BMW timing chain snapped

savvysearcher

Hi, in need of some advice from all you fellow motorists. My wife has a BMW 1-Series 61 plate, diesel, 80K mileage. Last week the timing chain (aka Cam belt) broke without any prior warning/noise while the car was in motion. The car was towed to a nearby independent garage. The car is out of warranty hence i figured the independent garage repair bill would be far less than taking it to BMW. However as expected still a hefty garage bill to repair the damage to the engine, valves and a new chain. Question I have is that the car has been serviced regularly by BMW (last full service Dec 2016 and no issues with timing chain noted) can BMW be held liable for the repair or funding part of the repair given if it was checked then the wear of the chain may have been spotted and replacement advised. I rang BMW and cited that at the December full service was the Timing Chain checked? Response given the chain is expected to run the life of the car despite mileage or years and they do not check the chain on a service unless there is a reason to. I find it difficult to understand why the timing chain is not checked at full services given the crucial part it plays and extensive damage it can cause when it snaps. Currently the car is being repaired and I am wondering if its worth my while pursuing this with BMW - suggestions welcome please, thanks in advance.

ratrace

Its quite a common problem im afraid if you google it, its all over the forums, how much is the repair costing you via the garage

they dont check the chain for a number of reasons, first of all its not part of the service unlike cambelts that have to be replaced at a specified time

sevenhills

savvysearcher wrote: »

I find it difficult to understand why the timing chain is not checked at full services given the crucial part it plays and extensive damage it can cause when it snaps. Currently the car is being repaired and I am wondering if its worth my while pursuing this with BMW - suggestions welcome please, thanks in advance.

I am not familiar with your vehicle, but most timing belts cannot be seen with dismantling numerous engine parts; they don't check the timing belt - just replace them at specific intervals.
Timing chains are likely to be the same.

angrycrow

Google Bmw n47 timing chain failure, you are not alone.

If you have full Bmw service history they may contribute to a repair made by Bmw. If the service history is not from Bmw they are unlikely to assist. The chain is at the rear of the engine so the engine needs to come out for the repair.

Iceweasel

This is a BMW n47 engine - yes?

It's a big job which entails the engine out and not only the timing chain, guides and tensioner replaced, but the crankshaft too as the chain sprocket is an integral part of the crankshaft.

You went about this entirely the wrong way by going to a an independent garage and IMHO there is little or nothing you can do now to correct your mistake.

With a full BMW service history you should have taken it to a BMW dealer where the engine repair would either have been free or heavily subsidised. Your independnt garage surely knew that it was a known problem

It's a known fault which has a BMW PuMA procedure Measure 43863106 Nr 1 to 16 for the dealership workshop to follow.

PuMA = Product & Measures Management in After-sales

The problem is of course best dealt with before the chain breaks but BMW have still forked out for many repairs.

Here it is:


PuMA

Consult measure M

No measurement Theme

43863106-09 N47, N47S, N47T, grinding noise in the engine, the timing chain scrapes

Validation date (dd / mm / yy) Current Status Affiliate

Validated 14/12/12 FR, VP

Vehicles involved

Series E Motor Body

E60 E61 E81 E82 E83 N47 N47S N47DKO N47T

E84 E87 E88 E90 E91

E92 E93 F10 F11 F20

F25 F30 F31

Production period (beyond) Comment period Return info (all cases

(Dd / mrn / yy) production until) (dd / mnn / yy) /

Complaint

Engine noise and friction scraping type from 1500 rev / min, perceptible in the cockpit. The noise is noticeable on the gearbox housing or the oil pan.

Cause

Sharp edges of the sprockets or the chain does not move regularly on the slides.

Important measure:

before starting the repair, ensure the availability of essential items!

It is necessary to distinguish between three cases:

Case 1:

for motors N47, N47DKO, N47S, production period from 01.03.2007 to 05.01.2009.

In case of customer complaint, replace the following components:

- 11 21 7 803 479 replacement crankshaft with bearing shells.

