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10-24-2023, 08:14 PM | #1 |
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N52 - Particles in oil filter - timing chain guides?
My 128i with 123k miles that I recently acquired shows, 1 previous owner and regular maintenance history at the BMW service center.
I drove it over the weekend and the car started making a whine and would stall at stops with a CEL. On restart the CEL would clear. I was able to drive it home and pulled the oil filter. There I noticed the filer was collapsed a bit so I installed a new Mann filter. I cut open the old filter and noticed a large amount of brown and black particles. I did start the car and ran it for a few minutes with the new filter. No issues, CEL, or abnormal sounds/vibration. I pulled the new oil filter after that startup and noticed no similar particles. I am thinking this is guide material since I see brown. The pieces are easily broken and not magnetic. What else could it be? I didn’t think guides were a problem on the n52 but plastic isn’t going to last forever. Edit-after looking closer at this the particles are all flat and very brittle, making me think this is a coating that has deteriorated, maybe off the inside of the carbon steel oil pan? I was soon to start the oil pan gasket replacement. The contents of the oil pan may tell the full story. What other scope items would you add to further investigate this? Last edited by J0shTN; 10-25-2023 at 07:25 PM.. |
10-26-2023, 12:14 PM | #2 |
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Oh boy - it does look like part of the tensioner. You'll want to open the valve cover at a minimum, and the oil pan to be extra sure.
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10-26-2023, 01:11 PM | #3 |
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Drives: 128i 6M, 1UZ S13, '62 C10
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: Detroit Metro Outskirts
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That's a bit scary. Definitely pull the stored codes. If it is the tensioner, your code will likely reflect some relation to camshaft timing.
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10-26-2023, 01:19 PM | #4 |
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Thanks, will do and I am going to run a scope in first to check for anything obvious.
I did find a similar thread on another forum. Talks of a coating inside the chamber of the timing chain. Do all of the n52s have a coating here? I haven’t found a good photo of this area yet. https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/b...reply_top_post |
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11-08-2023, 06:43 PM | #5 |
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I lowered the oil pan and looked inside the timing chain area where I found the interior wall coating is peeling off. Has anybody else on these forums seen this?
What’s the purpose of the coating on an oil soaked block? How many parts are coated? What would you do? Part of me is saying remove what I can access with the oil pan and valve cover removed and then trust the oil filter to do its job. Then inspect the oil filter religiously for a while. |
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12-13-2023, 08:34 AM | #6 |
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What did you end up doing?
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12-17-2023, 06:05 PM | #7 |
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I cleaned out the oil pan and buttoned everything back up with a new gasket and bolts. Removal of the layer, what I think is oil varnish, would take a full disassembly. It seemed to be adhered well, so most is probably not going anywhere. I’m going to check/change the oil filter regularly until things clear up.
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