S54 timing chain guide

[bigjae46]

New BMW engines (like the N20) have plastic timing chain guides which wear and fail. The S54 has cast aluminum guides with a plastic liner. The only parts that go bad are the upper guide and the oil pump chain tensioner.

[Pklauser]

New BMW engines (like the N20) have plastic timing chain guides which wear and fail. The S54 has cast aluminum guides with a plastic liner. The only parts that go bad are the upper guide and the oil pump chain tensioner.

I recommend taking a look at the thread I linked. Only one of the guides is aluminum, and that plastic liner isn't immortal, a couple of us have had problems with it failing. Both guides on the exhaust-side are completely plastic, granted I haven't heard reports of the lower exhaust guide failing.

[Gt4]

Reviving an old thread...

I was supposed to install Karbonius CSL intake and Euro headers on a customer car and noticed valve cover seems original and leak pretty bad. So while being there, told customer we should replace it. So once valve cover removed, noticed the exhaust hub was broken... told him we should do Vanos bulletpeoofing while being there. So customer agree to to Vanos/valve adjustment/rod bearings.

While doing Vanos bulletproofing, noticed the tensionner guide was broken, no big deal, Beisan guide will fix it. But than noticed passanger side chain guide is missing the plastic liner...

Can the passanger side chain guide be replaced without removing the cylinder head? It's shorter than the driver side chain guide so I guess it's easier?

I will do rod bearings so will remove oil pan and will put gasket maker on timing chain cover and head gasket junction.

[Slideways]

Reviving an old thread...

I was supposed to install Karbonius CSL intake and Euro headers on a customer car and noticed valve cover seems original and leak pretty bad. So while being there, told customer we should replace it. So once valve cover removed, noticed the exhaust hub was broken... told him we should do Vanos bulletpeoofing while being there. So customer agree to to Vanos/valve adjustment/rod bearings.

While doing Vanos bulletproofing, noticed the tensionner guide was broken, no big deal, Beisan guide will fix it. But than noticed passanger side chain guide is missing the plastic liner...

Can the passanger side chain guide be replaced without removing the cylinder head? It's shorter than the driver side chain guide so I guess it's easier?

I will do rod bearings so will remove oil pan and will put gasket maker on timing chain cover and head gasket junction.

Timing cover has to come off.

[Gt4]

Timing cover has to come off.

Yeah this I know. I mean, passanger side guide is shorter vs driver side guide, should be easier to do without removing cylinder head?

[Slideways]

Yeah this I know. I mean, passanger side guide is shorter vs driver side guide, should be easier to do without removing cylinder head?

heinzboehmer replaced the driver's side guide, so passenger side should be doable - https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...oupe#post13854

[Gt4]

heinzboehmer replaced the driver's side guide, so passenger side should be doable - https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...oupe#post13854

I tried driver side in the past but was not able to remove without removing cylinder head but not sure I removed timing chain. Long time ago...

[Pklauser]

I succeeded just like heinz with the driver's side if that helps five you confidence for the passenger side.

[sapote]

Yeah this I know. I mean, passanger side guide is shorter vs driver side guide, should be easier to do without removing cylinder head?

With the timing cover removed then the guides can be replaced without removing the head. But it's more tricky to have a good oil seal between head and timing cover with head untouched.

[heinzboehmer]

I tried driver side in the past but was not able to remove without removing cylinder head but not sure I removed timing chain. Long time ago...

If you unthread the pivot point from the block then the guide just barely clears. It will not come out with the pivot point installed.

I haven't tried to do the passenger's side guide, but I would assume it's similar.

[jayjaya29]

I dont see anything wrong in your picture of the passenger timing chain guide?

[Gt4]

I dont see anything wrong in your picture of the passenger timing chain guide?

Yeah I just realized this morning that the passanger side is composite and not aluminum with brown plastic liner. My bad!

With the timing chain in the way, all I see/touch was a guide without a plastic liner.

[jayjaya29]

This section is where the upper guide rests (the part that broke off). There is not supposed to be plastic liner here. There is nothing wrong with this guide.

[bigjae46]

That stupid bolt that holds the driver's side guide in...why don't this MF'ing cylinder head come off!!! hahahaha

Of the S54s I've disassembled, I found 2 of 6 with the plastic liner on the driver's side guide cracked right in the middle. Not sure if anyone else has seen this?

[heinzboehmer]

That stupid bolt that holds the driver's side guide in...why don't this MF'ing cylinder head come off!!! hahahaha

Of the S54s I've disassembled, I found 2 of 6 with the plastic liner on the driver's side guide cracked right in the middle. Not sure if anyone else has seen this?

Mine was cracked in half when I bought the car.

Granted, it was most likely due to deferred maintenance by the previous owner (top timing chain bolt backed out and eventually broke, mess seen in the pic above is due to this), but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them are starting to fail due to age.