Here is a pic of my cam chain. For someone who knows, does this look right?

I'm right in the middle of installing a new valve cover gasket, cleaning out my intercooler pipes, and blasting the intake ports with some walnut action.

Before I head over to the dealer to get the gasket, I'm wondering if I should get the longer chain tensioner.

Thank you.

 

You definately need to check the guides and tensioner. You should not have that much slack.

 

What can I check? I was going to rotate the engine and watch the chain on the tensioner.

 

Just from your pics you can see there is no tension on the chain. Were you experiencing any noise? Check out this thread
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tensioner.html

 

I rotated the engine through a few rotations via the crank pulley. The chain tightened nicely and stayed tight after I re-torqued the tensioner bolt..

 

Great.

 

Uh, that/your upper guide looks to be damaged. Look @ the below picture...see how the lower section of the upper guide has little tabs that extend all the way to the aluminum mounting arm, yours aren't there and are probably floating in your oil pan. Yo chain be slappin' hard. :O

 

I see what you mean, the guide seems to be the same length but there is some material missing in the middle of the guide that keeps the chain off the metal support?

 

Those tabs that your upper guide is missing is a good indication that your chain is far beyond saving in terms of stretch/deflection. Throwing a longer (updated) tensioner @ this current timing chain will only band aid your problem. To be honest i'd really think about replacing your timing chain assembly ASAP. I have seen these chains stretch enough to make contact with the physical aluminum arm which in turn will snap the chain...and from there you can imagine the catastrophe to come.

 

I'm dropping her off at the dealer today to confirm. If they don't want to help cover some of the cost then I will be installing a new chain myself.

Maybe with a write up...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-new-post.html

 

Someone should of pointed this out a while ago but I didn't notice it. If you don't have any oil pressure your chain tensioner wont be putting tension on the chain.

 

Well that’s an interesting point. I had a brief thought about starting it and checking the chain with the valve cover off but decided against shooting oil everywhere.

The car has been at the dealer for the last three days, waiting on them to see if they can get MINI to help cover some of the cost.

 

The cam chain measured 72.7mm to tight, 72mm is max. See the solution in this thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3678599

 

72mm is the max for what? From the bulletin I've read if the measurement is below 68mm a new tensioner is recommended. Above 68mm and its the whole assembly. Never heard of the 72mm before.

 

all this info is incorrect.

- If the measured distance/deflection is less than 72 mm and the noise can only be reproduced between 1,600-1,800 rpm, only replace the chain tensioner.

Remember to discard the seal ring that was originally supplied with the new timing chain tensioner. Refer to Repair Instruction REP 11 31 090, “Installing and removing/replacing chain tensioner piston N14.”

- If the measured distance/deflection is 72 mm or greater and the noise is reproducible both at the 1,600-1,800 rpm range as well as at idle speed when cold, replace the components in the list below :

*Guide rail
*Tensioner rail
*Sliding rail
*Sprocket on the crankshaft
*Bearing bolts for the tensioner and guide rails
*Cam gear bolts
*Crankshaft bolt


Now if your going to ask me personally, I'd say anything greater then 70mm and its in your best interest to replace the whole timing chain assembly. But that's just my educated feeling.

 

Does this REP 11 31 090 have anything about the 72mm in it? Have a copy to post?

Mine is 64mm and it rattles when cold. Not sure what that means. I've got the longer tensioner coming and will probably pull the valve cover to check the guides.

 

oh and the info you had provided about above or below 68mm is from a bulletin that has been superseded by a current bulletin that was released in Sept/Oct of last year.

uh, somethings wrong with this. at 64mm you should not be having any rattle related issues. are you sure your deflection measurement was 64mm? who performed this measurement of deflection?

as for REP 11 31 090, I do not have it as it is the repair procedures and guidelines to performing the timing chain replacement service.

 

Ok, this was the only thing I could find to go off of.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...1-02-07-a.html

Mine is quite noticeable in the morning when its cold. Its def. there. I did the measurement. A few times actually to get the feel for when it was finally picking up the chain guide. I did the threading of the rod by hand as I dont have anything that will measure 0.6Nm (5-ish inlbs) I probably shouldn't be able to turn anything with my fingers past that. So just went till it was much harder to turn.

My deflection was actually 64.16mm to get technical Used my mitutoyo digital dial calipers so pretty confident in that measurement. Put the adapter in the block till it bottomed out. Threaded in the other rod till took up the slack, then locked it down with a nut and backed the whole assembly out.

 

Took a quick video this morning to demonstrate. Maybe not as severe as some others but still concerning to me.