m40 camshaft replacement
Moderator: martauto
I have a new camshaft kit for my E30 M40 but I'm struggling to find a step by step instruction on how to do it. I'm not a mechanic but I'm looking forward to having a go. Does anyone have a step by step available (I will also be changing the belt.)
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Speedtouch
- Old Skooler
- Posts: 14060
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: Canterbury
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... 0_Camshaft
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... elt_Change
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... elt_Change
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
Do you have a chip for the M40 engine
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Speedtouch
- Old Skooler
- Posts: 14060
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: Canterbury
Alas, no. Try PMing Ant or DmcL for one.
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
As stated the Haynes manual will tell you how to time and tenstion the cambelt.
If you are replacing the camshaft with the head still on the engine....a word of warning.
The engine slopes to the right side and if you look on that side below the cam you will notice that on the downhill side are about 6 holes for the oil to flow back into the sump.
These holes have been scientificaly made to the correct size so that the washers that sit on top of the valves can easily fall through the holes and drop into the sump....ask me how I know this!
So before removing the camshaft and have all bits and pieces go flying....block off all of those oil holes firmly with old rags so nothing can drop into the sump!
If you are replacing the camshaft with the head still on the engine....a word of warning.
The engine slopes to the right side and if you look on that side below the cam you will notice that on the downhill side are about 6 holes for the oil to flow back into the sump.
These holes have been scientificaly made to the correct size so that the washers that sit on top of the valves can easily fall through the holes and drop into the sump....ask me how I know this!
So before removing the camshaft and have all bits and pieces go flying....block off all of those oil holes firmly with old rags so nothing can drop into the sump!
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BHadley
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 902
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Newton abbot, Devon
- Contact:
Seem to remember a cam lock tool, and a flywheel locking pin being required as well as a tension gauge for the belt
(like fishermen use to weigh the fish from the mouth), can't think of the correct name.... Avery scale sound right??
Sure there is ways around it.... When I got an estimate years ago from a garage it was a £200 job. (I got it for less than £100 in the end from a mate )
Have you got a kit with new rollers and tensioner or just a belt?
The water pump runs off the fan belt so you could change the belt first then do the pump after.
They can be a sod to get out so lots of wd40 style oil...
(like fishermen use to weigh the fish from the mouth), can't think of the correct name.... Avery scale sound right??
Sure there is ways around it.... When I got an estimate years ago from a garage it was a £200 job. (I got it for less than £100 in the end from a mate )
Have you got a kit with new rollers and tensioner or just a belt?
The water pump runs off the fan belt so you could change the belt first then do the pump after.
They can be a sod to get out so lots of wd40 style oil...
The flywheel locking tool you can use the BMW rod that comes in the boot toolkit that is used in conjunction with the spark-plug spanner.....or any 8 mm bolt I think.
As per the wiki and the Haynes manual you set the tension by using a small fish scale....mine reads up to 4 Kg....you need to set the tension at 2 Kg along an 85 mm length of allen key.
The camshaft locking tool is a nice-to-have as the camshaft end has to be exactly square to the top of the cylinder head but I have found that I can put a small straight edge along the square top of the camshaft and measure down to the top of the head using a vernier caliper on both sides. Then you release the bolt on the camshaft...rotate it until level...only has a few degrees of travel available and torque the bolt to 65 NM....turn the engine over manually a few times and check that the camshaft is still level.
The great Brianmoooore does not think that it is needed to loosen the camshaft and get it exactly level when replacing the belt only....I disagree and think it is important but seeing as you are putting a new camshaft in you have no choice but to get it level in any case!
As per the wiki and the Haynes manual you set the tension by using a small fish scale....mine reads up to 4 Kg....you need to set the tension at 2 Kg along an 85 mm length of allen key.
The camshaft locking tool is a nice-to-have as the camshaft end has to be exactly square to the top of the cylinder head but I have found that I can put a small straight edge along the square top of the camshaft and measure down to the top of the head using a vernier caliper on both sides. Then you release the bolt on the camshaft...rotate it until level...only has a few degrees of travel available and torque the bolt to 65 NM....turn the engine over manually a few times and check that the camshaft is still level.
The great Brianmoooore does not think that it is needed to loosen the camshaft and get it exactly level when replacing the belt only....I disagree and think it is important but seeing as you are putting a new camshaft in you have no choice but to get it level in any case!
I am really appreciating the advice and help here. The aim at the moment is to replace the camshaft with the new one I got from Schmiedmanns. I also intend to replace the belt (because it was cheap) but the main thing is to put the new cam in and then see how it goes before spending anymore money on the car. The whole thing is bringing out the boy in me (I'm 54) but the project is a really good bonding thing for my eldest son (16) and me, he is even more excited about it than me. We have to wait until the school term finishes in two weeks time (we're in Australia).
