Stuck Flywheel Alignment pin...
 

I am fixing a dropped valve in an 08 R56 base with the Automatic. I bought an alignment kit for the cams and now have a problem. The pin / dowel for the flywheel to locate the pistons for alignment is stuck. It was a little tight going in but finally clicked into place. Upon trying to remove it I found it was stuck. I tried producing some back and forth movement on the flywheel to help it dislodge but it did not work. In trying to get the pin out the dinky welded handle broke off. Now it is really stuck with no way to leverage it to dislodge it. Any ideas short of pulling the Automatic transmission? I'm hoping someone here has delt with this before and can help. Thanks.

Can you borrow or buy a pair of locking pliers or mole grips as we call them? Once this is attached strongly you should be able to use something like a large screw driver to pise it out and even try to rotate it as you do so. Pulling the gearbox is a tad extreme.

any update on this? I am in the same boat!

This thread never got a follow up, I hate dead ended posts! I searched more and over and over it pointed to take the motor out. However I did find a solution!

My scenario Hit a deer in my 15 R60 so while I have the nose off ...lets do some maintenance and why not do the Timing chain (death rattle was starting to show up at 125k) however after all done the timing pin tool stuck hard and the handle broke off the pin flush with engine block

-What didn't work - tried welding a screw driver to it, heat but broke screw driver ( it did squeak out a1/8 inch)
-So here is what i did to skin this cat. (after I banged my head for a couple weeks, drank beer, cried in the bottle, and cussed about mini/BMW)
-What did work:
-cleaned pin with Dremel with flex shaft and then heated with propane torch
-I welded a nut to the end of the pin
-heated and sprayed PB ( the heat draws the lubricant in between the pin and block) let soak in overnight
- put vice grips on
-Sprayed pin with Nitrogen (shrinks the pin ) ***wear PPE Nitrogen is extremely cold and could cause skin damage***
-repeatedly twist back and forth and hammer pry bar behind vice grips (may need to repeat nitrogen depending how stuck)

- lesson learned: If using a generic tool, take down tool so it loosely fits, ensure timing hole is very clean, use never seize,
I hope my misfortune can help someone!
-j