DIY: Need help on E46 M3 S54 Timing cover replacement

[tenta997]

Hi everyone I'm new here got some questions about S54 timing cover replacement. My cover is cracked and leaking and I have no idea what happened to it I just bought this one like 6month ago, used to have a blue one this is the second E46 I have. So service manual says it needs to remove the head but I see most cases people don't remove the head to finish the job. And my questions are like
1 How to make sure where the cover meets the head doesn't leak after installation, like how do I apply the sealant? Do I need to apply the sealant on top of the head gasket?
2 Do I need to remove the water pump to remove the front cover?
Please if anybody ever done this job before I really need some advice and guide before doing it. Thanks!

[BL92]

Tricky not to damage the head and sump gasket when removing


Here watch this video at 9min22sec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_FNTCK0m5s

[bigjae46]

Hi everyone I'm new here got some questions about S54 timing cover replacement. My cover is cracked and leaking and I have no idea what happened to it I just bought this one like 6month ago, used to have a blue one this is the second E46 I have. So service manual says it needs to remove the head but I see most cases people don't remove the head to finish the job. And my questions are like
1 How to make sure where the cover meets the head doesn't leak after installation, like how do I apply the sealant? Do I need to apply the sealant on top of the head gasket?
2 Do I need to remove the water pump to remove the front cover?
Please if anybody ever done this job before I really need some advice and guide before doing it. Thanks!

Needs sealant on the corner where the timing cover, block, and head meet.

[tenta997]

Tricky not to damage the head and sump gasket when removing


Here watch this video at 9min22sec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_FNTCK0m5s

nice seems it comes off pretty easy, but that's with the engine out though, and like all the others they put the FMS on before put on the cover

[tenta997]

Needs sealant on the corner where the timing cover, block, and head meet.

so its on top of the gasket and under the gasket, what about between the head gasket, might sounds like a stupid question can't really get into there right?

[cobra]

Use a low viscosity slow drying sealant like Yamabond 4. Get it super clean with brake cleaner and squirt it in there getting it into the corner of the gasket as well as possible. During install you have to carefully tap it on. Mine has been holding up well doing it this way.

[tenta997]

Use a low viscosity slow drying sealant like Yamabond 4. Get it super clean with brake cleaner and squirt it in there getting it into the corner of the gasket as well as possible. During install you have to carefully tap it on. Mine has been holding up well doing it this way.

thanks I was waiting for your reply lol, saw your comment somewhere else said you done it before, so the sealant goes to the corner what about the top of the gasket and between the gasket, I'm planning to do it with the engine in the car how about you did you take the engine out？

[BL92]

Just rip the front end off

[George Hill]

I would highly consider pulling the oil pan off.

You might be able to sneak the t/c out and back on but you are going to be dragging it down the whole length of those gaskets. If the oil pan is off it only has to move forward a bit and then it can drop down and out, additionally you only have to worry about the HG at that point.

IF you do decide to leave both on then I would suggest removing the crank seal so you don't have to fit that as well. **Edit, and I second above, consider pulling the front end off.

[bigjae46]

I would highly consider pulling the oil pan off.

You might be able to sneak the t/c out and back on but you are going to be dragging it down the whole length of those gaskets. If the oil pan is off it only has to move forward a bit and then it can drop down and out, additionally you only have to worry about the HG at that point.

IF you do decide to leave both on then I would suggest removing the crank seal so you don't have to fit that as well. **Edit, and I second above, consider pulling the front end off.

As a service advisor...I loved N63 front timing cover oil leaks! Whole damned engine has to be disassembled. Cha-ching!

[cobra]

thanks I was waiting for your reply lol, saw your comment somewhere else said you done it before, so the sealant goes to the corner what about the top of the gasket and between the gasket, I'm planning to do it with the engine in the car how about you did you take the engine out？

If I recall correctly, I used a tiny screwdriver to get the sealant to cover the gasket top/bottom/middle surfaces fully.

However, George Hill makes a good point, I did this job with my oil pan off during a rod bearing job. I think you will have a harder time doing this with the pan installed since now it's squished top and bottom with a rubber gasket on the bottom, with risk of damaging that. You might have to remove your oil pan to do this properly

[Cubieman]

As a service advisor...I loved N63 front timing cover oil leaks! Whole damned engine has to be disassembled. Cha-ching!

Yeah, I have done that job a couple of times as well as and F90 M5 motor swap and first gen. S63 full seal refresh, including valve stem seals. Those motors, especially the N63 are absolutely atrocious to work on.

I need to do my timing cover this winter, plan to pull the oil pan for RB's anyways. Fuck pulling the head, don't want to go there just yet.

[bavarian3]

If I recall correctly, I used a tiny screwdriver to get the sealant to cover the gasket top/bottom/middle surfaces fully.

However, George Hill makes a good point, I did this job with my oil pan off during a rod bearing job. I think you will have a harder time doing this with the pan installed since now it's squished top and bottom with a rubber gasket on the bottom, with risk of damaging that. You might have to remove your oil pan to do this properly

So you did this without pulling the head, and no leaks huh. Does TIS recommend pulling the head because the assumption is the cover won't seal with the old HG?

[Slideways]

So you did this without pulling the head, and no leaks huh. Does TIS recommend pulling the head because the assumption is the cover won't seal with the old HG?

Yes, it can leak oil out of the timing cover. Also, the cover has dowel pins, so you will be dragging it along the gasket a few mm. That being said, I'd probably do this and pull the oil pan if I did not suspect a headgasket leak between cylinders. If your engine does not pass a cylinder leakdown test, you might as well take off the cylinder head.

And I can take a guess as to why the timing cover is cracked OP. It appears some clown used longer bolts to press the vibration damper/pulley off the crankshaft using longer bolts where the hex cap mounts on the crank pulley. You can see six witness marks. That or the crank damper smashed into the timing cover due to a front end impact or they used the wrong bolts when mounting it back to the engine. They also applied a ton of RTV on the oil pan gasket where it is not supposed to be.

[bigjae46]

I'm all about being lazy but I would not consider leaving the oil pan on to do this job. The oil pan gasket has a soft rubber inner ring which will almost certainly tear when you pull the timing cover off. I would never reuse an oil pan gasket for that reason.

On an S65, the oil pan gasket is all metal so that could, in theory, possibly be reused.