S54 BMW Cam Timing Tool vs aftermarket

[Savageblunder]

I made a video comparing the BMW factory cam timing tool vs an aftermarket tool. Some people say aftermarket tool is junk, & it very well may depend on what aftermarket tool you get - but a lot sure look like this one I have.

I bought the aftermarket tool & rented the BMW tool from Dr Vanos. I have no affiliation with any company that makes or sells any tools or car parts. The only reason I did this is to add maybe a speck of knowledge to the S54 community.

I generally don’t believe in “magic parts”. Although this is a tool not a part, I’m for spending less for whatever if it gets you the same results. I am not that person that spends 3x as much to get genuine BMW whatever if I don’t think it’s necessary, so honestly I really want this aftermarket tool to be good.

you can check it out & see:

https://youtu.be/buDui3xj0nE?si=gFCE-DybI1i1vHSl

[heinzboehmer]

Looks like you should stick with the BMW one

[sapote]

Can you measure the bridge to pin angle for intake and exhaust to see how close the angles to 90 degree

[ethan]

I don't think you needed a new thread for this, but I'll repost my video from your other thread for lurker and future reader context:

http://ethan-e46-public.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/timing_tools_compressed.mp4

In this video, I'm comparing OE with Schwaben from nearly a decade ago when ECS first put their brand on these aftermarket bridges. What's amazing to me is that your tool is wrong in almost exactly the same way mine was despite being a different brand, meaning it's not a tolerance or bad batch issue, it's just bad design that's persisted now for years and yet retailers continue selling this kit even though they know it's bad. And despite Beisan calling it out in their guide, people continue to buy them and make posts about them here.

You say in your video that this is the difference between perfection and pretty close: NO! This IS the difference between bent intake valves if you're on 288/280. I know because that's what made me buy the OE tool. At that time, there wasn't information about how bad these tools are on m3forum, and because I didn't have an OE tool, I had no basis for comparison. I just thought that surely someone like ECS wouldn't ship a timing tool that I couldn't trust. How naive I was!

ECS had me send the tool back, they confirmed it was incorrect, and then they offered to replace the tool for me for free, but refused to do anything about the $10k engine they'd exploded. Shortly after mine popped, there were a number of reviews posted to ECS for the tool saying "don't use this, I blew my engine." The tool is still for sale. I don't see any reviews anymore:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/ultimate-schwaben-s54-camshaft-alignment-tool-kit/020929sch01a/

We've been through this as a forum and community for a decade now.

[Slideways]

I would always buy or rent the OE tool. That being said, I know someone who used an aftermarket tool similar to the OP and they were able to time the engine just fine. The reason being is that the adaptations can compensate +/- 8 degrees. It would have to be off by quite a bit, more than the tolerance of the aftermarket tool.

Savageblunder The Z4M requires a shorter crank locking pin if you have not run into that already.

[heinzboehmer]

I would always buy or rent the OE tool. That being said, I know someone who used an aftermarket tool similar to the OP and they were able to time the engine just fine. The reason being is that the adaptations can compensate +/- 8 degrees. It would have to be off by quite a bit, more than the tolerance of the aftermarket tool.

Savageblunder The Z4M requires a shorter crank locking pin if you have not run into that already.

I mean yeah, I've timed my engine before with an aftermarket tool (didn't know better) and it's still fine. But the OE tool is not really that expensive in the grand scheme of things, so not sure why you wouldn't spend the extra $50 for the peace of mind.

[Slideways]

I mean yeah, I've timed my engine before with an aftermarket tool (didn't know better) and it's still fine. But the OE tool is not really that expensive in the grand scheme of things, so not sure why you wouldn't spend the extra $50 for the peace of mind.

You're going to have to ask the gizmo man that one lol

[heinzboehmer]

You're going to have to ask the gizmo man that one lol

I bet you can eyeball the timing like you can the rod bolt angle lol

[sapote]

you can check it out & see:

https://youtu.be/buDui3xj0nE?si=gFCE-DybI1i1vHSl

Sorry to say but this is a bad reviewing:
1. you didn't even know if the gap between the bridge leg and the head was caused by the follower clip interference or the pin. I would remove the follower clips for the test.
2. At 5:43 that with the pin inserted in the intake cam there was a big gap between the tool and the head exhaust side, and also a gap on the intake side. When properly use, the tool should has the gap only on one side of the head, not both. Geometry rule dictates that if the timing is off, only has gap on one side and not both sides of the head.

I bet the aftermarket tool has the holes drilled 90* to the beam which is wrong. If you measure the pin to the beam angle of the BMW tool, the angles are diffrent for IN and EX holes.

[sapote]

I don't think you needed a new thread for this, but I'll repost my video from your other thread for lurker and future reader context:

http://ethan-e46-public.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/timing_tools_compressed.mp4

.

If I use the aftermarket tool then the intake cam will be set too retarded.

Did you compare the tools on the exhaust cam? I think the aftermarket tool would have a bigger gap between its leg and the head intake side but I'm interested of seeing the actual gap if someone can post the pic.

[Slideways]

I bet you can eyeball the timing like you can the rod bolt angle lol

Let me get my protractor

[bmwfnatic]

Now also have a look at the chinese crank pin, it’s also loose and not accurate while the original one has pretty much zero play.

[Savageblunder]

Sorry to say but this is a bad reviewing:
1. you didn't even know if the gap between the bridge leg and the head was caused by the follower clip interference or the pin. I would remove the follower clips for the test.
2. At 5:43 that with the pin inserted in the intake cam there was a big gap between the tool and the head exhaust side, and also a gap on the intake side. When properly use, the tool should has the gap only on one side of the head, not both. Geometry rule dictates that if the timing is off, only has gap on one side and not both sides of the head.

I bet the aftermarket tool has the holes drilled 90* to the beam which is wrong. If you measure the pin to the beam angle of the BMW tool, the angles are diffrent for IN and EX holes.

Ok. I get it. I thought the fact you would have to remove rocker clips at all to make it work is an auto fail. Anyway, it was done on the fly & to me the fact both tools hit the rocker retainers at all & the BMW tool doesn’t makes them bad.

Now also have a look at the chinese crank pin, it’s also loose and not accurate while the original one has pretty much zero play.

Good point - I don’t have a BMW one. I have one from Bimmerworld I think is aftermarket. You have to cut the radiator end off for it to fit Z4M.If someone has a BMW one - maybe they could measure the diameter of the tip??? The aftermarket one is exactly 7mm if I recall. You would think it would be easy enough to make a round pin the same size as the tool you were copying - but probably not.

[sapote]

I’m interested of measuring the pin to beam angle of the EX and IN sides, as I don’t own the tool and only use a caliper and drill bit for the job.

[Savageblunder]

I’m interested of measuring the pin to beam angle of the EX and IN sides, as I don’t own the tool and only use a caliper and drill bit for the job.

I would measure it, but not sure how to accurately do it to get a measurement more precise than the obvious 90°. B it I don’t think it’s that simple. Let’s assume it’s 90°, that would in theory make the tool symmeteical & there would be no need to have an “intake” & “exhaust” side of the tool.

The aftermarket tool looks 90° as well, but does not fit as well as the BMW. Quite frankly, to me it feels like a engineer reversed engineered the BMW tool (along with many other manufacturer specialty tools), but it never was checked on the actual engine to verify it is correct.