E36 Vanos: Setting the Motor to TDC from Scratch

[@justinc6553]

Man! Super informative thanks for taking the time to put it up. I'm currently rebuilding my bottom end and haven't had to do timing on one of these motors in about 8 years so was a perfect refresher as the rest of the internet wasn't much help

[@M3NACE]

thank you man. this is one of the reasons I started this channel lol, when i started working on E36's there wasnt alot of directly useful information on it. I had to read like 3 or 4 forums to get the general Idea on how to do things, and at one point when I got comfterble with working on these cars and I knew my shit, I knew there is probably alot of other E36 guys with the same issue, so I set out to make tome top notch DIY's that actually worked. Im glad the vids are doing what I intended them to do lol

[@DailyDoseOfAffirmationz]

Hey I would definitely advise on showing the first piston when explaining tdc. Also. Advise on doing two revolutions to verify tdc. Some one might be 180 off and not know it

[@M3NACE]

You would verify TDC after the vanos and cams are on and timed, i cover it in the second vanos install video.

[@DailyDoseOfAffirmationz]

Got ya. I talking about the beginner beginners. Who might not know what tdc is at all. Good vid though. Good Information for sure. No disrespect.

[@M3NACE]

+1 lol no hostility given or taken, its all covered in install and removal videos. im not sure a beginner beginner will be this deep into one of these things, but everybody learns.

[@chipcollingwood4123]

Good evening Quinn, Looks like I've got a cracked head. Fortunately I was able to source a good used one and am back to getting the M52 out of my 528i back together. What is the best head gasket /gasket kits to source for this job? Thanks so much, Chip

[@M3NACE]

I’d just grab a elring headgasket kit and a new set of headbolts and call it a day! Victor reins also makes a good kit but i prefer elring if you can get it.

[@jasonjohnathon84]

Hello ... I am about to do head gasket on 1995 318ti but I dont seem to have any Mark's on my crank pulley and when cam dots are up the flywheel hole lock isnt at hole! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[@binkhalifa2004]

@Quinn Clark - M3NACE, I think I blundered badly - when installing the exhaust cam, the crank was at TDC 😟. I noticed this while installing E5 and E3 cap nuts. E3 cap wouldn't bottom out and that's when I checked and found the crank at TDC. E5 cap had bottomed out. I was replacing the valve stem seals. After I turned the crank off TDC by rotating the engine counterclockwise approx. 30° using the central bolt, all went well with reinstallation of the cams. But did I already damage my engine by attempting to install the cam while crank was still at TDC??? Are the valves now bent through contact with the piston crowns?

[@M3NACE]

They shouldnt be, it takes alot of force to bend a hardened steel valve, and i dont think you would be able to accidentally bend one like that. I would continue with installation, it should be fine. Once you fire it up youll know.

[@binkhalifa2004]

@@M3NACE I can sleep better tonight, thanks - you da man🤛.

[@binkhalifa2004]

"Don't roll this engine without the chains connected, as it is an interference engine, likely valve damage will occur." Does this mean the main timing chain must be connected to the crank before turning the engine or does it mean any chain including the vanos chain? What I'm doing is using a bungee cord to keep the valves from dropping (insert the cord just before TDC of the cylinder being worked on). I'm not using compressed air. I have the cams off and need to turn the crank to bring the cylinder I'm working on close to TDC and insert the rope. Since the chains are disconnected except for the main timing chain that's still connected to the crank and moves as the crank is moved, does the above warning apply and I stand the risk of damaging the valve?

[@M3NACE]

With the cams removed you can spin the motor as much as you’d like.

[@binkhalifa2004]

@@M3NACE Thanks, that's what I thought but the comment I quoted confused me.

[@ALKUKES]

Hi my cam belt snapped of while trying to crank it? Because the oltenator was sized my mistake now my question is how do i time it right as i lost my tdc points, the points is there but i mean how many times i wind the bottom how do i know its dead centre tdc if you know what i mean? So by looking your video i need yo take head of then cylinder 1 has to be flush right so is that cylinder on a back of engine or fron by the way m20 engine .... please let me know

[@M3NACE]

ohhhk lets take a step back here. the M20 and the M50/M52 are 2 completely different motors. M20 is a single overhead cam with a timing belt, and the M5X are dual overhead cam with timing chains, so this TDC video wont really help you out with the specifics of setting the motor to TDC. you will need to set the top end to TDC, and set the Bottom end to TDC, and put the belt on. that being said I have never worked on or replaced a timing belt on an M20 so I have no idea about the specifics on how to do that. that being said, the belt snapped because of the alternator? the belt that runs the alternator is not the timing belt. if that belt snapped, you do not need to re-time the motor as your timing belt is more than likely still intact. just replace the alternator and replace the belt, no timing the engine required. if the timing belt did snap because of that, which I think is highly not the case, and would be terrible luck, then this DIY article should be able to help you out. www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/101-Projects-20-E30-Timing-Belt/101-Projects-20-E30-Timing-Belt.htm

[@ALKUKES]

M3NACE thank you boss lets hope i haven’t messed up so if i line up to the markings it will not crash my valves or same the engine you working with looks same to mine i could be wrong, 325i mine

[@M3NACE]

what year/chassis? e30?

