Checking camshaft timing

Preliminary work 

• Refer to REMOVING THE FLAP IN THE RIGHT-HAND LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT TRIM PANEL .
• Refer to DE-ENERGIZING THE HIGH-VOLTAGE SYSTEM .
• Refer to CHECKING THAT NO VOLTAGE IS APPLIED .
• Refer to DISCONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE .
• Refer to DISCONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE OF THE VEHICLE BATTERY .
• Refer to REMOVING THE RIGHT COVER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT .
• Refer to REMOVING THE COVER IN THE LEFT ENGINE COMPARTMENT .
• Refer to Removing both WIPER ARMS .
• Refer to REMOVING COWL PANEL COVER .
• Refer to REMOVING TRAILING LINK AT TENSION STRUT TOWER .
• Refer to REMOVING THE SOUND INSULATION ON THE BULKHEAD UPPER PART AT THE CENTER .
• Refer to REMOVING THE LOWER RIGHT ENGINE BULKHEAD .
• Refer to REMOVING DESIGN COVER .
• Refer to REMOVING THE ACOUSTIC COVER .
• Refer to REMOVING CORROSION PROTECTION COVER .
• Refer to REMOVING BOTH ACTUATORS .
• Refer to REMOVING IGNITION COILS .
• Refer to REMOVING THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP AND THE RAIL .
• Refer to REMOVING FUEL DELIVERY LINE .
• Refer to REMOVING THE INJECTORS .
• Refer to REMOVING THE FRONT UNDERBODY PROTECTION .
• Refer to REMOVING THE CENTER UNDERBODY PROTECTION .
• Refer to REMOVING SIDE UNDERBODY PANELLING .
• Refer to DRAINING THE COOLANT FROM THE LOW-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM .
• Refer to DRAINING THE COOLANT FROM THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM .
• Refer to REMOVING BOTH COOLANT EXPANSION TANKS .
• Refer to REMOVING INTAKE SILENCER HOUSING .
• Refer to REMOVING CLEAN AIR PIPE .
• Refer to REMOVING CHARGE AIR LINE .
• Refer to REMOVING ACOUSTIC COVER AT FRONT .
• Refer to REMOVING THE AUXILIARY COOLANT PUMP OF THE EXHAUST TURBOCHARGER .
• Refer to REMOVING FRONT ENGINE ENCAPSULATION .
• Refer to REMOVING THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SUPPORT BATTERY .
• Refer to REMOVING BATTERY HOUSING (ENGINE COMPARTMENT) .
• Refer to REMOVING CONTROL UNIT HOLDER .
• Refer to REMOVING THE INTAKE PLENUM .
• Refer to REMOVING THE HEAT EXCHANGER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION .
• Refer to REMOVING THE CYLINDER HEAD COVER .

• If applicable, remove the cover (1). 

  Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

  NOTE: RISK OF DAMAGE 
  Damage to the engine. 
  If the engine is manually rotated in the wrong direction of rotation, the engine can be damaged. 

  • Only rotate the engine manually in the correct direction of rotation: a) clockwise when looking at the damper, or b) counterclockwise when looking at the chain drive. b) applies only if the timing chain is installed in the rear.

  Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

• Turn the engine with the special tool  0 493 380 (11 6 480)  at the vibration damper to the TDC firing position  at the 1st cylinder.
• Remove the protective cap (1)  on the oil sump.

  Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

• Position special tool 2 288 380 correctly.

  The engine is located at the first cylinder on the top dead center.

  NOTE: TECHNICAL INFORMATION 
  If the crankshaft is blocked properly, it is not possible to turn the engine forwards or backwards on the vibration damper!
• Use the special tool 2 288 380 to block the crankshaft in the TDC firing position at the 1st cylinder.

  Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

• Make sure that special tool is inserted in the dowel hole up to dimension (X). 

(X)  = 56 mm

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Check 

• Check if the marks (1)  of the intake camshaft and exhaust camshaft can be read from the top.

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Result 

» Marks (1)  cannot be read from the top.

Measure

• Turn the camshafts to the correct position or readjust the timing.

Check 

• Check whether the middle one of the 3 flattened areas (1)  on both camshafts points upwards.

The special tool 2 358 122 may not be mounted when the camshafts are twisted by 180 degrees (center flattened area points down).

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Result 

» The middle one of the 3 flattened areas (1)  does not point upwards.

