BMW Timing Chain Replacement Specialist and Cost
It’s no secret that BMWs are prone to timing chain failure over the years. Often exacerbated with city, ‘on and off’ throttle driving. The wear is exaggerated, with chains failing at a lower mileage than motorway driven cars.
We can do a lot of petrol timing chains same day whilst you wait. N45 N43 N42 N46 Timing Chains from just £650.
We only use the OEM supplier for our chains and all new bolts are used. If our technicians find pieces of guide missing, we will recommend that the sump is removed and oil pickup is checked. This can be done on the same day still but note this service is not included in the above price.
A lot of garages will use cheaper chains to push profits up, be assured we will never do this!
Diesel timing chains, N47, N57, B37, B47, B57 also available to book. Please bear in mind we cannot do these same day. Prices from £945
Does my timing chain need replacing?
A very good question we think.
No-one wants the hassle or money spent addressing an issue that never was, we’re here to help!
Check your servicing history… (if you have any!)
Hopefully the last owner has had this done, but even so it is worth considering the mileage this was done at and the quality of the parts that were used. Anything unbranded is a big no-no in our opinion and due to failing again down the line. Also worth noting that city cars may appear low mileage but due to the on and off throttle driving can experience premature wear.
Warning Lights
A clear indicator that your BMW isn’t happy about something. Engine lights and camshaft or crankshaft sensor codes can indicate towards this. If you’re really unlucky there might be an oil pressure code too from a blocked oil pickup pipe… even if the chain has previously done! This may be because the previous garage replaced the chain (with missing pieces of guide) and never dropped the sump off to clean out the missing pieces before they got into the oil pickup.
Rattling and Rough Running
A rattling sound from your engine bay often the first sign that you need to get your chain done. You may also experience rough running from your car.
Visible Play
If you own a petrol engine, you can take off the oil filler cap and look straight in at the chain. With the engine turned off, take a pick and see if you can move the chain. Ideally it should be rock solid with no movement. If there is any play we would recommend getting the chain replaced at your earliest convenience. Also the top plastic guide should be visible. These start off white/yellow coloured and become more brown red with age, another sign it is very old and due a replacement.
If you have a diesel engine, the timing chain is located on the back of the engine, making it much more inaccessible and often harder to diagnose.
As you can tell from above, this is a job worth doing preventatively to avoid oil starvation and potentially major engine failure. Additionally the risk of snapped timing chain is not one to mess with. This becomes a big job as it bends valves and requires the entire engine head to be removed and valves to be replaced, needless to say this is a much more expensive than a timing chain job.
Give our technicians a call! We’re happy to talk you through this if you have any questions or feeling unsure.