Dear all,
my MCS (N14) has now 84,000km and when starting, I can hear the rattling noise.
I decided to have the whole chain/tensioner things replaced by my mechanic, so that I protect my engine as much as possible.
Given the opportunity what other relevant maintenance works should I do in the car? I was thinking to ask for a check in the water pump (replaced at 50,000km - leaking).
Any other ideas?

 

Water pump with metal case and impeller, crossover tube and thermostat are a must at this milage. The crossover tube at the water pump just crumbles away at this milage. Check valve cover for vacuum at idle if it has large vacuum at idle then the cover needs replacement. Walnut blast while intake is off for water tube. Vale seals are totally gone also and should be able to be replaced on the car. You will have a new car once completed.

 

Concur! Whoever thought a plastic tube right next to a hot engine block was a good thing was an idiot! When I changed my water pump (preventive while I was changing the thermostat due to a DTC), the plastic pipe crumbled. If they changed the pipe when they changed your water pump, you should be fine for a few more miles.

You don't have to take the intake manifold off to change the crossover tube, but walnut blasting is a must at this mileage. Installing a water/methanol kit will prevent the need for this in the future.

Valve stem seals can't be changed without special tools to compress the VANOS springs, so I wouldn't try this unless you have the tools and know what you are doing.

Run a compression check on the engine before you take it apart. If the compression is good, press on with the timing chain. If it isn't, this is a good time to have it addressed. Also, if your PTFE crankshaft hub seal isn't leaking, don't touch it. If it is leaking, make sure you have someone with experience changing PTFE seals install the new one. They must be installed dry and must normalize for 4 hours before starting your engine.

 

Thank you both for your answers.
I had the walnut blasting done at 60,000kms (kms not miles) and now I have 84,000 km.
The water pump was replaced at 50,000kms by the previous owner, but again, I think that the one it has now it's slowly leaking (I am adding coolant every 4-5 thousand kms).
I wonder if I can find the water pump with the metal case and impeller that you mentioned, in Europe (I reside in Greece). I will check. Do you have any link where I can at least see it?

By the way, the oil filter base is leaking again from that bloody gasket, which I had it replaced at 60,000kms.
Don't you think that valve seals is a long shot for such low mileage?
I cannot understand which pipe you are referring to but I will add it in my list so that my mechanic checks it out.

PS: during the past days, I don't hear that rattle during early starts, but again, temperature is higher compared to previous weeks.

 

Yesterday, while drving back from the airport, I saw some smoke coming out from the hood.
Great, I thought, that's everything I need after a 5 day business trip and a 4 hour flight.
Pulled right, opened the hood and the coolant in the coolant tank was near MIN. Turned the engine off and I could hear the coolant dropping on some warm surface.
The garage told me today that the gasket behing the oil filter housing was bad and coolant was leaking. Apparently, besides oil, this separates coolant as well.
So it wasn't the water pump responsible for the very slow leaking, but the bloody gasket, which I had it replaced 25,000kms (and 2 years) ago.

Under any case, since the car is in, I will have the timing chain replaced as well and the engineer will check for any other issues

 

Sounds like a head gasket went good time to do the timing chain

 

Just took the MCS back from the garage shop.
The tensioner was replaced. I saw the old one. The lowest point where the two V shaped plastics are connected was broken, however, timing was not lost.
I had the gasket of the oil filter strycture replaced and no more coolant leaks!
Today, the cold start was very smooth and quiet! Happy driver.


**I saw a tear down engine of a MCS. The owner showed me the results of high oil consumption. The area where the piston moves (sorry, I don't know the English term for that) had small signs of explosions. The bore was significantly mishaped. New engine.

I wonder why BMW constructed such a crappy engine for such a nice car.

 

 

How can you say that the motor is built just fine?
My engine consumes oil like hell (500ml every 1000kms) from day 1 and BMW finds this consumption normal.
I have had many cars in the past. I don't remember adding more than 100ml every 10,000kms. An no, I never kept the MCS oil for more than 5,000kms. Kilometres, not miles.
And then, many things can go wrong. Simple list:

- carbon in exhaust valves (cleaned mine at 60,000km)
- gasket under oil filter housing (replaced mine twice. at 60,000km and 83,000km)
- tensioners and timing chain (at 83,000km!!!!)
- HPFP (not yet - touch wood),

I love the car, I love how it looks, how it turns. However, the engine is crappy. Peugeot or BMW, I really don't mind. It's bad.

 

All turbo charged engines burn oil by design some more then others. My MCS with the N14 burns 1/2 a quart every 2000 miles. That is More then my turbo charged cummins turbo diesel but is much less then my turbo charged Supra i had as a kid which burned a quart every 1k. 90% Of the major issues with the Prince motor all point back to lack of maintenance. If you check your oil weekly like you should then most of the issues can be avoided.