I have had a cam locking tool made up by a plastic fabricator and I'm looking forward to using it. I will try to use the BMW tool kit rod to lock the fly wheel. I'm going to try to do this without removing the radiator (is that posssible). I can see myself doing a little at a time and posting here whenever I'm stumped.
The car itself, 1989 318i coupe, is beautiful and, other than the drivers seat, is in realy good cond.
I will let you know how we go.
I have had a cam locking tool made up by a plastic fabricator and I'm looking forward to using it. I will try to use the BMW tool kit rod to lock the fly wheel. I'm going to try to do this without removing the radiator (is that posssible). I can see myself doing a little at a time and posting here whenever I'm stumped.
The car itself, 1989 318i coupe, is beautiful and, other than the drivers seat, is in realy good cond.
I will let you know how we go.
It is very easy to lock the flywheel....there is a hole in the bell housing just next to the starter motor. Best is to disconnect the battery, remove spark plugs and turn the engine over by means of a 22 mm socket on the end of the crankshaft. While doing this press the tool or bolt through the bell housing hole and up against the flywheel....you will find the point where the rod enters the hole in the flywheel and locks it. You can do this without disconnecting the battery but be careful to not short out the connectors behind the starter motor!
At this stage your distributor rotor will either be pointing at # 1 cylinder TDC (About 10 O clock) or at #4 cylinder TDC (about 4 O clock)....if you remove the locking bolt you can turn the flywheel over another 360 degrees and the cam shaft will have turned through 180 degrees....it does not matter which point you are at as the little sensor wrapped around number 4 plug wire tells the ECU which injector and plug needs to be energized...I just like having # 1 cylinder at TDC! At this point you should see that the front of the camshaft is squared off...when at # 1 cylinder TDC there are some indents on the top flat surface of the camshaft....check if this flat surface is level with the head....you need to get it perfectly level after fitting the new cam, belts etc. or the engine will not rev very high!
When you do get around to replacing the belt you will need to drain the coolant, remove the fan and fan shroud so as to be able to get in there and remember to fit new belt tentioner pulley and idle pulleys at the same time!
At this stage your distributor rotor will either be pointing at # 1 cylinder TDC (About 10 O clock) or at #4 cylinder TDC (about 4 O clock)....if you remove the locking bolt you can turn the flywheel over another 360 degrees and the cam shaft will have turned through 180 degrees....it does not matter which point you are at as the little sensor wrapped around number 4 plug wire tells the ECU which injector and plug needs to be energized...I just like having # 1 cylinder at TDC! At this point you should see that the front of the camshaft is squared off...when at # 1 cylinder TDC there are some indents on the top flat surface of the camshaft....check if this flat surface is level with the head....you need to get it perfectly level after fitting the new cam, belts etc. or the engine will not rev very high!
When you do get around to replacing the belt you will need to drain the coolant, remove the fan and fan shroud so as to be able to get in there and remember to fit new belt tentioner pulley and idle pulleys at the same time!
Billwill wrote:It is very easy to lock the flywheel....there is a hole in the bell housing just next to the starter motor. Best is to disconnect the battery, remove spark plugs and turn the engine over by means of a 22 mm socket on the end of the crankshaft. While doing this press the tool or bolt through the bell housing hole and up against the flywheel....you will find the point where the rod enters the hole in the flywheel and locks it. You can do this without disconnecting the battery but be careful to not short out the connectors behind the starter motor!
At this stage your distributor rotor will either be pointing at # 1 cylinder TDC (About 10 O clock) or at #4 cylinder TDC (about 4 O clock)....if you remove the locking bolt you can turn the flywheel over another 360 degrees and the cam shaft will have turned through 180 degrees....it does not matter which point you are at as the little sensor wrapped around number 4 plug wire tells the ECU which injector and plug needs to be energized...I just like having # 1 cylinder at TDC! At this point you should see that the front of the camshaft is squared off...when at # 1 cylinder TDC there are some indents on the top flat surface of the camshaft....check if this flat surface is level with the head....you need to get it perfectly level after fitting the new cam, belts etc. or the engine will not rev very high..if you have a made up cam-locking tool then that should help set the cam square.
When you do get around to replacing the belt you will need to drain the coolant, remove the fan and fan shroud so as to be able to get in there and remember to fit new belt tentioner pulley and idle pulleys at the same time!