Note: Use crankshafts produced after 5. 1. 2009!

The production date stamped on the crankshaft sprocket (see Appendix, page 1.)

Meaning of numbers

- The first two digits indicate the production line.

- The six digits indicate the year (two digits), month, and day.

- The last five digits are the serial number of the crankshaft. The crankshaft shown on page 1 of the Annex has been made October 21, 2009.

- 11 41 7 797 896 chain drive of the oil pump.

- 11 31 8 506 652 chain below.

- 13 52 7 797 906 sprocket drive the oil pump.

- 11 27 7 800 523 gear (intermediate gear for balancing shafts).

- 11 27 7 802 575 pinion (drive shaft balancing).

- 11 27 7 802 576 pinion (drive shaft balancing).

- 11 31 8 510 014 upper chain.

- 11 31 7 797 899 guide rail for upper timing chain.

- 13 52 8 573 158 guide rail for timing chain lower

- 13 52 8 573 159 rail for timing chain tensioner below.

Note: the lower chain, use only the rails and tensioners guidageamortis! (See Appendix, page 2)

For greater supply chain, use only the rail without reinforcements! (See Appendix, page 3)

Note: according tune and repair instructions for the idler lesarbres balancing!

If the idler gear and balancer shafts are set incorrectly, the engine can produce a crankshaft with nine bruitsmême, etc.. View manual repair 11 21 500 "replacement of the crankshaft."

Note: On vehicles on which the crankshaft has been replaced under uner!paration previous:

treat these vehicles as described in "case 2".



Case 2:

for motors N47, N47DKO, N47S, N47T period from production of 05.01.2009 - 01.03.2011

In case of customer complaint, replace the following parts:

- 11 31 8 506 652 chain below.

- 13 52 7 797 906 sprocket for driving the oil pump.

- 11 31 8 510 014 upper chain.

- 11 31 7 797 899 guide rail for upper timing chain.

- 13 52 8 573 158 guide rail for lower chain.

- 13 52 8 573 159 rail for timing chain tensioner below.

Note: it is not necessary to loosen the bolt on the idler for the arbresd'!quilibrage

Note: the lower chain, use only the rails and tensioners guidageamortis l (see Appendix, page 2)

For greater supply chain, use only the rail without reinforcements! (See Appendix, page 3)

Note: On vehicles having already been under repair track without reinforcements and surlesquels both chains have been replaced: treat these vehicles as indicated inparagraph "Case 3).



Case 3:

For N47T engine part products from 01.03.2011 and engines already repaired with rails deguidage without reinforcements.

In case of customer complaint, replace the following parts:

- 11 31 8 506 652 chain below.

- 13 52 7 797 906 sprocket for driving the oil pump.

- 11 31 8 510 014 upper chain.

- 13 52 8 573 158 guide rail for lower chain.

- 13 52 8 573 159 rail for timing chain tensioner below.

ess0two

Timing chain and cam belt entirely different.

z1a

ess0two wrote: »

Timing chain and cam belt entirely different.

Both do exactly the same job, so not entirely different.

takman

z1a wrote: »

Both do exactly the same job, so not entirely different.

I'm sure ess0two was referring to the OP saying:

savvysearcher wrote: »

Last week the timing chain (aka Cam belt) broke without any prior warning/noise while the car was in motion.

So considering that "aka" stands for "also know as" that statement is definitely false.

onomatopoeia99

ess0two wrote: »

Timing chain and cam belt entirely different.

Entirely different construction, completely the same function.

ratrace

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Entirely different construction, completely the same function.

Yep, one is internal (chain) the other is external (cam belt) hence one of the reasons the chain is not checked when the car is in for a service if it was the cost to do so from a main dealer would send customers running lol

but it is a big job to replace not the chain but the labour involved

DoaM

takman wrote: »

I'm sure ess0two was referring to the OP saying:



So considering that "aka" stands for "also know as" that statement is definitely false.

I suspect most of us knew what the OP meant, without needing to resort to technical pedantry.