Timing Chain - E46 ZHP

[roadbiker_2]

All, I recently managed to have a first failure of a M42 motor in a E30 that had a timing chain. The car ran fine and I was very surprised that we ended up bending valves and pretty much damaging even the pistons when it went.

Since I have had timing belts on other engines, it surprised me that I had an issue with the timing chains. Since I like to do spirited driving with my BMW's are there issues with the timing chain on the M54B30 and should I plan on doing a replacement at X mileage? I have two ZHP's, one with 105k and the other with 150k. I don't want to destroy another engine!


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[az3579]

Not a common issue with 330's.

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[Dave1027]

How many miles on the M42? Did the chain break or jump? How did it fail?

[Karl Lazlo]

Not a common issue with 330's.

So... do you think we will make 300k on our M54s without a timing chain failure? LOL

[az3579]

So... do you think we will make 300k on our M54s without a timing chain failure? LOL

Without a doubt. Already very close...

[roadbiker_2]

M42 looks like it jumped time, it had 113k. It did not break. Only motor I ever killed.


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[mercury26]

Sounds like the tensioner went out, not the timing chain.

[JFern]

I've never heard of needing to replace timing chains on BMW engines, aside from the issues with the N63 engines having premature stretch.