I have read that already. It is for the n12 engine I have n14. Not sure all the differences. However it doesn’t mention the bolt I show in the picture above at all. This picture comes from the newTIS which is specific to the N14.

 

are you referring to the T50 torx guide bolt? if so this bolt requires to raise the engine to get access. that bolt is on the instruction section 6 step 4.
4. Use a T50 torx bit to remove the top bearing bolt from the engine

 

So in the guide you linked that bolt is coming out after the cam sprockets have already been removed. In the TIS they have you remove the bolt before the sprockets.

keep in mind I am not removing my timing chain, just need to get cams out to do the valve seals,

do I need to remove that at all?

 

you do not need to remove the guides, just the chain tensioner bolt before losing the Cam bolts.

 

I agree except I think you remove the chain tensioner first otherwise the vanos/sprocket will snap over because of the chain tension.

 

you are correct . Post was edited .

 

So in the write up that heticor linked I was able to get as far as removing the tensioner.
So far I have not needed to remove any of the engine mounts or brackets, nor remove the throttle body.

I am now at the step where I can remove exhaust sprocket and vanos sprocket. I have the locking tools in place although they don't fit very well. I did have to grind some of exhaust tool off due to interference with turbo as mentioned. But the intake side does not sit flat to engine. As if the cam is slightly rotated when the crank is locked at 90 degrees. They will be put back rotated properly when the cams are reinstalled. Just bothersome that my cam seems a few degrees off. Or is my tool junk?

That aside. It seems the Bentley and the TIS want me to remove that upper guide bearing bolt before removing sprockets.

mildensteve, can you confirm that when you did this job (just seals, not timing chain) you did not need to remove engine mounts or brackets and did not remove the guide bearing bolt shown here. Because to do so require removing the brackets and lifting the engine.
I do know this is still out when the Bentley using the chain tensioning tool. So does this impact chain tension. Oddly the Bentley does not ever tell you to put back in.

 

Question on the special tools.

Do you know what tools A and F are used for? Another engine other than N14?

 

As I mentioned above I can't remember exactly how I did the seals (with or without timing chain) so a lot of this is from memory after working on a mix of three different R56's at about the same time (not recommended). Did you put the cam locking tools on before you removed the upper guide? If you did you may have had a timing issue in addition to oil burning. If you removed the upper guide before locking there may have been a little rotation of the cam which could cause the condition you mentioned. If you remove the tensioner before locking it would make the situation worse. If only a slight gap I would use the 26 mm wrench to rotate the cam back to flatten the tool against the head/block and put in the attaching tool screws/bolts. You don't want to loosen the sprockets/vanos bolts if not locked because the cam will snap rotate due to the valve springs force. Once you remove the VANOS and sprockets use the wrench to slowly release the rotational force while you remove the locking tool. I would not take that guide pin out. Not sure why they think it needs to be removed. IIRC it has to be installed before putting the sprockets back on.

 

A is used for N12 Engine intake, is longer due the valvetronic.
F is a piece to secure the other two.

 

Yeah used for another engine variant (N12 I believe but don't hold me to it). Tool F is to measure a gap between it and D but I never have used it, probably because I never figured out how. I assume you ground the end off of tool D? Wish they came with proper clearance from the turbo. Every (cheap) tool I have seen has that interference.

You beat me to it, I wasn't fast enough on my response.

 

got ahead of myself and loosened this end piece at the end of the camshafts when loosening all the cam bearing cap bolts

Turns out that it is totally unnecessary to do that and obviously why the manual doesn't tell me to do it, doh!

Does anyone know what this is called and/or what the proper torques is for the three bolts that hold it to the head?

 

I do not want to alarm you , this is from the N12 engine.


the name is bearing bracket and for some reason on the N12 engines they do not want to be removed.

 

Oh no

i only loosened bolts, that part stayed firmly in place. Just need to torque them back down.
I’m going to tell myself “it’s fine, just fine..........” 🤢

 

If it makes you feel any better, I removed that bracket entirely when i did mine (totally unaware of the warning above). I retorqued it to the same spec as cam caps. Car has been running great! 🤞

 

That does make me feel better, thanks.

I also read a thread about a guy with an N12 that remove and reinstalled that put me at ease.

 

I guess we all did the same mistake. I also loosened the bolts but did not remove that same bracket. Torqued back to cap value.

 

I found this method to remove the camshaft without this special tool.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...ft-removal.htm

 

Good find, thanks.

But my camshafts are already out. I just loosened each cap a little at a time until it was under spring pressure anymore.

Hope that's OK. Sound like what most people have done.

 

you can use the procedure to install it.

 

Well new seals in,just need to reassemble,



however, I notice when placing rockers in that some of the lifters compress (springy) and some feel solid.

Which is good and which is bad? Are the solid one just stuck and need to be cleaned? Or replaced?

 

So to the point of torquing vanes and exhaust sprockets
the TIS says to pretension intake camshaft by using wrench and rotating right. I’m assuming they mean direction of engine rotation?
so am I just rotating the camshaft as far as it can rotate within the confines of the special lockout tool?
I imagine I have to hold it in that position while torquing the sprocket nut.

 

see this video minute 4:49

 

Thanks, yes that video matches what the TIS says except for the extra step I asked about. The cam has a few degrees of play when held in the locking tool so I am guessing they want you to remove those extra degrees by taking up slack with the wrench.

I'm kind of blown away that the sprockets aren't keyed at all to the camshafts. Nothing really prevents them from spinning except friction and the clamping force of the bolt. Makes me very nervous.....

 

Great, supposed to pretension chain to .6 nm, that’s a super low value, I don’t have access to a wrench that low