M42 HELP NEEDED

[WARLOCKM42]

DOES ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO ADJUST MY CAMS ON AM42 ENGINE TO GET MORE LOW END TORQUE? IS +5DEGREES INLET CAM (ADVANCED) OK OR ILL BE LOOKING FOR MY VALVES IN THE GLOVE BOX?

[stevetigger]

take off the caps lock

[eko]

Fooking hell Steve is it as easy as taking CAPS LOCK off?

Might try it on mine tomorrow

[WARLOCKM42]

ok caps lock is off. can i please get a decent answer now? sorry for my english im only greek...

[Ant]

the official BMW tweak is for the M44 engine but will work on the M42.

the exhaust cam is left as is, the intake is given 6 degrees more advance, usually results in better bottom end response and stronger idle

make the change and rotate the engine by hand a few times to double check valve/piston clearance, then run her up and see whats whats, I've done a few and the results are quite good.

Post back once you've done the deed dude, and welcome to the zone

( PS, caps lock is taken as shouting on forums, hence the stern reply )

[dark_sounds]

ooo interesting have never heard of this before...so what happens to the high end torque?? does it decrease? non existant? does the lower end torque give for better 0-60??

also one more question, how much for the labour involved in doing such a job?

[Dan318-is]

the coolant system will have to be drained as the timing case, and therefore thermostat casing, will have to come off.

Other than that i assume a special tool for measuring advance will be needed? although i swear people have done it without one. The topic has been discussed in the past but due to the lack of IS followers back then the mod never really got much publicity.

I know demlot did it not sure what happened tho; the rumours are high end torque increases i think?

[dark_sounds]

so torque increase throughout the range??

[dazleeds]

this getting very interesting

just got the mrs an is

but i like what im hearing here

and my heads off at the moment
so may well have to do this when it goes back on

was there ever an article for this??

[Dan318-is]

Lee i think only high end torque is increased. I have read a lot on american sites about this but cant seem to locate them any more

Daz never an article on here mate im looking for one now that i was going to use

Demlot is your man though people

[dazleeds]

will have a chat with him sometime soon

if you come across any info let me know mate

[stuartgallafant]

im liking all the M42 stuff thats on the zone at the mo. its keeping the iS's fresh and upto scratch with the 6 pots!!

[keggy]

from another website:
Adjust the cam timing - You know how on the E30 M3 you have to buy a $300 kit with adjustable cam sprockets to tune your cam timing? Not on the 318iS! The M42 is equipped with tunable cam sprockets from the factory. So pull your Cosmoline covered valve cover off and with the proper tools you can tweak your intake and exhaust cams up to 6 degrees +/- to provide more top end horsepower or more low end torque. See, you donÔš't have to blow a grand on a set of Schrick cams to make your M42Ôš's cams a little hotter. The best setup is to adjust the intake cam to 5 degrees (advanced) and leave the exhaust cam alone. I would recommend having a shop do this work.

[tim_s]

I believe this one originated from Stu McHenry's really really old article, still available here:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/Tech/318is.htm
I've heard of a few people doing this, most return to factory timing though as its the best overall compromise. be interested in peoples' experience though. and the m44 thing is quite interesting, after the run in period (3000 miles) if there were complaints of vibrations at idle BMW suggested retarding the inlet cam 6 degrees.

[WARLOCKM42]

This guy stew sais at the end of the page that whith all this mods the car gets 131hp. why bother when bmw gives the car whith 139hp factory made?
any way got to go to bed now guys ill look more to it and when im sure nothing 's gonna go bad whith my pressius ill do the mod and let u all know....

[tim_s]

warlock, he says:
puts 131hp to the wheels on a chassis dynomometer.
not flywheel. read up on how rolling roads/dynos work fella and it'll make more sense!

[WARLOCKM42]

Tnx tim ur right, sorry im a fast reader didnt see that he said "on the wheels " its all clear in my mind i feel good..