Changing m42 cam timing for better low end torque?

[320Touring]

I have an e36 318iS as a daily at the moment, and I was wondering if the cams could be set to give more bottom end torque rather than high end power..

Car spends most of its time on the Motorway tootling along circa 70mph. Its not raced or rallied!

Has anyone done this? seem to remember Hoshy doing it eons ago..

any hints or tips?

Neil

[320Touring]

No one?

e36coupe forum appears to be down, otherwise I'd have asked there!

Thanks

[pac1982]

I've heard it can be done dont have a clue on the tech details though

[sprocketman]

What year is car?? is it m42 or m44 engine? 1.8 or 1.9??

[gareth]

1.8 M42 i believe

Just swap the 4 spare valves for two cylinders and all will be sorted

[sprocketman]

It's dead simple,buy m42/44 timing tool (approx £40-50)
Remove cam cover,
Modify tool so that it fits without taking off your inlet manifold (chop 4or 5 mm off the end of the tool)
Lock flywheel in place with timing pin (location n/s of engine between webbing)
Check cam tool fits over cam lobes and is flat against cyl head if not slacken off 11mm bolts and retime cams correctly
To increase torque advance inlet cam approx 5 degrees (turn cam clockwise) and either paint mark or centre punch mark to use for realignment
Lock up cam sprocket bolts
Remove tools
Turn engine over by hand making sure at no point it locks up
Refit timing tools to flywheel and exhaust cam visually check your mark for inlet cam
Remove tools
Refit cam cover
Cross your fingers and fire it up!!

[320Touring]

It's dead simple,buy m42/44 timing tool (approx £40-50)
Remove cam cover,
Modify tool so that it fits without taking off your inlet manifold (chop 4or 5 mm off the end of the tool)
Lock flywheel in place with timing pin (location n/s of engine between webbing)
Check cam tool fits over cam lobes and is flat against cyl head if not slacken off 11mm bolts and retime cams correctly
To increase torque advance inlet cam approx 5 degrees (turn cam clockwise) and either paint mark or centre punch mark to use for realignment
Lock up cam sprocket bolts
Remove tools
Turn engine over by hand making sure at no point it locks up
Refit timing tools to flywheel and exhaust cam visually check your mark for inlet cam
Remove tools
Refit cam cover
Cross your fingers and fire it up!!

Awesome thanks!

[320Touring]

the m42 timing tools on ebay are more like £250..

could I make one? or where do I get one for £50?

Cheers

[fixedwheelnut]

America ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Camshaft- ... 684wt_1052

http://www.eurosportdesign.com/p-3750-b ... l-kit.aspx

[Alex]

i did it once to my IS by mistake, it had tons of low end grunt, but ran out of puff after 4k

[Brianmoooore]

Timing tool: 8mm (?) drill bit, a couple of open ended spanners and a pair of molegrips.

[DanThe]

I did this on my non vanos M50, it worked out to turn the inlet 5 degrees 'exactly' the cam had to be turned 1.7mm
You will need a vernier and a calculator to go with your cam setting tools

[gareth]

Timing tool: 8mm (?) drill bit, a couple of open ended spanners and a pair of molegrips.

molegrips, the wrong tool for every job!
Never thought they'd have a role in cam timing though!

[320Touring]

i did it once to my IS by mistake, it had tons of low end grunt, but ran out of puff after 4k

I drive a 320i, I’m used to having nothing above 1.5k!

Timing tool: 8mm (?) drill bit, a couple of open ended spanners and a pair of molegrips.

Sounds like my kind of timing setup.. So the m42 is the same as the m40 re locking the flywheel then?

I did this on my non vanos M50, it worked out to turn the inlet 5 degrees 'exactly' the cam had to be turned 1.7mm
You will need a vernier and a calculator to go with your cam setting tools

Sounds fun..

Reckon I’ll get it through its MOT first before I start faffing about with this- sounds more involved than I initially thought

[sprocketman]

Tool required is Laser 3112 do a bit of hunting around and it can be got for reasonable money,the ones you have been looking at are the kits with all the bits in for Vanos tom-foolery!!

It is for all m40/m42 and m50/m52 engines,first website on a google search came up with it at £62
I belive I paid around £50 or £55 for mine 12 months ago

http://www.bennetts.com/bmw-mini-timing ... 426560.php

You could make it fairly easily if you want to you'd just need a bit of time and basic ability in welding and some steel! (I just didn't have the time when I bought mine!)

Oh and before I forget,the crank locating pin has a staggered end approx 8mm into the flyweel approx 11/12mm into the engine webbing

Sorry for late response have been very busy at work with the magic weldy wand and a 69 Mini Traveller........

[320Touring]

Tool required is Laser 3112 do a bit of hunting around and it can be got for reasonable money,the ones you have been looking at are the kits with all the bits in for Vanos tom-foolery!!

It is for all m40/m42 and m50/m52 engines,first website on a google search came up with it at £62
I belive I paid around £50 or £55 for mine 12 months ago

http://www.bennetts.com/bmw-mini-timing ... 426560.php

You could make it fairly easily if you want to you'd just need a bit of time and basic ability in welding and some steel! (I just didn't have the time when I bought mine!)

Oh and before I forget,the crank locating pin has a staggered end approx 8mm into the flyweel approx 11/12mm into the engine webbing

Sorry for late response have been very busy at work with the magic weldy wand and a 69 Mini Traveller........

Thanks very much for that- much appreciated..

Hope the Mini is now less like swiss cheese

[sprocketman]

A piece of Swiss cheese at least has "some" physical integraty.....sadly this traveller has the physical strength of a wet teabag......

I tweeked my is a couple of months back,probably about 9 degrees (just to see what a difference if any it would make) it is slightly less willing to rev than it was (so I'll probably back it off to 5 degrees in the next few weeks) but seeing as how I live in Bradford (innit!)I've fitted a 3.9:1 lsd (std is 4.1:1)
and I spend all my life climbing the pennine hills the difference in torque is phenominal it will now pull up hills where I'd be in 2nd quite happily in 3rd, it just depends what you want your car to achieve (and it will never have the torque of a 325!!)

[sprocketman]

Just to update, I have now set cam timing to 5 degrees,noticeable improvement in torque over std and better able to rev than when it was set to 9 degrees.
All in all I would say it is worthwhile to reset the cam timing.....It took me approx 40 mins start to finish (including measuring the cam advance) and it has made the car much more "driveable" in everyday terms (given the hills we have in Yorkshire )

[Barx325i]

m42 ftw

none of this solid cam fixed pulley 12v nonsense / garbage

[320Touring]

Just to update, I have now set cam timing to 5 degrees,noticeable improvement in torque over std and better able to rev than when it was set to 9 degrees.
All in all I would say it is worthwhile to reset the cam timing.....It took me approx 40 mins start to finish (including measuring the cam advance) and it has made the car much more "driveable" in everyday terms (given the hills we have in Yorkshire )

Excellent, thanks or the update!

Said automobile is due an MOTsoon, and its fate depends on it's outcome..

If it passes I'll probably have a go