E30 Zone

Anyone know where i can source a timing chain kit for an 87 m3 e30 at a reasonable price?

Chain itself isn't expensive from dealers...
However, the guides (which are likely to need replacement) are a bit on the steep side...

You could try finding some decent s/h items, but, personally, I'd not skimp on the job on an S14...

Also worth changing the cam, idler and crank sprockets along with the oil pump chain, too...

Why are you changing the chain, though?

Why are you changing the chain, though?

Thats what i wondered!
Is is a re build or is it coming up to 100,000 mile point!!!!!!!!, if so, no need

^ hang on a sec, there is no way of telling if a car needs a chain and guides by its milleage! Ive seen cars with 80k needing chain and guides badly, but on the other hand ive seen cars with 120k and the chains and guides were 'ok' but would need replacement soon.

Yeah right but all im saying is its a myth that they will deffo need doing at 100,000 like certain people will have you believe.
At the end of the day BMW never counted on the guides or the chain being changed at all, not saying they will never need doing its just it now seams that people talk about chains and guides like normal service items as if they always need doing.
Ive seen a lot of m3´s in europe do a lot more milage than 100 150 or even 200 and still run fine will no sight of an chain change.
Sometimes its an unessary expense but..... on the other hand with an s14 better to be safe than sorry i guess.

Hey Andrew, there is no official recomended change interval and as you rightly say you could have a "shagged" 80,000mile chain or a "looking good" 120,000 chain, In my experiance 100,000 miles has proven to be a fair gauge of knackerdness! the only foolproof way to check would be to strip and examine all the parts, and of course if you have the motor that far apart you would change most of it anyway.
Graham

The truth is the duplex chains on the S14 will not snap, jump or otherwise fail...

Unless, of course, the sprockets are so badly worn, but that is unlikely at 100K miles...

The guides and tensioner are more prone to failure...However, it is highly unlikely a broken guide will cause any serious damage...but it will sound a bit horrible!

If you are rebuilding an engine, then chains, sprockets, tensioners and guides should all be changed in any case...
If you are changing a head gasket, cams or other head-off work, it is probably worth doing the chains and guides along with the camshaft sprockets while you're in there...

But unless the chains are rattling horribly and a new tensioner doesn't sort it out, then I'd say leave it until you *have* to take the motor apart...

thanks lads..I changed the tensioner and the chain has got worse...the car has 140k on it..

dannyboy759 wrote:Yeah right but all im saying is its a myth that they will deffo need doing at 100,000 like certain people will have you believe.

The 100K change is applicable to the E28 M5 and unfortunately has resulted in the E30 M3 getting tarred with the same brush.

Motormec in Lowestoft offer a kit. No idea if its a reasonable price but I've never had any problems with them.

http://www.motormec.co.uk/m3chain.html

The 100K change is applicable to the E28 M5 and unfortunately has resulted in the E30 M3 getting tarred with the same brush.

I should ve said it like that in the first place lol