repair locking the cams in place first and the crank pin did not align.
Hey Jason if you are strictly replacing the timing chain do you have to remove the oil Pan?
HOLY COW, you guys did an AWESOME job with this DIY.
Thank you, shibidi!
is this issue common on 2014? chain has about inch of play when cold but shes tight with no play after a drive
Anything with an N20/26 will be affected!
Nate clearly doesn't know how to play ro-sham-bo otherwise we would've seen Gareth cussing up a storm over this DIY.
;)
Bahahaha! We told him Gareth throws Rock every time, but he wouldn't listen... G was on standby and received a few "zesty" phone calls from Nate throughout the shoot.
Shoud you clean and dry all the mating surfaces before assembly. Because everything is held buy friction. And oil may affect it
Thing didn't look dry
Germany cars don’t look for owners. They look for victims.
At times it can certainly feel like that Marc!
who the heck has those special tools hope my n54 doesnt need one
is there another possible way I can time the oil pump balacer w/o taking all the stuff apart?? thanks
:(
This is why it costs so much to get these cars serviced. There's so much shit in the way that you have to remove just to be able to get to the parts that need to be replaced. Then you have to put everything back🤦🏽♂️
There is quite a lot going on sometimes😓
Amazing job and having all tools necessarily is a must !!
I dont have bmw and I watched entire video,,well done.this guy knows what his doing