M52 Timing Chain Tensioner

Wed Jan 27, 2016 6:46 am

Hi All,

My M52 has a light timing chain rattle when cold which I think is a worn tensioner.

BMW have quoted a reasonable £26.95 for the piston, spring and crush washer, however I've read on the net that people fit whole uprated tensioner assemblies which the BMW parts guy seemed unaware of.

Does anyone have details of the whole assembly or even a part number?

Thanks in advance.

Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:18 am

If I remember correctly they upgrade to an s54 tensioner (need to verify!) for the one on the side of the chain or shim the original... A google search should come up with the correct results. The top tensioner is generally very reliable.

Are you sure that this is the issue?

Have a read through this and other related threads...

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt ... ner-on-M52

Thu Jan 28, 2016 12:13 pm

Cold start up rattle will be due to low oil pressure, your oil filter housing is probably failing

Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:20 am

Thanks Guys.

Its not what I'd consider your normal oil starvation cold start rattle, i.e a few seconds of loud rattle then it disappears, its actually not too bad and gradually gets quieter as the oil warms up. Could that be the filter housing?

What actually fails in the filter housing?

Might do both to be on the safe side