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
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- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
I haven't at any time suggested that you don't check the camshaft position with a straight edge, but I'd do this before slackening the pulley bolts, because the chances are that you'll find its already in exactly the correct position aready. If it's not, it's probably because someone has been at it since it left the factory!Billwill wrote: Brianmoooore does not think that it is needed to loosen the camshaft and get it exactly level when replacing the belt only....I disagree and think it is important but seeing as you are putting a new camshaft in you have no choice but to get it level in any case!
Irrelevant in this case, of course, 'cause a new cam is going in.
E30 radiators are so ridiculously easy to remove, that it would be silly not to get it out of the way, and combine a coolant (and pump, if needed) change at the same time. If you don't know the car's service history, then change the pump anyway, but I consider a pump should last the life of two cam belts.
Thanks for all the above. My son and I (he did most of the work) installed a new camshaft, timing belt, water pump, thermostat and rollers over the last couple of days. It really was lots of fun and the car started first pop and sounded beatiful.
The water pump removal worried me a lot so when we got to it we used the bolts which hold it in to screw into the wing holes to force the pump out. we did this real gently with lots od crc and gentle tapping with hammer and gradually screwing in the bolts. It started coming out but one of the wings snapped. we continued with the other and prized the other side with a screw driver against a block of wood all the while tapping with a hammer. It came out easily in the end.
The old, worn camshaft wasn't under any pressure from the lifters it just sat there. The new one we gradually screwed down against the lifters. Unfortunately the new belt tensioner didn't match the old and we made a decision to reinstall the old.
Two issues, my son could not get a spanner or socket onto and then turn the engine coolant drain plug so we didn't undo it. It just seemed very tight in there, hard to access. Secondly, is there a way of getting the belts which run the water pump, alternator and air to just the right tension. I;m really worried that my sixteen year old has got them too tight.
Finally, The BMW specialist (non original parts) convinced me that 3 litres of blue coolant was sufficient "and just top up with water" we ended up adding about two litres of water. Does that seem OK.
I feel like I should be paying you people.
BTW we took the radiator out.
The water pump removal worried me a lot so when we got to it we used the bolts which hold it in to screw into the wing holes to force the pump out. we did this real gently with lots od crc and gentle tapping with hammer and gradually screwing in the bolts. It started coming out but one of the wings snapped. we continued with the other and prized the other side with a screw driver against a block of wood all the while tapping with a hammer. It came out easily in the end.
The old, worn camshaft wasn't under any pressure from the lifters it just sat there. The new one we gradually screwed down against the lifters. Unfortunately the new belt tensioner didn't match the old and we made a decision to reinstall the old.
Two issues, my son could not get a spanner or socket onto and then turn the engine coolant drain plug so we didn't undo it. It just seemed very tight in there, hard to access. Secondly, is there a way of getting the belts which run the water pump, alternator and air to just the right tension. I;m really worried that my sixteen year old has got them too tight.
Finally, The BMW specialist (non original parts) convinced me that 3 litres of blue coolant was sufficient "and just top up with water" we ended up adding about two litres of water. Does that seem OK.
I feel like I should be paying you people.
BTW we took the radiator out.
The engine coolant drainage plug on my M40 is a blue plastic plug on the bottom of the radiator...use a large screwdriver or a large coin to loosen it and the coolant drains out...you can put a hosepipe over the nipple there to direct the water flow.
You will need to burp air bubbles out of the system.
Place the front of the engine facing uphill or on ramps and while the engine is running and warm...loosen the black plastic screw...also with a coin...on top of the plastic expansion bottle until only water escapes....not air. Squueze the rubber hoses while doing this.
Then with the engine off....loosen the metal bolt sitting on the elbow going to the water pump...just behind the alternator belt which is why the engine needs to be off. Run the engine for a while to check that water and not air is coming out of this metal bleed screw...power off and re-tighten this bolt.
Allow the engine to cool off overnight...top up the coolant to the "cold" level in the plastic water bottle and check the level every few days when cold.
You may have to repeat the burping process a few times if you get overheating problems.
The belt tentioner was re-designed at one stage on these engines
You will need to burp air bubbles out of the system.
Place the front of the engine facing uphill or on ramps and while the engine is running and warm...loosen the black plastic screw...also with a coin...on top of the plastic expansion bottle until only water escapes....not air. Squueze the rubber hoses while doing this.
Then with the engine off....loosen the metal bolt sitting on the elbow going to the water pump...just behind the alternator belt which is why the engine needs to be off. Run the engine for a while to check that water and not air is coming out of this metal bleed screw...power off and re-tighten this bolt.
Allow the engine to cool off overnight...top up the coolant to the "cold" level in the plastic water bottle and check the level every few days when cold.
You may have to repeat the burping process a few times if you get overheating problems.
The belt tentioner was re-designed at one stage on these engines