Measure

• Turn camshafts to the correct position so that the middle one of the 3 flattened areas (1)  on both camshafts points upwards.

Check 

• Make sure the cam on the exhaust camshaft at the first cylinder points obliquely inward to the right.

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Result 

» The cam does not point obliquely inward to the right.

Measure

• Turn the camshaft to the correct position.

Check 

• Make sure the cam on the intake camshaft at the first cylinder points obliquely to the left.

  Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

  Result 

  » The cam does not point obliquely to the left.

  Measure

  • Turn the camshaft to the correct position.
• Mount special tool 2 358 122 .
• Secure the basic carrier (1)  with the bolts (2)  on the cylinder head.
• Position the gauge (3)  with the recess on the mounting flats of the exhaust camshaft.
• Secure the gauge (3)  with the screws (5)  on the basic carrier.
• Position the gauge (4)  with the recess on the mounting flats of the intake camshaft.
• Secure the gauge (4)  with the bolts (5)  on the basic carrier.

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Follow-up work 

• Refer to REMOUNTING THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS .
• Refer to INSTALLING CYLINDER HEAD COVER .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE HEAT EXCHANGER FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE INTAKE PLENUM .
• Refer to INSTALLING BATTERY HOUSING (ENGINE COMPARTMENT) .
• Refer to INSTALLING AUXILIARY BATTERY (ENGINE COMPARTMENT) .
• Refer to INSTALLING CONTROL UNIT HOLDER .
• Refer to INSTALLING FRONT ENGINE ENCAPSULATION .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE AUXILIARY COOLANT PUMP OF THE EXHAUST TURBOCHARGER .
• Refer to INSTALLING ACOUSTIC COVER AT FRONT .
• Refer to INSTALLING CHARGE AIR LINE .
• Refer to INSTALLING CLEAN AIR PIPE .
• Refer to INSTALLING INTAKE SILENCER HOUSING .
• Refer to CONNECTING THE COOLANT LINE TO THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE COOLANT CIRCUIT .
• Refer to CONNECTING THE COOLANT LINE TO THE LOW-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM .
• Refer to INSTALLING BOTH COOLANT EXPANSION TANKS .
• Refer to FILLING THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM WITH THE VACUUM FILLER DEVICE .
• Refer to FILLING THE LOW-TEMPERATURE COOLANT CIRCUIT WITH THE VACUUM FILLER DEVICE .
• Refer to BLEEDING THE LOW-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM .
• Refer to BLEEDING THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE COOLANT SYSTEM .
• Refer to CHECKING THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM FOR WATERTIGHTNESS .
• Refer to CHECKING LOW-TEMPERATURE COOLING SYSTEM FOR WATERTIGHTNESS .
• Refer to PREPARING THE INJECTORS FOR INSTALLATION .
• Refer to INSTALLING INJECTORS .
• Refer to INSTALLING FUEL DELIVERY LINE .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE HIGH-PRESSURE LINE BETWEEN THE HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP AND THE HIGH-PRESSURE RAIL .
• Refer to INSTALLING BOTH ACTUATORS .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE IGNITION COILS .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE LOWER RIGHT ENGINE BULKHEAD .
• Refer to INSTALLING CORROSION PROTECTION COVER .
• Refer to INSTALLING ACOUSTIC COVER .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE DESIGN COVER .
• Refer to INSTALLING SOUND INSULATION AT THE CENTER OF THE BULKHEAD UPPER PART .
• Refer to REMOVING/INSTALLING TRAILING LINK AT TENSION STRUT TOWER .
• Refer to ATTACHING COWL PANEL COVER .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE COVER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE LEFT .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE COVER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE RIGHT .
• Refer to INSTALLING BOTH WIPER ARMS .
• Refer to CHECKING/ADJUSTING THE ANGLE OF ATTACK OF A WIPER ARM TO THE WINDSHIELD .
• Refer to CONNECTING NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE (ENGINE COMPARTMENT) .
• Refer to CONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE .
• Refer to ACTIVATING HIGH-VOLTAGE SYSTEM .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE FLAP IN THE RIGHT LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT TRIM PANEL .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE UNDERBODY PANELLING ON THE SIDES .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE CENTER UNDERBODY PROTECTION .
• Refer to INSTALLING THE FRONT UNDERBODY PROTECTION .