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Thread: Special tool grips timing chain for valve adj??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    517

    Default Special tool grips timing chain for valve adj??

    Is there a special tool or some trick to turn the engine for valve adjustments in Auto trans 535?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Honolulu
    Posts
    3,105

    Default Custom Vice-Grip pipe chain wrench

    Buy two Vice-grip type pipe chain wrenches. (The ones with what looks like a bike chain to wrap and lock around a pipe.)

    Take the bike chain off of one and added it to the other.

    Now you have a pipe chain wrench that will wrap around the harmonic balancer and allow you to turn, or lock the crank as needed.

    I made one years ago and it comes in handy every time I do a timing belt or adjust the valves.

    You could also to the electric starter bump. But I always miss my mark and end up turning the crank by hand any way.


    Vee ave vays of dealing vid your kind...........

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Nashville, TN
    Posts
    982

    Default

    Pull the plugs - do the starter blip - I watch the tech do it at the shop - takes like 15 minutes to adjust valves on one of thse cars.
    Derek A.
    90 535i 5 Speed - Style 5 17"

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    148

    Default

    Grind down a wrench (32 mm I think?) to fit on the fan clutch nut. Works great.
    Mike S.
    1992 535iM black/black
    1997 540iM white/gray
    Retired: 89 535iA, 85 318i


    <<Support your local autobahn, stay out of the left lane!>>

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    3,395

    Default

    Gene...

    http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_5.htm

    Don't waste your time manually moving the crank. I've adjusted my valves about 5 times in the past two months (have to get them *just* right ), and the remote start is the quickest and easiest.

    At first, I used two pieces of a heavy gauge coat hanger. Not adviseable. I've graduated to a set of wires with a 30a in line fuse. Works superbly. Don't waste your time cranking it by hand -- too much risk of nailing the radiator accidentally, and too freakin' painful on the back.

    Best, whit

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    291

    Default Use your hand....more

    I also have an automatic 535i. When I adjust the valves, I remove all of the plugs to check the gaps. I leave them out while I adjust the valves. I literally reach down and turn the crank with my hand gripping the harmonic balancer. For me, it's much easier than bumping the starter. For one thing, you never know how much the starter is going to turn the engine over. If you do it by hand, you just watch the cam lobes of the cylinder you're going to adjust. When both lobe tips are pointed equally away from their corresponding rocker arms, you stop, adjust the valves, then manually crank it around to the next cylinder. Trust me, I've been using the method for years and to me, it's as easy as anything.

    Grace and peace,

    Robert K
    1991 535i

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    558

    Default I agree with Lowell completely. Before I also graduated...

    I used to use a socket on the crankshaft nut. This was too tedious and usually got nicked/scratched when the socket slipped. Some have made there own little switched to pump the starter. I tried doing the same but couldn't find the right switched I needed although I had handy the proverbial "pill bottle" and wires... So I gave up on this and went to NAPA and purchased a remote starter switch for $12. Couldn't believe how embarrasingly easy and fast it was to do the valve adjustment. The switch fits ergonomically perfect in the hand so that you can bump the starter by very small increments. One of the best investments I've ever made.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    517

    Default

    What kind of pin/whatever do you use for plugging in to the "n" pin connector. I have a couple of remote starter switches. Used em for this application on 2002s.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    3,395

    Default

    I use a stripped wire...nothing hi-tech

    Also, I like using the remote starter method because, after doing the valves, it allows me the opportunity to crank the sucker for a few seconds so I can watch the oil passages/make sure everything's flowing correctly.

    best, whit

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    517

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gene in NC
    Is there a special tool or some trick to turn the engine for valve adjustments in Auto trans 535?
    Lowell, how much oil and where?

    My tech says that my very noisy top end problem that developed immediately following
    oil change may be from the m30 oil pump failure of an aluminum shuttle valve
    sticking and if so bottom end may be fried as well. Ever heard of that?

    My '68 '02 had unbushed aluminum rockers wearing out shafts and rockers in about 40k. BMW mechanical engineers seem to learn very slowly, if at all. Why the hell would they ever use an aluminum shuttle valve in an oil pump?

    Just one more worry. If my "info" is true, might be worthwhile to check out oil pump.

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