[@biturbos4]

Nice video, noticed the intake cam lock is raised on one side. Are the cam ends (with holes) suppose to be on the same plane (if you took a ruler and placed it on top)?

[@M3NACE]

no, as long as the cam locks are both on the cams seated, and bolted together, you are fine. the cams dont sit perfectly square inside the locks, as long as the locks are on and tight send it.

[@biturbos4]

@@M3NACE I should have asked that question a long time ago I watched all your videos and it's been driving me nuts. When I set my cam blocks flush on the head the top of the exhaust cam square does not line up with the intake one. I've seen numerous posts with people timing engines with a ruler and that's what got me confused how can the cam blocks fit flush on the engine but the end of the cam squares not line up. If they are supposed to be a little skewed then that's my answer I did not know it was normal. I really appreciate your reply!

[@ItsEbro]

so does the head need to be off in order to time camshafts to tdc. im in the process of a vanos rebuild and have noticed that tdc on my crank isnt lining up with tdc on the camshafts. I assume the camshafts need to be re-timed however would I be okay to do that with the head still on ?

[@M3NACE]

Yes, you can leave the head on and re-time

[@the_grube5782]

Awesome vid I'm about to do this. Thanks for making this

[@M3NACE]

no problem brotha!

[@Christopher9835]

Hi I replaced the Vanos seal on my M50tu, then I went ahead to reinstall the vanos. I tightened all the bolts and removed all the blocks and pin. I. turned the crank from TDC to TDC twice, so two rev. Now my cams are not TDC anymore, how do I adjust the cams back to TDC now?

[@M3NACE]

well if you timed it correctly, when you set the crank TDC mark back to top dead the cams should alos be at TDC

[@Christopher9835]

@@M3NACE The timing for the cams are completely off now. So how do I adjust the timing of the cams? ( cylinder 1 are not pointing at each other, the blocks wont fit the intake cams.

[@M3NACE]

@@Christopher9835 well you did just the vanos seal right? you didnt take any of the cam gears and chains off did you? if you did, you will need to take the whole thing off and start from scratch. if you didnt take any of the hardware off for the cam gears then it shouldnt be off.

[@Christopher9835]

@@M3NACE no I didn't take the cams off. Some people said when I first re-installed the vanos, it was off my 1 tooth which caused the both cams to be off. So uninstall the vanos and reintallsted again. 2 TDC TO TDC crank turns later, my cams are still facing the wrong direction.

[@M3NACE]

@@Christopher9835 you didnt take the cams off, but did you take the cam gears and timing chains off??

[@ZachKramer]

my timing chain NOT for vanos slipped when i was manually cranking the engine to clean each piston with the head off. How do i reset the chain to the correct spot? i still have my zip tie on it but its in a completely different location now. kinda nervous lol

[@M3NACE]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWLKh6ahptVljsU 3:50 mark on this vid is where i explain how to set it.

[@ZachKramer]

M3NACE okay so the sprocket is what matters. Not necessarily the chain. So because my chain moved it’s okay as long as sprocket ends up in correct place

[@M3NACE]

@@ZachKramer exactly. You mark the chain when you take it off so the sprocket will be in the correct place.

[@ZachKramer]

M3NACE awesome! Also when I crank it with head off it won’t crank all the way. Something seems to be blocking it. I am thinking it is the timing chain getting stuck because before head came off it was completely fine.

[@M3NACE]

@@ZachKramer its probably the chain getting caught up on itself. try holding the chain taught then cranking it.

[@e36crow94]

I hope this helps me ;o I'm re-installing the cylinder head on my 318is ,I'm picking it up from the machine shop today and I have to set the timing to tdc

[@M3NACE]

e36 Crow im pretty sure the M42/M44 timing is the same procedure, as im pretty sure they use the same tool to lock the flywheel and cams. I will look that up for you and re-comment later today my friend!

[@e36crow94]

Thank you!!

[@aviphoenix2284]

easy to follow. good video. thanks dude.

[@BLACKHAWKTS]

Thank you

[@xavier8548]

5:40 my cams rotate a certain amount but then stop? Engine is still in the car

[@djc2874]

block not at tdc?

[@nickmuntean1296]

Thanks for the video man.

[@nickmuntean1296]

Going to attempt mine first week of September. Do I have to replace the cylinder head bolts? I know they are stretch bolts, so this is why I am wondering? I am replacing the head gasket, I bought the OEM head gasket set, so I am wondering if I should get new cylinder head bolts and anything else

[@M3NACE]

of course!