I am also a graduate from the University...

[Hector]

of Bill R. sprocket installation!

Successfully installed the crankshaft sprocket on my m30. Since this was my first time in doing such a task, I did a dummy run with the old sprocket just to make sure I had a procedure in place. Here's the stuff I used.

(i) Pot
(ii) Penzoil 80W-90 gear oil
(iii) Leather cloves from K-Mart and nyopreme cloves
(iv) K-type thermocouple. Of course you can use any thermometer to read temp
(v) Temp readout
(vi) Hot Plate

Here's what was done:
(1) The dummy run consisted of heating up the gear oil in a pot to about 105 C. The pot with gear in hot oil was next to the car.
(2) With a clothes hanger, I picked up the gear and grabed it with rubber cloves inside leather cloves to slow down heat transfer to my hands. Not sure if this was necessary but I rather be safe than sorry.
(3) I immeaditely placed the gear on the crankshaft and stopped sliding it half way down the shaft because the gear had cooled pretty rapidly. I had a feeling this would happen since the gear was not hot enough. I had stopped heating the oil at 105 C because it was giving off quite a bit of bad fumes. I thought I'd give it a shot anyhow.

So I pulled the gear out again with the puller and this time I heated up the oil to about 153 C with the new gear in it, and proceeded to do steps (1) to (3) above. (By now I had a pretty good idea how fast I had to work to get the new one on successfully.) Voila! Had a smoking gun with new gear installed. Below are a couple of pics of the setup and comparisons between new and old timing chains. I had other pictures to show but they didn't turn out good.

http://www.geocities.com/frothlikn/classic_tan4

Notice the difference in thickness between the new chain and the old chain. Either new chains are now fabricated thicker than the original stock chains or the old chain is severely worn??!!

Thanks again to Bill R. and Jeff N.

[Bill R.]

use a pair of channel lock pliers and carefully pick the gear up by the sides not on the gear teeth and then start it on with the plier and push on the gear with two screwdrivers or punches, just something i can use in both hands without touching the gear.. But as long as it worked ok for you

of Bill R. sprocket installation!

Successfully installed the crankshaft sprocket on my m30. Since this was my first time in doing such a task, I did a dummy run with the old sprocket just to make sure I had a procedure in place. Here's the stuff I used.

(i) Pot
(ii) Penzoil 80W-90 gear oil
(iii) Leather cloves from K-Mart and nyopreme cloves
(iv) K-type thermocouple. Of course you can use any thermometer to read temp
(v) Temp readout
(vi) Hot Plate

Here's what was done:
(1) The dummy run consisted of heating up the gear oil in a pot to about 105 C. The pot with gear in hot oil was next to the car.
(2) With a clothes hanger, I picked up the gear and grabed it with rubber cloves inside leather cloves to slow down heat transfer to my hands. Not sure if this was necessary but I rather be safe than sorry.
(3) I immeaditely placed the gear on the crankshaft and stopped sliding it half way down the shaft because the gear had cooled pretty rapidly. I had a feeling this would happen since the gear was not hot enough. I had stopped heating the oil at 105 C because it was giving off quite a bit of bad fumes. I thought I'd give it a shot anyhow.

So I pulled the gear out again with the puller and this time I heated up the oil to about 153 C with the new gear in it, and proceeded to do steps (1) to (3) above. (By now I had a pretty good idea how fast I had to work to get the new one on successfully.) Voila! Had a smoking gun with new gear installed. Below are a couple of pics of the setup and comparisons between new and old timing chains. I had other pictures to show but they didn't turn out good.

http://www.geocities.com/frothlikn/classic_tan4

Notice the difference in thickness between the new chain and the old chain. Either new chains are now fabricated thicker than the original stock chains or the old chain is severely worn??!!

Thanks again to Bill R. and Jeff N.

[Unregistered]

Would there be adequate room to do this on a 535i WITHOUTwi

[Unregistered]

Would there be adequate room to do this on a 535i WITHOUT removing the engine from the car?

In other words, by removing the radiator, water pump, etc. can you readily get to all the components for a timing chain/sprocket replacement procedure?

[George M]

Well done Hector...we all have attended the Univerisity of Bill R from time to time...a good institution and better than the one I currently am at with the bars on the windows...lol. And unreg...yo' answer is yes...all the stuff on the front of the engine can be accessed without pulling it...could rebuild the whole engine with it in the car and even drop out the crank if you wanted.
George

[Brian C.]

JUST A JOKE GEORGE MY BOY!!!


Brian C.
smart-ass