Timing chain failure (1M)

[harkes]

Hi

My friends timing chain failed a few days ago which will cost him a new long block

How common is this on the N54/55?

I am driving a N55 myself with (potentially) the same chain version. I can see on realOEM that a new version was introduced in 1/1-2015 so now I consider to change mine with the next oil change...

[HP Autosport]

That is the first time I have heard of the chain issue.

Anyone else?

[hot-j]

Mods, mileage and model please..

[Dackelone]

Changing a timing chain is no easy or quick job. I would bet you are looking at a 12+ hour at COD repair rates. And while you are in there... I would also change all the plastic rail guides, hydraulic chain tensioner, rear crank seal and the clutch. Not a cheap job.

IF I had to guess... I bet your buddies car led a hard life with long OCI with non approved engine oil. I've said this before... you can not change your engine oil too often! I try to change my oil every 6K to 8K kms over here.

How common are chain failures? Very common on older BMW's and especially on the 1er/3er(e8x/e9x) diesel cars.

[harkes]

Originally Posted by hot-j

Mods, mileage and model please..

Mods are irrelevant to the chain. 56000km on the engine. BMW 1M.....as the title says. Model is rather irrelevant too as a LOT of BMW's engines are using this particular chain. Ergo, it must be an extremely rare failure.

[GimmeanM]

Oil and OCI along with driving habits can have a big influence. Hard driving before oil warm up can be a big factor.

[harkes]

My friend told me that the previous owner was hysterical about the car and mixed his own oils with a friend in the industry...............no comments on that from my side.

[1and1]

Any chance there's a better pic of the actual break / broken link(s)? Or your thoughts on what part of the link failed?

Are there any indication of wear that is consistent or repeating found on the links? I would think that lubricant issues would typically be causing wear problems around the whole chain not just a single link. I'd also expect wear symptoms on the tensioners etc

[MDORPHN]

Very uncommon. Sorry for your misfortune.

Wonder whether it's due to the previous owner's custom-brew lubricant.

Neil

[harkes]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Very uncommon. Sorry for your misfortune.

Wonder whether it's due to the previous owner's custom-brew lubricant.

Neil

It is my best guess that that is the reason.

[LukeM3]

I'm with the guys above. I think mods, driving style, maintenance schedule (according to how aggresssive driving is) and formulating ones own oil lubricant all played a part in the timing chains demise.
And yes, Dack is so spot on, it's a very labor intensive/complex job, not for the faint of heart.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by harkes

Mods are irrelevant to the chain. 56000km on the engine. BMW 1M.....as the title says. Model is rather irrelevant too as a LOT of BMW's engines are using this particular chain. Ergo, it must be an extremely rare failure.

Respectfully, how are mods irrelevant?

If you changed a cam, valve springs springs for example wouldn't that put additional stress on timing chain?

Doesn't one chain join the crank to the cams? If you increase power with a tune much beyond stock the additional torque or faster revving wouldn't that put additional load on the chain? Doesn't the crank drive the valve train?

I'm sorry but I fail to see how a mod would have no bearing on stressing the timing chain more than a stock motor?

Please explain?

[harkes]

Originally Posted by nachob

Respectfully, how are mods irrelevant?

If you changed a cam, valve springs springs for example wouldn't that put additional stress on timing chain?

Doesn't one chain join the crank to the cams? If you increase power with a tune much beyond stock the additional torque or faster revving wouldn't that put additional load on the chain? Doesn't the crank drive the valve train?

I'm sorry but I fail to see how a mod would have no bearing on stressing the timing chain more than a stock motor?

Please explain?

What I refer to are the common bolt on upgrades and software mods (never heard of an N5x with valvetrain mods and this specific engine does not have any). Free revving the engine, money shifting or cranking is where I see the biggest loads.

Valves definitely not in their original position anymore...

[GimmeanM]

Originally Posted by harkes

What I refer to are the common bolt on upgrades and software mods (never heard of an N5x with valvetrain mods and this specific engine does not have any). Free revving the engine, money shifting or cranking is where I see the biggest loads.

Valves definitely not in their original position anymore...

Can you take another picture with the gasket out of the way?

[MightyMouseTech]

Damn, have only ever seen one chain broken in my entire career. And that was caused by a money shift, went down to second instead of fourth. Valves floated, hit pistons and snapped the chain. Honestly, I bet that is what happened. A chain will wear to the point of skipping teeth due to lack of proper lubrication LONG before it breaks.

Also, could one of the VANOS bolt heads broken off and got jammed in the chain? Did the VANOS bolt recall apply to the 1M?

[tyhackman15]

Blaming the homebrew oil seems a bit ridiculous. The amount of friction needed to cause a chain to break from lack of lubrication would surely be reflected in the bearings, rings, etc...heck I'd imagine something else would fail long before the chain.

Is there any information stored in the DME that may reveal any past "incidents"?

There's also the fact that manufacturing issues still exist, while we have come a long way, 99.999xxxx% still leaves room for the occasional error. Might have been defective from day one and destined to fail.

[harkes]

Originally Posted by tyhackman15

Blaming the homebrew oil seems a bit ridiculous. The amount of friction needed to cause a chain to break from lack of lubrication would surely be reflected in the bearings, rings, etc...heck I'd imagine something else would fail long before the chain.

Is there any information stored in the DME that may reveal any past "incidents"?

There's also the fact that manufacturing issues still exist, while we have come a long way, 99.999xxxx% still leaves room for the occasional error. Might have been defective from day one and destined to fail.

I would tend to agree about the oil. If it was really that bad then something else would have failed first.
It is a manual car - might have been a money shift.

[martymil]

If the oil wasn't up to the task and something seized in the top end, it would definetly snap the chain as the crank would still try to spin.

Very rare for this to happen and the ones I seen is from using cheap oil, wrong oil, bad maintenance and not warming the car up properly whilst thrashing it.

But since the top end is pretty f'ed up you might never figure out what caused the issue.

[blackmist222777]

what a shame... how much does a new motor cost?

[harkes]

Originally Posted by blackmist222777

what a shame... how much does a new motor cost?

10100usd including labour here in China

[juld0zer]

VANOS bolt head issue was relevant to all engines using the same style of adjuster. Only specific VIN ranges were recalled. My mate's N52 E90 was not amongst the recalled but his one snapped the heads off too.

[BQTuning]

very extremely uncommon for a timing "chain" to fail.