The haynes manual is especially vague on this topic - are there any timing marks on the cam and crank pulleys that I can align the belt with, or am I just completely screwed?
M40 Cam Timing
Moderator: martauto
I've just swapped the head on my 318i (to cure a water leak and swap the *really* knackered cam for a less knackered one), and lost the timing on it. Everything rotates and valves and pistons miss each other, but there's no firing going on. (plugs are wet and there's sparks on 'em).
The haynes manual is especially vague on this topic - are there any timing marks on the cam and crank pulleys that I can align the belt with, or am I just completely screwed?
The haynes manual is especially vague on this topic - are there any timing marks on the cam and crank pulleys that I can align the belt with, or am I just completely screwed?
just done this for the first time last week - got some good advice from the chaps on here - so ill pass it on 
the vital bit of info missing out of haynes is finding tdc - what you need is a small screwdriver or drill bit - and you need to pop it in the small hole on the block just above the starter motor that goes through into the flywheel. the flywheel also has a small hole - so rotate the crank and when youre close to piston 1 near the top gently "probe" through the hole while rotating crank until you feel the timing hole and the screwdriver/drill goes into it.
now youre at TDC so you can align the cam shaft as mr haynes describes - i think its the lobes over cylinder 1 "rocking" - the cam has a square section with two smooth and to bumpy edges. the bmw tool would hold the two smooth sides at 90 degrees to the sides of the head - i did this alignment by hand and actually you can see a "line" against the inner top cam cover and the cam sproket arrow on the inner section that seems to also match up. i double checked it with a nice engineers set square - but fiddly but gives you a bit of contidence!
ill have a dig for the link to my post for help so you can get some more info
good luck!
jez.
the vital bit of info missing out of haynes is finding tdc - what you need is a small screwdriver or drill bit - and you need to pop it in the small hole on the block just above the starter motor that goes through into the flywheel. the flywheel also has a small hole - so rotate the crank and when youre close to piston 1 near the top gently "probe" through the hole while rotating crank until you feel the timing hole and the screwdriver/drill goes into it.
now youre at TDC so you can align the cam shaft as mr haynes describes - i think its the lobes over cylinder 1 "rocking" - the cam has a square section with two smooth and to bumpy edges. the bmw tool would hold the two smooth sides at 90 degrees to the sides of the head - i did this alignment by hand and actually you can see a "line" against the inner top cam cover and the cam sproket arrow on the inner section that seems to also match up. i double checked it with a nice engineers set square - but fiddly but gives you a bit of contidence!
ill have a dig for the link to my post for help so you can get some more info
good luck!
jez.
well done
